David Dahl (baseball)

David Martin Dahl (born April 1, 1994) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Rockies selected Dahl in the first round of the 2012 MLB draft out of Oak Mountain High School in Birmingham, Alabama. Dahl made his major league debut on July 25, 2016.

For the creator of "Dave's Killer Bread", see Dave Dahl (entrepreneur).

David Dahl
Dahl batting for the Colorado Rockies in 2016
Colorado Rockies – No. 26
Outfielder
Born: (1994-04-01) April 1, 1994
Birmingham, Alabama
Bats: Left Throws: Right
MLB debut
July 25, 2016, for the Colorado Rockies
MLB statistics
(through 2019 season)
Batting average.297
Home runs38
Runs batted in133
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Amateur career

Dahl attended Oak Mountain High School in Birmingham, Alabama. As a freshman, he made the school's varsity baseball team as a shortstop.[1] In 2011, Dahl was selected to play for the United States 18-and-under national baseball team, and appeared in the 2011 Pan American Games.[2] Dahl recorded 11 runs batted in (RBIs) during the 15 games of the tournament, in which the United States won the gold medal.[3]

In 2012, his senior at Oak Mountain, Dahl had a .412 batting average, 34 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases as an outfielder. He committed to attend Auburn University on a scholarship to play college baseball for the Auburn Tigers.[4]

Professional career

The Colorado Rockies selected Dahl in the first round, with the tenth overall selection, of the 2012 MLB draft.[3] Dahl signed with the Rockies, receiving a $2.6 million signing bonus, rather than follow through on his commitment to attend Auburn University.[5] He made his professional debut for the Grand Junction Rockies of the Rookie-level Pioneer League, hitting .379/.423/.625 with nine home runs and 57 RBIs. He was named the Pioneer League's most valuable player.[6]

Dahl during 2016 Colorado Rockies spring training

Prior to the 2013 season, Dahl was ranked as the Rockies second best prospect by Baseball America.[7] He was also ranked as the 58th best prospect in baseball by MLB.com.[8] The Rockies suspended Dahl at the beginning of the season, reportedly because he missed a team flight,[6] and played in ten games for the Asheville Tourists of the Class A South Atlantic League, missing the remainder of the season due to a torn hamstring.[9] Dahl began the 2014 season with Asheville, and was promoted to the Modesto Nuts of the Class A-Advanced California League in July.[10] Between Asheville and Modesto, Dahl batted .299, hit 14 home runs, and stole 21 bases for the season.[11]

On May 28, 2015, while playing for the New Britain Rock Cats of the Class AA Eastern League, Dahl collided with a teammate during a game while chasing a fly ball, and suffered a spleen laceration. After surgery to repair the damage, Dahl opted to have his spleen removed, rather than waiting for it to heal, in order to return to baseball with less recovery time.[12] Allowing it to heal would have cost Dahl the remainder of the season, while removing it left him with a recovery time of four to six weeks.[13] He resumed playing baseball in July, with a six-game rehabilitation stint with the Boise Hawks of the Class A-Short Season Northwest League, before returning to New Britain. Dahl finished the season with a .278 batting average, six home runs, and 22 stolen bases.[1][14]

The Rockies invited Dahl to spring training as a non-roster player in 2016.[15] Dahl began the 2016 season with the Hartford Yard Goats of the Eastern League. After he batted .278 with 13 home runs, 45 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases for Hartford, the Rockies promoted Dahl to the Albuquerque Isotopes of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League. Dahl appeared in the All-Star Futures Game as an injury replacement for Austin Meadows.[16] After batting .484 in 16 games for Albuquerque, the Rockies promoted Dahl to MLB on July 25, 2016,[17] and he made his MLB debut that night as the Rockies' starting left fielder.[18] Dahl recorded his first MLB hit off the Baltimore Orioles' Yovani Gallardo during his debut. On August 11, 2016, Dahl pushed a career-opening hitting streak to 17 games, tying the MLB record set by Chuck Aleno in 1941.[19] The hitting streak ended at 17 games.[20]

During spring training in 2017, Dahl had a stress fracture in a rib, making it painful to swing the bat. After developing back spasms while rehabilitating in July, the Rockies shut Dahl down for the season.[21]

In 2019, Dahl played 100 games, hitting .302 with 15 home runs and 61 RBI. He was named to the National League All-Star roster and recorded a single in the All-Star Game.[22]

Personal life

Dahl lives with his dog, a Golden Retriever named Rookie, and his wife, Jacquelyn Dahl, founder of 1UP Sports Marketing, where she represents high-profile athletes such as Patrick Mahomes, Julian Edelman, and Danny Amendola.[23]

See also

References
  1. "Dahl, who lost spleen after OF collision, still rising with Rockies". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  2. "Dahl, White make USA baseball team". Shelby County Reporter. September 22, 2011. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  3. "Rockies snag prep outfielder David Dahl with 10th overall pick in First-Year Player Draft". MLB.com. June 4, 2012. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  4. "Rockies take Dahl 10th overall in draft". Shelby County Reporter. June 4, 2012. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  5. "Oak Mountain star David Dahl signs $2.6M deal with Rockies". AL.com. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  6. "Rockies outfield prospect David Dahl eager to move forward after rough season". MLB.com. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  7. "BaseballAmerica.com: Prospects: Rankings: Organization Top 10 Prospects: 2013 Colorado Rockies Top 10 Prospects". Baseball America. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  8. "Rockies place three on Top 100 Prospects list". MLB.com. January 29, 2013. Archived from the original on January 31, 2013. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  9. "Rockies' David Dahl back on fast track after scary outfield collision". The Denver Post. March 3, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  10. "Rockies prospect David Dahl shows promise in promotion to Modesto Nuts". The Denver Post. July 25, 2014. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  11. "Rockies' top prospect will soon join Boise Hawks". Idaho Statesman. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  12. "Rockies' David Dahl opts to have spleen removed for quicker return". CBS Sports. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  13. Crasnick, Jerry (June 1, 2015). "David Dahl chooses spleen removal, return in 2015". ESPN.com. Retrieved August 17, 2016.
  14. Inabinett, Mark (March 10, 2016). "Oak Mountain's David Dahl puts life-threatening injury behind him at MLB spring training". AL.com. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  15. Maun, Tyler (February 11, 2016). "Rockies invite Dahl, Hoffman, McMahon: Club's No. 3, 4, 5 prospects headed to Major League Spring Training". MiLB.com. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  16. "Oak Mountain's David Dahl to play in Sunday's All-Star Futures Game". AL.com. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  17. "David Dahl, one of Rockies' top prospects, will get called up to majors Monday". The Denver Post. July 24, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  18. Saunders, Patrick (July 25, 2016). "David Dahl starts in left field, bats sixth in highly anticipated big-league debut with Rockies". The Denver Post. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  19. Inabinett, Mark (August 11, 2016). "Oak Mountain's David Dahl ties Major League hitting record". AL.com. Retrieved August 11, 2016.
  20. Harding, Thomas (August 13, 2016). "Dahl's 17-game streak to start career ends". MLB.com. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
  21. Harding, Thomas (January 4, 2018). "Outfielder Dahl (rib/back) cleared to swing bat: 23-year-old outfielder looking to make impact for Rockies in 2018". MLB.com. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
  22. Etheredge, Alec (July 10, 2019). "Former OMHS star David Dahl goes 1-for-1 in All-Star debut". Shelby County Reporter. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  23. "As Rockies OF David Dahl cements himself in the majors, his wife is becoming her own star in the professional sports world". The Denver Post. May 12, 2019. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
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