Dylan Campbell on his first full season as a pro

01/18/2025 02:56 PM

22-year-old outfielder a few months back reflected on his first full professional season, his performance with Great Lakes, the art of stealing bases, refining his swing, and more. LA traded Campbell to the Phillies on Friday.

On Friday the Dodgers traded minor league outfielder Dylan Campbell to the Phillies for international pool space, one of two bonus-pool-augmenting deals used to sign Roki Sasaki as well as some semblance of an international class beyond the star Japanese right-hander.

A few months back I talked with Campbell over Zoom about his time so far in the Dodgers organization.

The Dodgers selected Campbell in the fourth round in the 2023 draft out of Texas, with the pick gained from qualifying-offer free-agent Tyler Anderson signing with the Angels. Campbell had a 36-game hitting streak during his junior season with the Longhorns, setting a Big 12 Conference record.

Campbell hit .251/.331/.372 with a 104 wRC+, 21 doubles, and 10 home runs for High-A Great Lakes last season, and turned 22 in July.

Joining the organization midway through the 2023 season meant that 2024 was his first full professional season, and he proved durable, finishing second on the Loons in games played (115) and plate appearances (493), the former 37 more games than he played between Texas and the minors combined the year before.

"Dylan is one of the most prepared and hardest workers that we have," Dodgers vice president of player development Will Rhymes said over the phone last week. "After opening day, he asked for extra hitting at 10 the next morning. He was extremely consistent with his preparation. I think that's one of the acclimated so well to full-season ball and sprinted to the finish line, when most guys really struggle."

Campbell's only hiccup was missing a week with a mild ankle sprain in June.

"I think I just prioritized recovery for the most part during the season," Campbell said. "I utilized the training room, the hot and cold tubs. not trying to leave the field as fast as I can, just to go home. Taking some extra time after games, even though I might not want to, but knowing that it'll pay off in the long run."

Campbell's 42 stolen bases were second-most in the Dodgers minor leagues, four behind Double-A Tulsa infielder Taylor Young. Campbell was only caught seven times, stealing bases at an 85.7-percent clip.

"The adrenaline you get when you're on the base path, that takes over," Campbell said. "Because of my competitive mindset, whenever I got on the bases I tried to go and get the extra bag and get in scoring position for the guy hitting behind me."

Campbell provided both speed and power last August 9 against Lansing, when he not only stole two bases but homered twice as well for Great Lakes.

It was Campbell's first two-homer game since college at Texas.

"Obviously the level of competition is different. To do it in professional ball in my first season was pretty special, because I don't know if I really expected to do it," Campbell recalled. "I was just going up there trying to have a good at-bat and put something together, and I ended up getting a hold of two there. That was a really good feeling.

That earned him Midwest League player of the week honors.

"I think there's a little more in there with the power, and he's obviously a good baserunner," Rhymes said. "He's just a good baseball player. It's kind of a refreshing style."

Campbell said he didn't experience weather in college like he saw in 2024 in the Midwest League, which he called "a different level of cold." Especially early in the season, snow was on the ground for some practices and on game days.

"You have to go out there and just play every day and trust that what you're doing is right. It's a tough league, and in the beginning of the season the weather was not really hitter-friendly, to say the least. A lot of those parks are not hitter-friendly as well," Campbell said. "Some of these balls that you're hitting really good, that might be home runs in other places, are turning into outs."

Among the things Campbell said he was doing this offseason — aside from starting The Dylan Campbell Foundation in December which "is committed to empowering young baseball players from underserved communities, with a special focus on ensuring African American players have continued access to the game" — was to fine tune his swing after getting tips from Dodgers coaches during the season.

"For me, especially on the hitting side, just getting a little bit more rhythm and timing in my swing and in my load. I feel like I had some issues with that this past season," Campbell said. "All these guys nowadays, they have tremendous stuff, tremendous pitch ability. Being on time and being ready for the fastball, I think, is what will me to the next step."

Rhymes said of Campbell's approach at the plate, "We do think he can turn the volume up on his swing a little bit, and potentially add to his moves, which are simple and direct, to see if he can get a little more speed, and hit the ball with a little more authority."

Campbell played all three outfield spots with Great Lakes, but also played three games at second base, where he last played in college at Texas in 2021.

"Switching around positions, you just try to do your best to prepare the day before or days coming up to that start. But a lot of the work we do to prepare for that is in the offseason," Campbell said. "If I can grasp a better knowledge of the positions, whether it's second or third, or all three outfield positions, just trying to get the best understanding of those as possible going into the season, that's pretty much all you can do."

"Opening so many options so you can stay on the field," he added, "It can't hurt you to play many positions."