'Always the dream': Bismarck native Dodd to make MLB debut in St. Louis

Mar. 28—NORTH PORT, Fla. — Dylan Dodd's belief throughout his spring training stint with the Braves this year was that either he or Jared Shuster would earn a spot on the team's opening-day roster.

"That's all that's been talked about," Dodd told The News-Gazette on Sunday afternoon.

So Dodd wasn't sure what to expect when he and Shuster, a pair of left-handed pitchers, were called into Braves manager Brian Snitker's office for a joint meeting Sunday morning, prior to a game against Pittsburgh in Florida.

"My initial reaction was, 'Wow, this is going to be weird,'" Dodd said. "One of us is going to go on, and the other one is going to have to walk away from here knowing they're not."

That wasn't an issue Dodd and Shuster needed to worry about.

Because Snitker informed each promising pitcher the duo had done enough to both earn a spot on the Braves' roster to begin the 2023 season.

Dodd, a 2016 Bismarck-Henning graduate, will make his MLB debut against the Cardinals on Tuesday, April 4, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, receiving his first MLB starting pitching nod about 3 1/2 hours from his former high school.

"We were kind of emotionless at first. We didn't know what to expect," Dodd said of himself and Shuster, who also soon will make his MLB debut. "Within the last couple hours, it's really kind of hit me, and I've actually been able to sit down and think about what's happening."

Dodd has parlayed a successful spring, plus good minor league results the previous two seasons, into an opportunity to perform at professional baseball's highest level.

"That was always the dream growing up," Dodd said. "That's always what I wanted to do. Probably within the last two years, things started clicking for me and I saw this could really be a possibility for me. It all built up from there."

Dodd will be the first local product to make his MLB debut since Danville graduate Chuckie Robinson suited up for the Cincinnati Reds at catcher last season.

The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Dodd attended Kankakee Community College and Southeast Missouri State before being selected by the Braves in the third round of the 2021 MLB draft.

Dodd has thrown 18 innings across five spring training games this year, including three starts. The 24-year-old boasts an earned-run average of 2.00 and a batting average against of .227, allowing four earned runs, 15 hits and four walks while striking out 20.

Since getting drafted two summers ago, Dodd has methodically worked his way up through the Braves' minor-league system, with stops in Class A (Rome, Ga., and Augusta, Ga.,), Class AA (Pearl, Miss.,) and Class AAA (Gwinnett, Ga.).

He's compiled a 12-11 career record as a professional pitcher, carrying an ERA of 3.87 across 156 innings in 30 games (all starts) with 173 strikeouts against 34 walks.

Now, he'll get to start the 2023 season with the Braves, who open at 12:05 p.m. Thursday at Washington. It's the first of a six-game road trip to begin the season for Dodd and the Braves, with opening day at Truist Park in Atlanta set for Thursday, April 6, against San Diego.

"It's been quite the journey this past month. Going into it, I didn't really expect this outcome," Dodd said. "A lot of guys were in front of me that were experienced and had some big-league time, so I'm super grateful they see something in me."

After Dodd finished his 2022 minor league season, he returned to Vermilion County — he still lives in Bismarck when not playing — and spent a few weeks catching his breath and spending time with family and friends.

"Come December, I started throwing, just playing catch and slowly building up my arm," Dodd said. "January, that's where I started getting off the mound. Offseasons in Illinois are not the easiest. There were definitely days where I ran into some challenges. ... I was able to make the most of it."

Dodd arrived in Florida before the Braves' spring training session began, wanting to take advantage of the facilities and data-tracking services at his disposal in the warmer southern climes.

"I kind of figured they invited me and they wanted to get a look at me, but I really didn't think they were going to consider me for the fifth (starting) spot," Dodd said. "That was until halfway through spring training, and I realized, 'Yeah, I'm throwing the ball well.'"

Dodd doesn't point to a specific moment in which he recognized he might be impressing Atlanta's coaches. He feels consistency in his pitching efforts was the biggest tipping point in garnering him an MLB opportunity.

Dodd has appeared against Boston twice and once apiece versus the New York Mets, Baltimore and Philadelphia during spring training this year. He also had the chance to pitch in an exhibition against the Dominican Republic's World Baseball Classic lineup back on March 8.

"I found myself sometimes laying down at night after a game and saying, 'Wow, I faced a really good lineup,'" Dodd said. "Facing the Dominican Republic team was an awesome experience. ... I felt like that was the least-stressful game because there's no expectations. These guys are the greatest and proven, and I'm just getting my career started."

When Dodd called his parents Sunday morning to inform them just what the next step in his baseball career would look like, he thinks he might've woken them up.

Mark and Thea Dodd, though, likely didn't mind an early call. Mark coached Dylan in baseball in high school and also in football, two roles he still currently has at BHRA.

"They were super stoked. I could hear my mom hooting and hollering in the background," Dylan Dodd said. "I had a lot of people reach out."

He's not sure how many of those people will make the trip to St. Louis next week.

Mark Dodd said — perhaps jokingly, perhaps not — that the entire village of Bismarck might be in attendance for the second game of the three-game Braves-Cardinals series next. First pitch is scheduled for a 6:45 p.m. on April 4.

"It's going to be super emotional," said Dylan Dodd, who grew up a Milwaukee Brewers fan. "I'm just proud and very thankful for this opportunity, and just hoping that young kids can still bet on themselves coming from a small town where it's kind of unheard of."

Dodd only can focus on what's immediately in front of him when it comes to his professional future.

Even so, he knows remaining in MLB after getting that first call-up "is the toughest part" of his job.

"I can't get comfortable with what I've achieved," Dodd said, "and I've got to continue to work and continue to find ways to get better."