Blake Dunn dominating in Double-A Chattanooga: Good enough for a September call-up?
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - From the moment Blake Dunn joined the Chattanooga Lookouts, he has been on a mission to make the other teams look out.
Dunn, a Saugatuck native, hit four home runs in a three-game span after being named the Southern League Player of the Week.
Dunn is batting .355 with 14 home runs, 50 RBIs and 29 stolen bases through 65 games in Chattanooga, the Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. He was named Southern League Player of the Month for July.
"It has been a long year and with the amount of at bats I have been able to have, it has allowed me to continue developing my swing and my game. I can really settle in to an approach that works for me," Dunn said. "Knowing what pitches to do damage on and what pitches to get singles with. Everybody has their sweet spots where they know they can hit the ball, but you are not going to get that meatball every at bat."
That means adjustments are being made constantly. Dunn wants to be able to hit any pitch in any situation.
"It is about learning how to hit different pitches in different zones. You have to understand yourself as a hitter and knowing where you can do damage. Sticking to our approach makes us who we are as hitters," he said.
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Dunn started the year with the Dayton Dragons in the Midwest League before being moved up. He said the key is to try to stay focused calm throughout a long season.
"You try to stay away from getting too high, same way as when you are on the other side of the spectrum. You have to stay even keeled and stay with the process that has produced results," he said. "Pitchers are a little bit better her and a defenses are better. It is a game of adjustments. When you get to a new place, you have to adjust to that new level. When you get here, they have scouting reports on you and adjust to you, so you have to keep adjusting."
Dunn is making a case to be a possible September call-up when rosters expand. Whether that happens or not, he has put himself in position to fight for a spot on the Reds next year.
"The coolest thing is to know the guys on the big league club were wearing these jerseys. All of those guys who played with the Lookouts who made it have pictures in our clubhouse," Dunn said. "It is really cool to see that when you come in every day. It is not something I take for granted. It is a pretty cool thing."
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Blake Dunn dominating in Double-A Chattanooga: Good enough for a September call-up?
