Detroit Tigers

Dillon Dingler

The two-way catcher anchoring a young Detroit core

Dillon Dingler took a major leap in 2026, emerging as one of the best all-around catchers in the game and a central figure for a rising Tigers team. At 27, the backstop became the kind of two-way presence a young roster can build around.

At the plate, Dingler blasted a team-high 19 home runs and drove in 60 runs, giving Detroit a genuine middle-of-the-order threat from behind the plate — production that placed him among the American League's best offensive catchers. Behind it, his defense was just as valuable: strong pitch-framing and game-calling helping steer a Detroit staff that has been among the AL's stingiest.

It earned him a debut All-Star selection, and he represented the Tigers in Philadelphia alongside teammates Riley Greene and Kevin McGonigle — a snapshot of one of the most exciting young cores in baseball. For a franchise on the rise, Dingler's two-way presence behind the plate is the kind of foundation you don't often find.