Dillon Dingler has quickly blossomed into one of the best catchers in the MLB in his third season.
The former Buckeye was named an All-Star on Saturday.
Ding! Ding! Ding! ️
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) July 4, 2026
It wouldn't be an All-Star Game without the best catcher in baseball! pic.twitter.com/QLcF63L5bo
“It's awesome,” Dingler said of the recognition. “I'm super-excited. It [shows] hard work pays off. Growing up, you see All-Stars. It's kind of surreal now to know that I'll be in that group. So, it's really cool.”
Dingler is the first former Ohio State player to be named an All-Star since 2010, when Nick Swisher made it for the New York Yankees. He's the fourth Buckeye all-time to make it, joining Swisher, Frank Howard (1968-71) and Johnny Edwards (1963-1964).
The 27-year-old has a .266/.328/.526 (.854 OPS) slash line with 19 home runs and 59 RBI through 82 games. In his second season as the full-time starter at catcher for the Tigers, Dingler is the first primary catcher since Ivan Rodriguez in 2000 to hit at least 19 home runs, 18 doubles, two triples, and 59 RBI in his first 80 games of a season.
Dingler leads all catchers with a 4.0 fWAR (per Fangraphs) so far this season. The Athletics' Shea Langeliers (2.2 fWAR), who was named the starting catcher for the AL, is a very distant second.
“He's been the best catcher in the league and that's no disrespect to Shea or Cal [Raleigh] or any of the guys that get mentioned in that high regard,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “It's just what he's doing behind the plate at the plate, 80-plus games, as a DH or catcher. He does it with the preparation of an All-Star, and so to get recognized and have the rest of the league know how valuable he is and how important he is. ... It's very gratifying for our player development system, coming through our system as a draftee.
“A player who came up with an enormous defensive reputation, won a Gold Glove, caught at the highest moments for us,” Hinch continued. “Offensively, he's been as close to carrying us as a player in our lineup, and he's been very consistent with very little rest.”
Dingler is the first Tigers catcher to make the All-Star Game since Alex Avila in 2011. He's the fourth Detroit catcher to earn the honor in the last three decades, joining Avila, Ivan Rodriguez (2004-07) and Brad Ausmus (1999).
The Midsummer Classic is July 14 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. First pitch is set for 8 p.m. on FOX.
