Patient, but aggressive: Dunn’s hitting philosophy fuels hot start to Memphis career 

MEMPHIS, TN – Hitting a baseball is one of the hardest things to do in all of sports. The culmination of mental and physical preparation that must come together at a perfect moment with less than one-half of a second to react.

In many cases, it all comes down to approach.

Despite impressions made by many coaches through the developmental and professional ranks, Dunn’s approach has changed little since his early childhood.

“Being patient, but aggressive,” Dunn said. “Nobody likes to strike out, so the more selective you can be, having that good balance of being able to wait for the right pitch and take your walks when you need to, has been big for me.”

In Dunn’s first 20 games at Triple-A this season, the left-handed hitter batted to a tremendous .413 average in 87 plate appearances and recorded a base hit in 18 of those games. Over his 11-game hit streak from July 30-Aug. 13, Dunn batted .514 with one home run, six RBI and 11 walks for an on-base percentage of .649.

Memphis hitting coach Howie Clark has been impressed with Dunn’s ability to put the bat on the ball. Clark recognized it right away. According to FanGraphs, Dunn has the second lowest swinging strike percentage in the International League at 4.3 percent (min. 130 PA). Compared to hitters at the major league level, Dunn would rank fifth in all of baseball in the category.

“I think (Dunn’s ‘patient, but aggressive’ philosophy) means he knows what pitches he hits well and he's waiting for them,” Clark said. “He knows what it looks like. When they throw the pitch in his location, he's going to put an aggressive swing on it. It is a controlled, aggressive swing. It's very consistent and he knows what he's looking for.”

The ‘patient, but aggressive’ philosophy was passed to Dunn, who played at the University of Maryland, at an early age by his father, John. John played collegiately at Bloomsburg University (Pa.).

“My dad was the one to teach me how to hit,” Dunn, who grew up hitting in a batting cage built by his father, said. “Whenever I am struggling, he is always there. He knows my swing better than I do. He was there from the start. He taught me the basics and continues to give me advice today when I need it.”

Dunn’s calm personality is apparent on and off the field. Teammates and coaches admire his ability to administer the same level-mindset day-to-day and at-bat-to-at-bat. Thanks to his mindset, the Sunbury, Pennsylvania native has adjusted well since his promotion to Memphis from Double-A Springfield on July 18.

“He stays calm,” Clark said. “The (opposing pitching) seem to be throwing harder. He doesn't speed up. He keeps his own pace, and that is so valuable as a hitter to not get sped up by the pitcher. He doesn't try to match their velocity with effort. He knows who he is. He stays calm. Even sometimes, if he gets beat a little bit and fouls a ball off, he can make those subtle adjustments within the at bat to get back on it.”

With Springfield this season, Dunn batted .332 with a career-high-tying seven home runs. Add in his totals in 31 games with Memphis and the infielder has set a career high in both home runs with nine and RBIs with 52.

“Trying to relax as much as possible (is key to becoming a good hitter),” Dunn said. “That is one of those things that kind of just comes with time, getting a lot of reps, playing for many years. That is something that could be very hard to simulate sometimes. I think just having that game experience is what can help.”

Dunn looks to continue to gain game experience at the Triple-A level as the Redbirds return home to take on the Gwinnett Stripers for a six-game series at AutoZone Park. Game one of the series is slated for 6:45 p.m. CDT on Tuesday, Aug. 29.

About Memphis Redbirds

The Memphis Redbirds are the proud Triple-A Affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. Memphis owns four League Championships and one Triple-A National Championship since the team’s affiliation with St. Louis began in 1998. For the latest team news, follow the Redbirds on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

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