Dunn is the 356th former Northwoods League player to debut in MLB
Rochester, Minn. – Former Kalamazoo Growler Blake Dunn made his Major League debut for the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday, June 4, 2024. Dunn is the 356th former Northwoods League player to reach the Major League level.
Dunn, who played collegiately at Western Michigan University, played for the Kalamazoo Growlers in 2020 and 2021. He was drafted in the 15th round of the 2021 MLB draft by the Reds.
In 2020 with the Growlers, Dunn appeared in 63 games and hit .289 with three home runs, nine doubles, and four triples. He drove in 16 and stole 32 bases. During the 2021 season, he played in 13 games and hit .186 with one home run, three stolen bases, and 14 RBI.
Dunn started his professional career in 2021 with the Reds Rookie Level team in the Arizona Complex League. After six games he was sent to the Daytona Tortugas of the Low-A Southeast League. Over 11 games he hit .286 with one home run, one double and five RBI. He also stole five bases.
In 2022 Dunn had the same path as 2021 starting in Arizona and moving to Daytona. He played in 37 games and hit .264 with four home runs, five doubles and 20 stolen bases. He drove in 17 and scored 22 times.
Dunn started the 2023 season with the Dayton Dragons of the High-A Midwest League. After 47 games he was promoted to the Chattanooga Lookouts of the AA Southern League. Between the two clubs he played in 124 games and hit .312 with 23 home runs, 17 doubles, and five triples. He stole 54 bases and drove in 79.
Prior to his callup to the Reds, Dunn had played in 44 games with the Louisville Bats of the AAA International League. He hit .223 in 44 games with four home runs, seven doubles and nine stolen bases. In his Major League debut against the Washington Nationals, Dunn started the game in left field and went 0 for 2 at the plate with a run scored.
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The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Now in its’ 31st season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 26 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires, and front office staff, over 355 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and two-time World Series Champion Max Scherzer (TEX), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (STL) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (ATL). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2023 World Series Champion, 2021 and 2023 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove and Silver Slugger winner and two-time All-MLB first team shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). League games are viewable live on Northwoods League+ (at watch.northwoodsleague.com), ESPN+, and the Northwoods League Network. Learn more and find complete streaming schedules at watchnwl.com. For more information, visit www.northwoodsleague.com or download the Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play.