Heads up to any college baseball coaches in need of a versatile player with some pop in his bat, Dusty Dyson is looking for an opportunity.
The New Hope High School outfielder/first baseman/designated hitter played this past weekend in Mobile, Ala., with a team from Tuscaloosa, Ala., in an attempt to attract the attention of college coaches. The three-game stint marked the first time this year Dyson has played with the team. He said Sunday he might play with the team again this weekend in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
For Dyson, who lives in Ethelsville, Ala., any chance to play baseball and to showcase his skills is something he isn’t going to pass up, especially after earning first-team All-State honors in Class 5A as a senior with the Trojans.
“I feel good about (earning All-State honors),” Dyson said. “I didn’t think I was ever going to have that at the beginning of the year.”
Dyson started the 2012 season in a slump that had him hitting below .200. He said he was thinking too much at the plate instead of just doing what he loves to do, which is hit. He said New Hope coach Lee Boyd encouraged him to relax at the plate and that results would come. It wasn’t until games against Gordo (Ala.) High on March 26 that Dyson said things started to click. The right-handed power hitter turned it on at the end of the season, hitting three of his four home runs in the playoffs to help New Hope advance to the Class 5A North State title series. He ended the year with a .320 batting average and led the team with 37 RBI and also tied for the lead with nine doubles.
“He kind of started to hit in the middle of the season,” Boyd said. “He started slow and went through some struggles, but Dusty continued to work and hit batting average skyrocketed. He hit .500 in playoffs and was one of the special players for us in the big part of our order.”
Dyson said his production at the end of the season was a complete reversal from the beginning of the season when he felt he was pressing to do his part.
“It felt a lot better when I started hitting like I was capable of,” Dyson said. “I hated going through that little slump, but I got hot when I needed to in the playoffs.”
Dyson feels earning All-State honors will help his chances of playing baseball in college. He said he attended a tryout at East Central Community College in Decatur, and hopes to attend a tryout at Shelton State C.C. in a few weeks. He said the opportunity to play at Shelton State, which is in Tuscaloosa, Ala., would be the best opportunity for him. Unfortunately, he isn’t sure how many coaches in the state of Alabama know how well he did this past high school season. He hopes he will get a few more chances to play in the next few months to convince coaches he can play at the next level.
“I hope an opportunity comes because I still want to play college baseball,” Dyson said. “I feel I can play at the next level. I am going to work hard to try to make it somewhere to play, but if I don’t I guess I will just hang it up. I guess I will be fine with it. If it has to end I am just going to have to deal with it.
“It has been a great three years playing varsity baseball at New Hope. I learned a lot from coach Boyd, coach (Blake) Woodruff, and coach (Bobby) Taylor. Hopefully I will make it somewhere so I can show off the ability they taught me.”
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 28 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 28 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
