B-H alum Dodd turning heads in Atlanta
- Story byThe News-Gazette, Champaign-Urbana, Ill.
- B-H alum Dodd turning heads in Atlanta
Jul. 8—BISMARCK — Flip on the Atlanta Braves each night — like I do — and you are reminded about a simple lesson in sports: If you are good enough, the pro leagues will find you.
Example A: Dylan Dodd , who is having another banner season as a reliever for the Braves.
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The one-time quarterback/baseball player at Bismarck-Henning High School tossed a pair of scoreless innings for host Atlanta this past weekend against the New York Mets . His earned run average sat at 2.25 heading into Tuesday night's road game against the Pittsburgh Pirates .
Dylan Dodd's dad, Mark, the Blue Devils' football and baseball coach, talks to his current players about Dylan's path.
"'That professional athlete who is getting paid to be an athlete, he played on this football field. He hit on this baseball field,'" Mark Dodd said during his 'SportsTalk' appearance last Thursday on WDWS of what he tells his players about one of their own succeeding in the majors. "'He grew up the same way you kids grew up in a small, little town. It can happen. It can work for somebody if you really dedicate yourself.'
"Dylan's story is a really good one."
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The Braves need him to keep it up. The team's once-deep starting staff has been decimated by injuries.
Fortunately, Dodd is part of a talented group of relievers that includes another Dylan (Lee), Didier Fuentes and closer Raisel Iglesias . Robert Suarez , who has been almost unhittable, is on the injured list.
Dodd hasn't always been in the bullpen. The third-round pick in the 2021 MLB draft opened his Atlanta career as a starter. I was at his first start in 2023 against St. Louis .
He picked up the win with a bunch of folks from the Bismarck area cheering him on.
"That was a great day," Mark Dodd said.
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The team and the Dodd family realized his long-term baseball future worked best as a reliever.
"I think 100 percent," Mark Dodd said. "He struggled as a starter just getting through the lineup a second and third time. It was really rough on his body. By mid-June, he was beat up."
Helping hand
Dylan Dodd has spent time on the Atlanta staff with Hall-of-Fame bound starter Chris Sale .
"Dylan just kind of soaks in people who are successful," Mark Dodd said. "He watches their habits really well.
"He's not the most talkative or outgoing guy in the world, but he's a real thinker and he takes notes at least mentally about everything successful people do.
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"Being surrounded by some really good ones — Chris Sale obviously one of the best and a lefty — it's really fascinating. Unfortunately, my son doesn't throw like Chris Sale. I don't think anyone does."
Dylan Dodd played at Kankakee Community College and Southeast Missouri State before beginning his pro career.
Starting in the early 1990s, the Braves have been one of the most stable franchises in the sport, winning 14 division titles in a row during Hall of Famer Bobby Cox's era.
More recently, the team won six more division titles in a row and took the 2021 World Series title. Being drafted by the Braves has been a positive for Dylan Dodd.
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"He doesn't really know anything else," Mark Dodd said. "The Braves have been very, very good with him. Very straight with him. Obviously, they saw something in him pretty early in his career, and that's kind of propelled him to having the success he's having right now.
"I don't know if that same success would happen in other organizations, but he seems to be in the right place at the right time. We couldn't be more happy than with the Braves."
If he had gone to Dad's favorite team, that would have worked out, too. Wisconsin native Mark Dodd is a lifelong Milwaukee Brewers supporter.
"I have fun following them, as well," Mark Dodd said. "There's no problem when the Braves play anyone. We're going to be Braves fans, especially Dylan Dodd fans."
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Follow along
Mark and Thea Dodd are heading to St. Louis later in the week to see the Braves against the Cardinals .
They are bringing a few carloads of family members with them, including Thea's brother, Dylan's cousin Scott Martin, his wife and their four kids, Dylan's cousin Matt Martin, his wife and their two kids, Thea's parents Larry and Mary Lou Martin. Dylan's wife Carly is bringing two sets of grandparents, her parents and Carly's sister Cassidy. BHRA boys' track and field coach Nathan West, his wife Devon and their two kids will be there, too.
In other words, expect to see a lot of No. 46 Dodd jerseys at Busch Stadium.
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Because he is a reliever, Dylan could get the call in multiple games during the series. Keeps the family on their toes.
The Dodds go to Braves games "as much as we can."
It is about a nine-hour drive from Bismarck to Atlanta's Truist Park.
"We've been to more games this summer already than any other summer," Mark Dodd said. "My wife goes quite often even without me and that's fine. It's always a great experience."
They spent five days around Dylan's birthday in early June, going to five games in a row.
"That was a real thrill for all of us," Mark Dodd said. "They treat us so well. It's really just a class organization."'
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Coaching both football and baseball for the Blue Devils cuts into Mark Dodd's baseball trip options. As he pointed out, the baseball season is going later and the football season is starting earlier.
Watching from the stands can be nerve-racking.
"My blood pressure goes up every single time," Mark Dodd said. "You're rooting so hard for him. When he fails, we feel terrible, and when he's successful, we thank your lucky stars."
