Hayden Dunhurst
{{Short description|American baseball player (born 2000)}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
| name = Hayden Dunhurst
| image =
| team = Lake Country DockHounds
| number = 31
| position = Catcher
| birth_date = {{bda|2000|9|19}}
| birth_place = Slidell, Louisiana, U.S.
| bats = Left
| throws = Right
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Hayden Lane Dunhurst (born September 19, 2000) is an American professional baseball catcher for the Lake Country DockHounds of the American Association of Professional Baseball.
Amateur career
Dunhurst attended Pearl River Central High School in Carriere, Mississippi.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sunherald.com/sports/college/sec/university-of-mississippi/article229682294.html|title=Teams won't pitch to this Coast senior, but his rise as an MLB prospect hasn't slowed|last=Magee|first=Patrick|date=May 6, 2019|website=Sun Herald}} He committed to play college baseball for the Ole Miss Rebels after his freshman year, when he hit four home runs and boasted a .476 slugging percentage.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sunherald.com/sports/high-school/article85619402.html|title=Coast baseball standout commits to Ole Miss|last=Ochs|first=Patrick|date=June 25, 2016|website=Sun Herald}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.sunherald.com/sports/high-school/article138787573.html|title=Power-hitting Ole Miss commit focused on getting defensive|last=Ochs|first=Patrick|date=March 16, 2017|website=Sun Herald}} Dunhurst did not attend baseball camps or take lessons,instead,he modeled his catching techniques after Yadier Molina and Salvador Pérez by watching YouTube videos.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sunherald.com/sports/college/sec/university-of-mississippi/article209892824.html|title=Ole Miss pledge from the Coast is a self-made star thanks to a little help from YouTube|last=Magee|first=Patrick|date=April 27, 2018|website=Sun Herald}} During his sophomore year in 2017, Dunhurst hit ten home runs with 37 RBI and nine doubles.{{Cite web|url=https://www.picayuneitem.com/2017/05/ole-miss-commit-pushes-prc-to-state-title-but-still-hungry-for-more-in-future/|title=Ole Miss commit pushes PRC to state title, but still hungry for more in future|last=Welsh|first=Taylor|date=May 27, 2017|website=Picayune Item}} As a senior in 2019, he batted .369 with 11 home runs and 37 RBI.{{Cite web|url=https://www.maxpreps.com/news/KxubDKuIyU-tHFQF-fwxuw/2019-mlb-draft-top-5-high-school-catching-prospects-.htm|title=2019 MLB Draft: Top 5 high school catching prospects|last=Askeland|first=Kevin|date=May 24, 2019|website=MaxPreps}} He ended his high school career with 31 home runs.{{Cite web|url=https://247sports.com/college/ole-miss/Article/Could-Hayden-Dunhurst-be-the-next-great-Ole-Miss-catcher-138170020/|title=Could Hayden Dunhurst be the next great Ole Miss catcher?|last=Garrett|first=Ben|date=November 7, 2019|website=247Sports.com}} He was selected by the Colorado Rockies in the 37th round of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft, but did not sign.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wlox.com/2019/06/06/dunhurst-drafted-th-round-will-play-ole-miss/|title=Dunhurst drafted in 37th round, will play for Ole Miss|last=Clay|first=Patrick|date=June 5, 2019|website=WLOX}}
As a freshman at Ole Miss in 2020, Dunhurst appeared in 17 games and batted .269 with five home runs before the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wlox.com/2020/06/05/ole-miss-hayden-dunhurst-named-freshman-all-american/|title=Ole Miss' Hayden Dunhurst named Freshman All-American|date=June 5, 2020|website=WLOX}} In 2021, as a redshirt freshman, Dunhurst made 65 starts and slashed .280/.385/.435 with seven home runs, 43 RBI, and 11 doubles.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/ole-miss-baseball-five-questions-to-answer-entering-2022/|title=Ole Miss Baseball: Five Questions to Answer Entering 2022|first=Joe|last=Healy|date=November 4, 2021|website=Baseball America}} He won the ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove award at catcher.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wlox.com/2021/06/24/hayden-dunhurst-wins-abcarawlings-gold-glove-award/|title=Hayden Dunhurst wins ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove award|last=Dugan|first=Michael|date=June 23, 2021|website=WLOX}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.oxfordeagle.com/2021/06/24/ole-miss-catcher-hayden-dunhurst-wins-abca-rawlings-gold-glove-award/|title=Ole Miss catcher Hayden Dunhurst wins ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Award|date=June 24, 2021|website=The Oxford Eagle}} After the season, he was named to the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.{{Cite web|url=https://247sports.com/college/ole-miss/Article/Derek-Diamond-Hayden-Dunhurst-and-Jacob-Gonzalez-chosen-for-USA-Baseball-Collegiate-National-Team-Ole-Miss-baseball-166702244/|title=Derek Diamond, Hayden Dunhurst and Jacob Gonzalez chosen for USA Baseball Collegiate National Team|last=Garrett|first=Ben|date=June 18, 2021|website=247Sports.com}} Dunhurst entered the 2022 season as a top prospect for the upcoming draft.{{Cite web|url=https://www.djournal.com/sports/college/ole-miss/the-people-person-knowing-pitchers-helps-dunhurst-excel-at-high-level/article_970b12f3-4533-5e65-ab19-7d878c1e3742.html|title=The People Person: Knowing pitchers helps Dunhurst excel at high level|last=Katz|first=Michael|date=February 22, 2022|website=Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal}} He missed a brief period at the beginning of the season after tweaking a hamstring.{{Cite web|url=https://247sports.com/college/ole-miss/Article/Ole-Miss-Rebel-baseball-catcher-Hayden-Dunhurst-could-return-for-this-weekends-game-against-UCF-Knights-183763483/|title=Could Hayden Dunhurst return this weekend against UCF?|last=Redding|first=Jared|date=March 3, 2022|website=247Sports.com}} He ended the season batting .231 with six home runs and 30 RBI over 56 games, helping lead Ole Miss to their first ever NCAA Championship.{{cite web | url=https://www.espn.com/college-baseball/story/_/id/34152993/men-college-world-series-magical-ride-ends-first-title-ole-miss-rebels | title='I ain't going to bed until Wednesday': Ole Miss celebrates historic championship|website=Espn.com | date=27 June 2022 }}
Professional career
=Kansas City Royals=
Dunhurst was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the sixth round with the 175th overall selection of the 2022 Major League Baseball draft.{{Cite web|url=https://www.clarionledger.com/story/sports/college/ole-miss/2022/07/18/hayden-dunhurst-kansas-city-mlb-draft-2022-ole-miss-baseball/10017182002/|title=Kansas City Royals select Ole Miss baseball's Hayden Dunhurst in 2022 MLB Draft|first=Nick|last=Suss|website=The Clarion-Ledger|access-date=28 July 2022}} He signed with the team for $300,000.{{Cite web|url=https://247sports.com/college/ole-miss/Article/Dunhurst-signs-deal-worth-reported-300000-with-Royals-organization-190520540/|title=Dunhurst signs deal worth reported $300,000 with Royals organization|website=247sports.com|access-date=28 July 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/royals-2022-draft-signings-tracker|title=Royals 2022 Draft signings tracker|website=MLB.com|access-date=28 July 2022}} Dunhurst made his professional debut with the Arizona Complex League Royals.
Dunhurst split the 2023 season between the ACL Royals, Single–A Columbia Fireflies, and High–A Quad Cities River Bandits. In 31 games split between the three affiliates, he hit a combined .164/.241/.289 with two home runs and 15 RBI.{{Cite web|title=Hayden Dunhurst - Stats - Batting|url=https://www.fangraphs.com/players/hayden-dunhurst/sa3019889/stats?position=C|access-date=May 15, 2024|website=fangraphs.com|language=en}} On March 27, 2024, Dunhurst was released by the Royals organization.{{Cite web|url= https://www.milb.com/player/hayden-dunhurst-683095 |title=Hayden Dunhurst Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight |website=milb.com}}
=Kane County Cougars=
On April 26, 2024, Dunhurst signed with the Kane County Cougars of the American Association of Professional Baseball.{{Cite web|title=2024 Transactions|url=https://aabaseball.com/2024-transactions/|access-date=April 26, 2024|website=aabaseball.com|language=en}} Dunhurst appeared in 48 games for Kane County, posting a .173 batting average with one home run and 13 RBI. He started in 3 games for the Cougars during their championship run alongside fellow catcher Simon Reid, going hitless in each of those games as the Cougars won the Miles Wolff Cup for the first time since joining the American Association in 2021 and their third title in franchise history.{{cite web|url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/champs-cougars-sweep-winnipeg-to-win-title/n-6148880|title=Champs: Cougars Sweep Winnipeg to Win Title|access-date=September 18, 2024}}
On March 18, 2025, Dunhurst re-signed with the Cougars.{{Cite web|title=2025 Transactions|url=https://aabaseball.com/2025-transactions/|access-date=March 18, 2025|website=aabaseball.com|language=en}} He did not make an appearance for the team before he was released on May 28.{{Cite web|title=2025 Transactions|url=https://aabaseball.com/2025-transactions/|access-date=May 28, 2025|website=aabaseball.com|language=en}}
=Lake Country DockHounds=
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://olemisssports.com/sports/baseball/roster/hayden-dunhurst/3761 Ole Miss Rebels bio]
{{baseballstats|brm=dunhur000hay}}
{{2022 Ole Miss Rebels baseball}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dunhurst, Hayden}}
Category:Baseball players from Mississippi
Category:Ole Miss Rebels baseball players
Category:United States national baseball team players
Category:Arizona Complex League Royals players
Category:Columbia Fireflies players