2024 Season Wraps: Dominican Summer League

A great summer even without the perfect ending

Photo Credit: Jones | Haydu Architecture and Design Studios

As is the case every year around here, before we start looking ahead to the coming season, we need to take a moment to relive the past one. We’ll wrap up the season for each level, taking a look at the overall success of the season, memorable games and special accomplishments, and of course, we’ll take a look at which players made their case for There R Giants’ Top 50 list! We’ll start from the bottom and go level by level. Up first, it’s the DSL Giants.

Not a lot was expected from the two DSL Giants squads heading into 2024. Neither club was coming off an especially successful 2023 campaign — though both had been a little over .500 — and were returning the vast majority of their rosters intact. The incoming international class wasn’t one that earned rave reviews. The Giants had lost a player they had hoped to sign for a sizable bonus fairly late in the process, and scrambled to reuse the bonus money. They were happy with several of the players they ended up with — especially shortstop Jhonny Level — but first impressions for the group overall were muted.

There R Giants Pod-159 with Joe Salermo

But as it turns out, first impressions don’t always have a great shelf life. Team Black went on a truly magical run through the summer that left them with the best record in the 51-team league (by winning percentage), and led to some post-season drama. The team also delivered some of the league’s standout performances. And, while Team Orange couldn’t match that level of success, they still provided some noteworthy individual achievements.

In the end, the DSL Giants provided the organization with its best team, it’s best post-season run, and there are more guys from this level who seem likely to end up in my Top 50 than I would have imagined at the start of the year. Heck, in a true reversal of form, we’re even going to have pitching to talk about in the DSL Wrap up! It’s been a while since I could say that!