Tony Gonsolin had a dream of hitting his way to the big leagues, but the dream never was realized.
The 26-year-old had to settle for the alternative — the Dodgers’ pitcher started Wednesday’s Game 2 of the World Series.
“He always considered himself a hitter and outfielder first,” said his head coach at St. Mary’s College, Eric Valenzuela. “When he was on the mound, it was a hobby.”
The Dodgers saw it a different way. In the 2016 draft, they selected Gonsolin in the ninth round as a pitcher, and the right-hander found himself dealing at Dodger Stadium three years later, debuting in June 2019.