Nikolas Araiza
Elijah Hainline, the first draftee from the Dodgers’ 2024 class to reach Low-A, appears to be the next great Dodgers prospect. In recent years the organization has prioritized players with good plate discipline and contact. Hainline checks off those boxes for an organization that hopes to unlock his power stroke with time and development. He was selected in the seventh round with pick No. 220.
Settling in with a new team
Typically newly drafted players’ first stop on their path to the majors is the complex league, for Hainline that would not be the case. Instead of going to Arizona, he was assigned to the Quakes on July 30 and made his debut the same day. He quickly befriended his new teammates, despite arriving only four hours before his debut. By the time the first pitch was underway the Quakes dugout was eager to see him play and so was Hainline.
In his debut game, he was able to produce a walk in a 0-for-2 effort. However, Hainline repeatedly showcased his defensive abilities against the San Jose Giants. With the season’s end in sight, he is focused on trying to improve every single day along with getting used to the schedule of a professional.
Background
For as long as he can remember Hainline has always played baseball. His older brother and dad introduced the sport to the Spokane native. Hainline stated that his biggest inspiration is “My dad, he sacrificed so much for me to get to where I am. So I owe it all to him, honestly. He’s been there throughout every single part of my journey and he’s always supporting.”
When the time came to pick a college, he knew Washington State University was the choice.
Across two seasons at WSU, he batted .287 with 13 HRs and 60 RBIs. Before his junior season, Elijah Hainline transferred to Oregon State University after certain coaches left the program at WSU. In his lone season at OSU, he started in 59 games while batting .280 with 11 HRs.
“You played two years at [Washington] what made you want to transfer to Oregon?”
“The coaches left, so it kind of opened the opportunity for me to kind of explore options and make a run at the national championship, which is everyone’s goal.”
Chasing Greatness
Hainline’s desire to improve every day has impressed many in the organization. Even from a young age, he continuously looked for ways to get better, most notably, his plate discipline. Coming out of high school, scouts praised him for his ability to not expand the zone. He credits this to “I think just a lot of reps and working on it over the years. I think it’s been something I consistently work on.” Even in his first practice with the team, he was one of the last players to leave the field as he worked on baserunning. His desire to continuously improve, a trait that is rare in this day and age, can be credited to “I think it’s just the willingness to want to be the greatest ever and try and play in the Hall of Fame… you got to go out and do the little things and get better every single day. It’s things that guys might not be doing on their own.” Although he won’t turn 22 until December, Hainline displays a maturity level way beyond his years.
The selfishness extends to the field, where he can play multiple infield positions. Versatility is valued above all in the Dodgers organization. Mix that with a player who “At the end of the day, I want to win championships with the Dodgers and I want to be a Hall of Famer one day.” and you have a recipe for success.
The Future
While it is impossible to predict the future, Elijah Hainline has a plan to keep improving and build off his 2024 year. During the upcoming offseason, he plans to attend Driveline Baseball, a player development organization. This past season he discussed the program with fellow draftee and teammate Travis Bazzana. He felt that after the conversations he had with Bazzana, Driveline was the best opportunity for him to improve. Further solidifying his utmost commitment to improving in any way possible. As for an MLB comparison, Hainline projects to be similar to Ian Kinsler. Once he grows into his body more and finds that power stroke, he could be a future 30-30 club member. In 51 games in 2023, he had 10 stolen bases as well as 12 home runs. Despite being drafted on July 15, Hainline has impressed and looks to be the next great Dodgers prospect.
