Shawon Dunston Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Shawon D. Dunston Jr.
Born 02/05/1993 in Fremont, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School Valley Christian
Drafted in the 11th round (339th overall) by the Chicago Cubs in 2011 (signed for $1,275,000).

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Shawon Dunston Jr.'s father was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1982 draft, played 18 years in the big leagues and is a special assistant for the Giants. While the elder Dunston was drafted out of high school, however, most scouts believe his son would be better off going to Vanderbilt, where he's a key recruit. Dunston has a slender, 6-foot-2, 175-pound frame, and it's obvious that his best baseball is in front of him, and he's surprisingly raw. He is an above-average runner, which helps both on the bases and in center field. Unlike his father, he swings from the left side of the plate. As Dunston fills out, he could grow into gap power and be an average hitter. Scouts love his speed, passion for the game and bloodlines, but they may not want to buy him out of school at this point.

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Twenty-nine years after the Cubs selected Shawon Dunston with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1982 draft, they chose his son in the 11th round. Luring Shawon Jr. away from a Vanderbilt scholarship cost them $1.275 million--nearly 10 times his father's $135,000 bonus. Several clubs backed off Dunston when he didn't play well at the beginning of his high school senior season, but Chicago liked what it saw at the end of the spring. He had a bat wrap that hampered him at the plate, but the Cubs ironed his swing out during instructional league. He's raw and needs time to develop, but Chicago sees him becoming a solid hitter with average or better power. No one questions Dunston's speed. He runs the 60-yard dash in 6.55 seconds, allowing him to project as a basestealer and a plus defender in center field. He has a strong arm, though it's not in the same class as his dad's legendary cannon. His passion for the game is evident. Dunston signed at the Aug. 15 deadline and didn't play professionally last summer, so he could make his pro debut at Boise in June.

Dunston started to tap into the potential the Cubs saw when they signed him for $1.275 million in 2011. A late-July outfield collision led to a leg injury that cost him nearly a month, and he wasn?t as productive after he returned. When Dunston was healthy, however, he handled the bat well, played solid defense in left and center field and made a difference on the bases. He was one of the toughest players in the league to strike out, ranked sixth in the batting race (.290) and fits the leadoff-hitter profile. Though he doesn?t have nearly the arm his father Shawon displayed as a shortstop during an 18-year major league career, Junior?s bat gives him a chance to make the big leagues. He?ll have a better chance to be a regular if he can polish his play in center field.

Lancaster Barnstormers activated LF Shawon Dunston Jr. from the 7-day injured list.
Lancaster Barnstormers placed LF Shawon Dunston Jr. on the 7-day injured list retroactive to June 3, 2023.
Lancaster Barnstormers activated LF Shawon Dunston Jr. from the 7-day injured list.
Lancaster Barnstormers placed LF Shawon Dunston Jr. on the 7-day injured list retroactive to May 15, 2023.