It’s a stretch of road less than a mile long through the middle of McComb, Miss., but just like the local celebrity it’s named after, Dyson Drive stands for something much bigger.

For D-backs outfielder Jarrod Dyson, having former Warren Street renamed in his honor three years ago was a fitting choice. He used to live on that street, his family of five splitting a three-bedroom apartment in the thick of the projects nicknamed “The Bricks.” A rough-and-tumble area beset by a cycle of violence and drugs, it was home until Dyson's mom, Cecilia, moved the 9-year-old and his siblings across town. Still, he credits his upbringing in that area with developing an inner toughness that has made him “a better man today.”

And now that same street serves as both a reminder and an inspiration.

“I want kids growing up in those projects and those type of communities to realize that they can make it when they see my name up there,” said the 2019 National League steals leader (20), who started the season as one of just three MLB players with more than 15 swipes per season since '12. “The people in McComb know where I came from, my lifestyle and the hard work I put in to get where I’m at now.”

To say the odds have consistently been against the 5-foot-10 speedster is an understatement. Late-round Draft picks -- especially 50th-round selections, back when the Draft even went that high -- rarely see extended playing time in the Majors, much less stick around the league for 10 years. In fact, Dyson was the first 50th-round pick to make an Opening Day roster.

“I play with a chip on my shoulder every day,” said Dyson. “I never get comfortable at this level, because there is always room for improvement. I always feel like I’m having to prove myself to someone. This is a humbling game, and only the strong survive. And with my background and where I came from, I want to make damn sure I don’t end up back there like that.”

Dyson grew up learning the game from his half-brother’s father, Jerry Hill, an Army veteran whom Dyson calls his “Pops.” With a bat, some baseballs and a cooler in tow, the trio would regularly hit all day long at the local ballfield.

“His whole thing was making sure to give us the chance to make it,” said Dyson. “He had the skills and a strong desire in sports, which he passed onto us. That was the guy who was there from Day 1.”

The D-backs outfielder needs only to look as far as his customized Rawlings glove to be reminded of his family’s overall impact on his life. Emblazoned on each finger of the back of the glove are testaments to his deceased relatives: grand-uncle Willie “T-Boy” Haynes, father Cleo Hodges, grandmother Golda Dyson and younger sister Audrea.

“Every name on my glove played a huge part in my life,” Dyson said. “There were times I wanted to give up on everything and walk away. They gave me courage, as well as put a few dollars in my pocket.”

Playing baseball under head coach Butch Holmes at Southwest Mississippi Community College from 2005-06, Dyson tied the team’s single-season record with seven triples in his second year, while also scoring a then-team-best 47 runs -- a far cry from how his collegiate career started

“At one point, I walked out,” Dyson admitted. “I was being punished for something, felt I didn’t need the program, and I was going to do things my way. I was hard-headed, and then I realized that mindset was going to get me nowhere.

“I also got tired of my mom jumping down my throat, talking about me ‘being like the rest of the kids running the street.’ Those words went a long way.”

Dyson apologized, returned to school and kept his grades up after returning to the team, which then set him up for the 2006 Draft.

Watching the Draft boards fill up with names of peers from bigger schools, Dyson admits to “just chilling at home” for the proceedings until he got the call that he had been selected by Kansas City with the 1,475th overall pick.

“It isn’t where you go numbers-wise, it’s what you do when you get there,” said Dyson. “I didn’t know what I was getting into, but I was sure going to make the most of it.”

Working his way up through the Royals’ system alongside the likes of Eric Hosmer and current D-backs teammate Greg Holland, Dyson could always be counted on to bring an infectious energy into the clubhouse, as well as make the most of his unique talents.

“His speed got him to the big leagues,” said Holland, “but what’s kept him around so long is learning to make first-step reads and positioning himself depending on counts and situations. In the outfield, an extra step here or there turns doubles into outs, and over the course of a season, a lot more wins.

“Learning a pitcher’s tendencies, their timing mechanisms and when they’re going to go to the plate, those are the little nuances of the game that took Jarrod from being just a guy with tools to a very smart guy who can help you out there.”

Within four years of his MLB debut, Dyson made his first appearance with Kansas City in the 2014 World Series, falling to the Giants in seven games. His ballclub wasted no time wanting to get back on the field for the '15 season.

“We had all just spent eight months together every day, and we couldn’t wait for Spring Training. It wasn’t even Christmas yet, and everyone kept in touch,” said Dyson. “That’s when we knew we had something special. We couldn’t wait to get back at it.

“We said we were going to win the division, and then we said we were going to win the World Series. And that’s what we did in ‘15.”

Fittingly, Dyson scored the World Series-clinching run vs. the Mets after entering Game 5 in the 12th inning and promptly put himself in scoring position with a stolen base.

With Dyson long lauded for his elite speed, D-backs manager Torey Lovullo doesn’t hesitate to put the outfielder at the head of the team’s class when it comes to the basepaths. He’s also comfortable playing Dyson anywhere in the outfield. The speedster started 2019 ranked seventh in outfield defensive runs saved since '12.

“Jarrod’s a special player who has the ability to make plays that others can’t, both as a baserunner or on defense,” said Lovullo. “He adds speed to a lineup that doesn’t have a ton of speed. Had he been available late last season for us, our September would have been different.”

Geographically, it’s roughly 1,500 miles from Dyson Drive to Chase Field. But in terms of a baseball career, the mileage is infinitely bigger, made up of 10 years in the big leagues, a well-earned reputation as an elite basestealer, a world championship pedigree and a chance to make another postseason splash with his current ballclub.

“The same energy I felt in K.C., I feel here with the D-backs,” said Dyson. “You better blow us out early in the game. We don’t care if we’re down two runs. We feel like we can scratch for three. We don’t hang our heads if we give up a lead. It’s a long ballgame, and we’ll eventually get to them. When the opposition says, ‘Take it easy,’ that’s fear and that’s when we know we have them.”