Was a two-time First Team All-Conference selection at Licking Heights HS In Pataskala, Ohio...hit .578 with 14 homers as a senior, earning all-district, All-Ohio and Rawlings All-American honors...also played three seasons of football and two seasons of basketball...While in high school, worked as a batboy for the Columbus Clippers, the Triple A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians...many future Major Leaguers played on those teams that Dawson worked for, including RHP Corey Kluber (2013) and SS Francisco Lindor (2014)...Attended Ohio State University, batting .316 with 50 doubles, seven triples, 24 homers and 47 stolen bases across three seasons...became the first Buckeye in school history to record 40 career doubles, 20 homers and 40 steals...led the Buckeyes with a .337 batting average as a freshman to earn Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American honors by Collegiate Baseball...Broke the Big Ten tournament records for hits (15) and doubles (6) in 2016, earning Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors...Was selected by the Astros in the second round of the 2016 MLB Draft...signed by Astros scout Nick Venuto...The 2020 season is his second as a non-roster invite at Major League Spring Training...is signed to a minor league contract for the 2020 season.
2019
Spent his first Spring Training as an NRI at Astros Major League Spring Training and appeared in 15 games for the club...hit .250 (7x28) with five RBI in his Major League action...began the season at Double A Corpus Christi, where he played in 103 of his 113 games in 2019...while with the Hooks, hit .212 (83x392) with 20 doubles, 17 homers and 13 stolen bases...led the Hooks in home runs and runs scored (71) on the season...also tallied 16 hit by pitches, good for second in the Texas League...hit three leadoff homers...promoted to Triple A Round Rock on Aug. 21 and finished his season with the Express, appearing in 10 regular season games...made seven starts for the Express in the postseason...belted three homers with five RBI in the Pacific Coast League playoffs, including a 9th-inning, game-tying solo homer in game one of the Championship Series...combined to make 84 regular season starts in center field between his two minor league stops.
2018
Batted .258 (115x446) with 24 doubles, two triples, 16 homers, 63 RBI, 35 stolen bases and a .333 on-base percentage in 119 games with Class A Advanced Buies Creek (90g) and Double A Corpus Christi (29g)...was a Carolina League Midseason AllStar...was promoted to Double A Corpus Christi on July 30 and hit .289 (33x114) with six homers, 14 RBI and an .859 OPS (.341 OBP/.518 SLG) in 29 games with the Hooks...named the Texas League Player of the Week for the week of Aug. 6-12...had a fourhit game with a double and a home run on Aug. 11 vs. Springfield...was one of three minor league players to reach 30+ steals and 15+ home runs on the year.
2017
Played the majority of the season at Class A Quad Cities (116g), making 13 appearances with Class A Advanced Buies Creek...combined to hit .278 (136x490) with 26 doubles, five triples, 14 home runs and an .800 OPS between the two stops.
2016
Made his professional debut at Class A Short Season Tri-City, batting .225 with seven home runs and 12 steals in 70 games...named the Tri-City August Player of the Month.
