LAKELAND, Fla. -- Dillon Dingler’s three-run homer hit Joker Marchant Stadium’s left-field berm, just in front of the Welcome to Tigertown sign, with a plop that could be heard from behind home plate, like a golf shot. The Dingler drive that powered it was louder. Even with a few more fans and families in attendance Saturday morning, the swing echoed through the stands.

It was one of just two home runs hit in the Tigers’ three Minor League intrasquad scrimmages -- teammate Andre Lipcius hit a solo shot on Thursday -- and the best swing by Dingler in the scrimmage series. It might have been one of Dingler’s best swings since last summer. And yet, he might have been more excited about catching sidearmer Tanner Kohlhepp and hard-throwing Chavez Fernander through solid innings.

That’s the dichotomy of being a catcher. Dingler gets it, just as Alex Avila, James McCann and Jake Rogers before him.

“Of course, catchers are defensive first,” said Dingler, the Tigers' No. 4 prospect.

That’s moreso in a camp like this, which made Saturday’s homer all the more impressive. While most hitters get regular at-bats, catchers treat the scrimmages much like live batting practice. They’re assigned to pitchers in each game, and when that pitcher begins warming up in the bullpen, the catcher is there, sometimes running out from the dugout.

“We’ll go out to the 'pen a whole inning, inning and a half before,” Dingler said. “If we come up in the lineup, one of the other catchers steps in. The lineup’s not really set, so we’ll jump in whenever we can.”

Dingler’s fourth-inning homer came in between his pitchers to catch. Soon after rounding the bases, he was ready to warm up Fernander.

Still, the 23-year-old Dingler knows that offense is a bigger key for him than it may be for others. His all-around game was a reason he had first-round potential in the 2020 Draft before the Tigers snagged him with the first pick of the second round. His eight home runs and .925 OPS in 32 games at West Michigan were among the reasons he had the Tigers’ hopes raised as he joined top prospect Spencer Torkelson in a mid-June promotion to Double-A Erie.

Dingler hit well in Erie for a couple weeks, grinded through a .159 average in July with help from focusing on his defense, then lost three weeks when he was crossed up on a pitch and fractured a finger on his left hand. He made it back for the final few weeks, but hit .227 (15-for-66) to finish with a .202 average in Erie and a .239 average for the season.

“I was just happy to get back out there and be there for the guys again,” Dingler said, “start catching the different pitchers and everything. Honestly, it was good. I mean, it was a whole learning curve last year.”

Part of that curve involved getting out of his game as a hitter. He had a 17-to-47 walk-to-strikeout ratio over 44 games in May and June, then 5-to-54 over his final 41 games from July on. That ratio was near-even over his three-year career at Ohio State.

“Once you start struggling at the plate, a bunch of other things start to go, you start to feel something else and it takes your mind off your approach at the plate,” he said.

With that in mind, Dingler spent his offseason working on his mindset, remembering who he is as a player. This camp has been about all of it. As pitchers made their way through live batting practice, Dingler made a point to complement good pitches and solid deliveries. He’d have feedback for hitters, too.

“I’ve talked to Dingler quite a bit,” said right-hander Dylan Smith, the Tigers’ third-round pick last year. “I feel like he tells you the honest truth about your stuff from behind the plate. I feel like he’s one of those guys that’s going to help you to get better from what he’s seeing behind the plate, and what hitters are seeing.”

Dingler is in the batting cage as the sun comes up, working on his approach at the plate. When he takes the field, his focus is on the pitchers. When he gets to take batting practice on the field, it’s usually later, after his pitchers are done.

Saturday’s homer was positive reinforcement for the work.

“It's just good to really see it all come together,” Dingler said. “I was anticipating a 3-2 fastball, and I was able to finally be on time for one out in front, and I put a good swing on it. But I like what I've been doing the past few days. There's good and bad. You learn from the bad and try to replicate the good. So, go from there.”

Given the way Dingler’s 2021 season ended, he’ll likely be going back to Erie. The Tigers have no need to rush him to the Majors, and they want him to learn himself as a hitter, defender and game caller before he gets to Detroit.

That’s down the road. For now, he’s just enjoying this -- long, hot days and all.

“It's fun to get out there,” he said. “Obviously it's a little tiring on the body right out of the gate, but ripping off good swings and stuff like that is all you can ask for.”