The high socks catch your attention first. Brandon Dunbar’s hustle keeps it.
Whether he’s sprinting down the first-base line on a routine ground ball or diving to take away a hit up the middle, the All-Star Futures second baseman has built his game around grit, relentless effort and doing the little things that help teams win.
Now entering his junior season at Elizabethtown College, Dunbar hopes that blue-collar style of play will help him earn a starting role with the Blue Jays this spring.
That mindset was shaped by the players he admired growing up, including one who retired well before Dunbar was born but whose on-field legacy speaks for itself.
“I always liked how A-Rod and Pete Rose played the game,” Dunbar said. “Pete Rose was nasty. Head-first slides, always just a gritty player. I like A-Rod’s swagger. I just kind of liked that cockiness to him.”
The same edge Rodriguez and Rose played with is reflected in the way the 5-foot-10 Dunbar attacks every at-bat, every defensive rep and every inning.
That approach was on display in All-Star Futures’ victory over the Philly Fightin’ Quakers last Thursday, when Dunbar reached base in three of his four plate appearances, finishing with two singles and a walk in his team’s 5-1 win.
“I was feeling good,” Dunbar said. “The approach at the plate is just see the ball, get on top of it and hit something hard, and not over-swing. Just get on base for the team.”
The summer has become more than just another season of baseball for Dunbar. It is an opportunity to prepare for what could be the biggest role of his baseball career.
After appearing in only eight games over his first two seasons at Elizabethtown, Dunbar enters the fall with an opportunity to compete for the starting second-base job following the graduation of First Team All-Landmark Conference selection Alex Perrin.
As a kid, Dunbar watched someone else with his last name wear an Elizabethtown uniform. Now, he is focused on making his own mark.
“I’m looking to take that second-base job,” Dunbar said.
The Drexel Hill native and Haverford School graduate grew up following the Blue Jays as his older brother, Tyler, pitched for the program from 2018 through 2022. Tyler earned Second Team All-Landmark honors in 2021 and helped Elizabethtown capture a conference championship in 2022.
“Growing up, I would always go to his games,” Dunbar said. “Watching the 2022 Landmark Championship was a sick experience. Seeing former star outfielder Ben Watson hit a home run was awesome. I loved former head coach Adam Sheibley, loved how he coached, and it made me want to go there.”
Although it is a new era of Elizabethtown baseball with a different coaching staff and roster, Dunbar said the culture that attracted him to the program remains as strong as ever.
“It’s been amazing,” Dunbar said. “We have a new head coach as of last year, Darrin Lenhart, and he’s awesome. The boys are fired up.”
With the college season approaching, Dunbar is sharpening his game before returning to Elizabethtown.
“I’m just trying to put the ball in play and limit strikeouts,” Dunbar said. “Only good things can happen when you put the ball in play. Strikeouts help no one, they give the pitcher confidence, and you can’t let the pitcher beat you. Just trying to be that guy who’s always on base.”
It is a philosophy that mirrors the way he plays every aspect of the game. Hustle is not something Dunbar turns on in big moments. It is the standard he sets for himself every time he steps between the lines.
As he continues his summer with All-Star Futures, every game serves as another opportunity to prove he is ready for a bigger role next spring at Elizabethtown. Replacing the production of a career .340 hitter in Perrin will not be easy, but Dunbar is not shying away from the challenge.
Instead, his focus remains the same every time he steps into the batter’s box.
“Do damage,” Dunbar said. “Hit the ball hard, and good things happen.”
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