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{{short description|American Minor League baseball team}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox Minor League Baseball
|name            = Dayton Dragons
|founded         = 1988
|founding city   = Rockford, Illinois
|based           = 2000
|city            = Dayton, Ohio
|misc            =
|logo            = Dayton Dragons logo.svg
|uniformlogo     = Dragons cap.PNG
|class level     = [[High-A]] (2021–present)
|past class level= [[Class A (baseball)|Class A]] (2000–2020)
|current league  = [[Midwest League]] (1988–present)
|conference      =
|division        = East Division
|past league     =
|majorleague     = [[Cincinnati Reds]] (1999–present)
|pastmajorleague = {{plainlist|
*[[Chicago Cubs]] (1995–1998)
*[[Kansas City Royals]] (1993–1994)
*[[Montreal Expos]] (1988–1992)
}}
|nickname        = Dayton Dragons (2000–present)
|pastnames       = {{plainlist|
*Rockford Reds (1999)
*Rockford Cubbies (1995–1998)
*Rockford Royals (1993–1994)
*[[Rockford Expos]] (1988–1992)
}}
|ballpark        = [[Day Air Ballpark]] (2000–present)
|pastparks       = [[Marinelli Field]] (1988–1999)
|colors          = Black, medium green, light gray, white<br/>{{color box|#231F20}} {{color box|#008348}} {{color box|#C4BCB7}} {{color box|#FFFFFF}}
|mascots         = Heater, Gem, Wink, and Blaze
|leaguenum       = 0
|leaguechamps    = None
|divnum          = 6
|divisionchamps  = {{hlist|1988|1993|1994|2001|2011|2021}}
|secondhalfnum = 1
|secondhalfchamps = {{hlist|2024|}}
|owner           = [[Diamond Baseball Holdings]]<ref>[https://www.milb.com/dayton/news/dayton-dragons-welcome-diamond-baseball-holdings-as-new-owner  Dayton Dragons Welcome Diamond Baseball Holdings as New Owner]</ref>
|gm              = Robert Murphy
|website         = {{URL|https://www.milb.com/dayton|milb.com/dayton}}
}}

The '''Dayton Dragons''' are a [[Minor League Baseball]] team of the [[Midwest League]] and the [[High-A]] affiliate of the [[Cincinnati Reds]]. They are located in [[Dayton, Ohio]], and play their home games at [[Day Air Ballpark]]. In 2011, they broke the record for most consecutive sellouts by a professional sports team, selling out their 815th consecutive game, breaking the record formerly held by the [[Portland Trail Blazers]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-21669014 |title=Dragons Break All-Time Sports Sell-Out Record |work= Dayton Dragons News |publisher=[[Minor League Baseball]] |date=April 18, 2012 |access-date=July 15, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.whiotv.com/news/news/dayton-dragons-break-sellout-record/nDLZ8/ |title=Dayton Dragons Break Sellout Record |publisher=WHIOtv.com |date=July 11, 2011 |access-date=July 15, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130209055154/http://www.whiotv.com/news/news/dayton-dragons-break-sellout-record/nDLZ8/ |archive-date=February 9, 2013  }}</ref>

The Dragons came to Dayton in 2000 as the franchise was relocated from [[Rockford, Illinois]]. The franchise was previously known as the [[Rockford Expos]] (then Royals, Cubbies, and Reds).  In 2021, the Dragons and 11 other teams that had previously competed in the Midwest League entered the [[High-A Central]] as [[Major League Baseball]] completed a large restructuring of Minor League Baseball.<ref>{{cite web|last=Mayo|first=Jonathan|title=MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/new-minor-league-baseball-structure|website=Major League Baseball|date=February 12, 2021|access-date=June 22, 2023}}</ref> This was a temporary name change, with the historical "Midwest League" moniker returning for the 2022 season.<ref name=MWLrename>{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/minor-league-baseball-historical-league-names-to-return-in-2022|title=Historical League Names to Return in 2022|website=Minor League Baseball|date=March 16, 2022|access-date=March 16, 2022}}</ref>

==Day Air Ballpark==
The team's home park is [[Day Air Ballpark]] in Dayton, formerly (until 2020) known as Fifth Third Field.<ref name="Day Air Renaming">{{Cite news|url=https://www.whio.com/business/dayton-dragons-plan-announcement-today/TITdZiWiDcmw6EHMzxEimJ/|title=Dayton Dragons to rename stadium Day Air Ballpark|first=Thomas|last=Gnau|date=January 29, 2020|access-date=January 29, 2020|publisher=[[WHIO-TV]]|archive-date=January 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200129195923/https://www.whio.com/business/dayton-dragons-plan-announcement-today/TITdZiWiDcmw6EHMzxEimJ/|url-status=dead}}</ref> During its first season, the Dragons set a Minor League Baseball Class-A single-season attendance record of 581,853. The Dragons broke that record in 2003 and again in 2004.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-148638 |title=History |publisher=[[Minor League Baseball]] |access-date=July 15, 2012 |archive-date=January 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120104133310/http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/about/page.jsp?ymd=20061214&content_id=148638&vkey=about_l118&fext=.jsp&sid=l118 |url-status=live }}</ref> The Dragons broke the record again in 2010 with a season attendance total of 597,433, which still stands as the Class-A record.

The Dragons have averaged 8,258 fans per game over their 21-year history (through the 2021 season). They have led the Class-A level in attendance in all 24 years of their existence and have finished first among all teams below the Triple-A level for 18 straight seasons, from 2006 to 2019 and in 2021-24 (there was no season in 2020).<ref name="fans">{{cite web |url=https://www.milb.com/dayton/news/dragons-lead-class-a-in-attendance-again-256169474 |title=Dragons Lead Class-A in Attendance Again |publisher=Dayton Dragons| access-date=October 18, 2017}}</ref><ref name="2024 YIR">[https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/dayton-dragons-2024-organization-and-team-season-review/n-6153400 Dayton Dragons 2024 Organization and Team Season Review]</ref> In 2022, the Dragons' per-game average attendance of 7,935 was first among all 120 teams across Minor League Baseball.<ref name="2022 YIR">[https://img.mlbstatic.com/milb-images/image/upload/milb/ahcgnhwrh2zodfjih9n5.pdf DAYTON DRAGONS 2022 YEAR IN REVIEW]</ref>

On July 9, 2011, the Dragons officially set a new record of 815 consecutive sellout home games.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dragons Break All-Time Sports Sell-Out Record |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-21669014 |publisher=[[Minor League Baseball]] |access-date=July 10, 2011}}</ref> The sellout streak is the longest across all professional sports in the US, passing the previous record set by the [[Portland Trail Blazers]] from 1977 to 1995.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110710&content_id=21677950&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb|title=Dayton Dragons all time professional sellout streak MLB}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=neumann-110708_dayton_dragons_sellout_streak |title= Dayton Dragons break Portland Trail Blazers' sellout streak| work= ESPN.com | date= July 8, 2011 | first= Thomas |last= Neumann |access-date= January 13, 2015}}</ref> On May 10, 2014, the streak of consecutive sellouts reached 1,000 games. After announcing the sellout streak was in jeopardy at the beginning of the 2023 season,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Digby |first=Matthew |date=2023-03-23 |title=Dragons hoping to keep sellout streak going |url=https://dayton247now.com/sports/content/dragons-hoping-to-keep-sellout-streak-going |access-date=2023-09-06 |website=WKEF |language=en}}</ref> the streak reached 1,500 games on August 26, 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Digby |first=Matthew |date=2023-08-26 |title=Dragons reach milestone for sellout streak |url=https://dayton247now.com/sports/content/dragons-reach-milestone-for-sellout-streak |access-date=2023-09-06 |website=WKEF |language=en}}</ref> According to the official team website, every home game in the team's first 20 years (prior to the canceled 2020 season) was a sellout.<ref name="Dragons Sell-Out Streak Reaches 1,000">{{cite web| url= https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-75062440 |title= Dragons Sell-Out Streak Reaches 1,000 | publisher= [[Minor League Baseball]] | date= May 10, 2014 }}</ref> The streak (which was "paused" in 2020 due to the season being cancelled, and again in 2021 due to all minor league ballparks opening with reduced capacity due to COVID-19 restrictions) now stands at 1,573 consecutive sold-out home games (through the end of the 2024 season), an all-time record for sports in North America.<ref name= "Dragons 2018 Season Review">{{cite web| url= https://milb.bamcontent.com/documents/0/0/0/293690000/090518_Season_Review_2018.pdf |title= Dragons 2018 Season Review | publisher= [[Minor League Baseball]] | date= September 7, 2018 }}</ref><ref name="2024 YIR" />

==Ownership==
In 2014, the founding ownership group, [[Peter Guber]]'s [[Mandalay Sports Entertainment|Mandalay Baseball Properties]], sold the team to Palisades Arcadia Baseball LLC, led by [[Greg Rosenbaum]], Nicholas Sakellariadis, and Michael Savit.<ref>{{cite web|title=Focus is on Dayton, Dragons' new owners say|url=http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/news/focus-is-on-dayton-dragons-new-owners-say/ng8jC/|website=Dayton Daily News|access-date=March 6, 2016}}</ref>

On March 14, 2025, Palisades Arcadia announced that they had agreed to sell the Dragons to [[Diamond Baseball Holdings]], an organization which owns and operates over 40 Minor League clubs including the [[Louisville Bats]], the Reds' Triple A club. The Dragons will remain in Dayton as the Reds' High A affiliate and Robert Murphy and his front office staff will continue to operate the club.<ref>[https://www.milb.com/dayton/news/dayton-dragons-welcome-diamond-baseball-holdings-as-new-owner Dayton Dragons Welcome Diamond Baseball Holdings as New Owner]</ref>

==Achievements==

[[File:Elly De La Cruz.jpg|thumb|180px|[[Elly De La Cruz]] with the Dayton Dragons in 2022.]]
* The Dragons have led the [[Midwest League]] and all of Single A baseball in total season attendance in each of their 23 season, and the #1 for under Triple - A level Ball for the last 17 seasons.
* In 2000, Dragons President Robert Murphy received the Midwest League Executive of the Year Award. He received the award again in 2012.<ref name=dayton247>{{cite web |last=Wilson |first=Reggie |url=https://dayton247now.com/sports/content/dragons-robert-murphy-named-minor-league-baseball-executive-of-the-year |title=Dragons' Robert Murphy named Minor League Baseball Executive of the Year |date=November 29, 2018 |work=Dayton 24/7 Now |publisher=Sinclair Broadcast Group |access-date=October 4, 2021}}</ref>
* In 2004, the Dragons were selected as the winner of the Bob Freitas Award by Baseball America (top Class-A franchise).<ref name=dayton247 />
* In 2007, the Dragons were selected as one of the "10 Hottest Tickets in Sports" by ''[[Sports Illustrated]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.daytondragons.com/fifththird/about/ |title=About the Dayton Dragons}}</ref>
* On July 9, 2011, the Dragons set a new record for most consecutive sold-out games (815 total) in all of professional sports.<ref>{{cite web |first=Holly |last=Samuels |title=Dragons knock record out of the park |url=http://www.wdtn.com/dpp/news/dragons-knock-record-out-of-the-park |work=Dayton Daily News |access-date=July 10, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711130135/http://www.wdtn.com/dpp/news/dragons-knock-record-out-of-the-park |archive-date=July 11, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Vecsey |first=George |date=2 July 2011 |title=For One Minor League Baseball Team, Never an Empty Seat |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/03/sports/baseball/for-one-minor-league-baseball-team-never-an-empty-seat.html?searchResultPosition=2 |access-date=5 September 2025 |work=[[New York Times]] |pages=SP1}}</ref> As of the end of the 2023 season, the still-in-progress record stands at 1,507 straight games.<ref name="Dragons Attendance again High in National Rankings">{{cite web |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-148469542 | title=Dragons Attendance again High in National Rankings |date=September 10, 2015 |publisher=[[Minor League Baseball]] |access-date=September 10, 2015}}</ref>
* In 2011, ''Ballpark Digest'' named the Dragons the "Minor League Baseball Organization of the Year."<ref>[https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-23621680 Dragons Selected as Organization of the Year]. Dayton.dragon.milb.com (August 23, 2011). Retrieved on September 23, 2011.</ref> This honor came during a year in which 
** they set the all-time professional sports sellout streak of 815 (they finished the season at 843 consecutive sellouts)
** finished 1st in the Midwest League Eastern Division 
** best overall Midwest League record (.593)
** set franchise records for
*** wins (83–57),
*** wins in a half (48–22 during the second half) ,
*** road wins (38), 
*** wins in a month (22 in August); 
*** stolen bases (224, including 103 by shortstop [[Billy Hamilton (shortstop)|Billy Hamilton]], which was the 9th highest total ever for a Minor Leaguer);
*** team ERA (3.39);
*** and shutout wins (14); 
** set a Midwest League pitching record for strikeouts (1,292).<ref>[http://www.daytondailynews.com/dayton-sports/dayton-dragons/dragons-enter-playoffs-with-best-record-in-team-history-1246923.html Dragons enter playoffs with best record in team history]. Daytondailynews.com (September 6, 2011). Retrieved on September 23, 2011.</ref><ref>[https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-24263834 Dragons End Regular Season with Record-Breaking Win]. Web.minorleaguebaseball.com (September 5, 2011). Retrieved on September 23, 2011.</ref><ref>[http://www.daytondailynews.com/dayton-sports/dayton-dragons/dragons-pitchers-set-mwl-record-1246180.html Dragons pitchers set MWL record]. Daytondailynews.com (September 4, 2011). Retrieved on September 23, 2011.</ref>
* In 2012, the Dragons were a finalist team for the ''[[Sports Business Journal]]'' "Professional Sports Team of the Year".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-27412144|title=Dragons are finalist for team of the year award|publisher=[[Minor League Baseball]]|access-date=April 12, 2012}}</ref>
* In 2012, the Dragons franchise was selected as the winner of the [[John H. Johnson President's Trophy]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/news/local/dragons-receive-top-honor/nTBby/ |title=Dragons Claim Minor League Baseball's Top Honor |work=Daytona Daily News |first=David |last=Jablonski |date=November 20, 2012 |access-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref> The winning team, chosen from all minor league teams (Single A, Double A, and Triple A), is chosen by the president of Minor League Baseball and given to "the complete baseball franchise—based on franchise stability, contributions to league stability, contributions to baseball in the community, and promotion of the baseball industry." Only two other Midwest Leagues teams have received this award.<ref>[https://www.milb.com/about/awards Major Award Winners], milb.com</ref>
* In 2016, ''[[Forbes]]'' listed the Dragons as the third-most valuable Minor League Baseball team with a value of $45&nbsp;million, making them the most valuable Class A minor league franchise.<ref>{{cite web|last=Klebnikov|first=Sergei|url=https://www.forbes.com/pictures/gkle45ffh/3-dayton-dragons/#2545eba97311|title=Minor League Baseball's Most Valuable Teams – 3. Dayton Dragons|website=Forbes|date=July 8, 2016|access-date=September 23, 2016}}</ref>
* In 2016, Dragons Vice President of Sponsor Services Brandy Guinaugh was named the Rawlings Woman Executive of the Year for all of Minor League Baseball<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.daytondailynews.com/business/dayton-dragons-vice-president-wins-top-minor-league-award/3uOMAhIQqpZ0uzZn1wJ7ON/ |title=Dayton Dragons vice president wins top minor league award |work=Dayton Daily News |date=November 10, 2016 |access-date=October 18, 2017}}</ref>
* In 2016, 2017, and 2018, the Dragons have been the Midwest League nominee for Minor League Baseball's Charles K. Murphy Patriot Award for outstanding support of U.S. Armed Forces and Veterans.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/dayton/news/dragons-support-of-military-nominated-for-award-257247360 |title=Dragons Support of Military Nominated for Award |publisher=DaytonDragons.com |date=October 3, 2017 |access-date=October 18, 2017}}</ref>
* In 2018, the Dragons were selected by Dayton Business Journal as the Miami Valley's Customer Service Business of the Year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/dayton/news/dragons-honored-by-dbj-as-customer-service-business-of-the-year-300474978 |title=Dragons Honored by DBJ as Customer Service Business of the Year |publisher=DaytonDragons.com |date=November 8, 2018 |access-date=November 21, 2018}}</ref>
* In 2018, Robert Murphy, Dragons President & General Manager, was selected by Baseball America as the Minor League Baseball Executive of the Year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/milb-executive-of-the-year-robert-murphy/c-300474978 |title=Robert Murphy Crafts a Culture of Success |publisher=BaseballAmerica.com |date=November 29, 2018 |access-date=December 14, 2018}}</ref>

==Season-by-season records==
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"|Season !! colspan="4"|Regular Season !! colspan="4"|Postseason
|-
! Won !! Lost !! Win % !! Finish !! Won !! Lost !! Win % !! Result
|-
!2000
||70 ||67 ||.511 ||4th in [[Midwest League|MWL]] East || 2 || 3 || .400 || Defeated '''[[West Michigan Whitecaps|West Michigan]]''' in League Quarterfinals, 2–1 <br />Lost to '''[[Michigan Battle Cats|Michigan]]''' in League Semifinals, 2–0
|-
!|2001
||82 ||57 ||.590 ||2nd in [[Midwest League|MWL]] East|| 2 || 2 || .500 || Defeated '''[[Lansing Lugnuts|Lansing]]''' in League Quarterfinals, 2–0<br />Lost to '''[[South Bend Silver Hawks|South Bend]]''' in League Semifinals, 2–0
|-
!2002
||73 ||67 ||.521 ||4th in [[Midwest League|MWL]] East|| 0 || 2 || .000 || Lost to '''West Michigan''' in League Quarterfinals, 2–0
|-
!2003
||61 ||78 ||.439 ||6th in [[Midwest League|MWL]] East|| – || – || – || <small>''Did not Qualify''</small>
|-
!2004
||48 ||92 ||.343 ||6th in [[Midwest League|MWL]] East|| – || – || – || <small>''Did not Qualify''</small>
|-
!2005
||60 ||79 ||.432 ||6th in [[Midwest League|MWL]] East|| – || – || – || <small>''Did not Qualify''</small>
|-
!2006
||67 ||73 ||.479 ||5th in [[Midwest League|MWL]] East|| – || – || – || <small>''Did not Qualify''</small>
|-
!2007
||78 ||62 ||.557 ||3rd in [[Midwest League|MWL]] East|| 1 || 2 || .333 || Lost to '''South Bend''' in League Quarterfinals, 2–1
|-
!2008
||66 ||72 ||.478 ||2nd in [[Midwest League|MWL]] East|| 2 || 2 || .500 || Defeated '''Lansing''' in League Quarterfinals, 2–0<br />Lost to '''South Bend''' In League Semifinals, 2–0
|-
!2009
||59 ||80 ||.425 ||4th in [[Midwest League|MWL]] East|| – || – || – || <small>''Did not Qualify''</small>
|-
!2010
||53 ||85 ||.384 ||8th in [[Midwest League|MWL]] East|| – || – || – || <small>''Did not Qualify''</small>
|-
!2011
||83 ||57 ||.593 ||1st in [[Midwest League|MWL]] East|| 1 || 2 || .333 || Lost to '''Lansing''' In League Quarterfinals, 2–1
|-
!2012
||60 ||78 ||.435||8th in [[Midwest League|MWL]] East|| – || – || – || <small>''Did not Qualify''</small>
|-
!2013
||65 ||74 ||.468||6th in [[Midwest League|MWL]] East|| – || – || – || <small>''Did not Qualify''</small>
|-
!2014
||68 ||70 ||.493 ||3rd in [[Midwest League|MWL]] East|| – || – || – || <small>''Did not Qualify''</small>
|-
!2015
||71 ||68 ||.511 ||5th in [[Midwest League|MWL]] East|| – || – || – || <small>''Did not Qualify''</small>
|-
!2016
||47 ||93 ||.336 ||8th in [[Midwest League|MWL]] East|| – || – || – || <small>''Did not Qualify''</small>
|-
!2017
||71 ||69 ||.507 ||4th in [[Midwest League|MWL]] East|| 3 || 3 || .500 || Defeated '''West Michigan''' in League Quarterfinals, 2–1<br>Lost to '''[[Fort Wayne TinCaps|Fort Wayne]]''' in League Semifinals, 2–1
|-
!2018
||58 ||80 ||.420 ||8th in [[Midwest League|MWL]] East|| – || – || – || <small>''Did not Qualify''</small>
|-
!2019
|58
|82
|.414
|7th in [[Midwest League|MWL]] East
|–
|–
|–
|<small>''Did not Qualify''</small>
|-
!2020
|0
|0
|.000
|Season Canceled
|–
|–
|–
|<small>''No playoffs''</small>
|-
!2021
||65 ||55 ||.542 ||T-1st in [[High-A Central]] East|| – || – || – || <small>''Did not Qualify''</small>
|-
!2022
|67
|61
|.523
|1st Half: 2nd in MWL East<br/>2nd Half: 4th in MWL East
| -
| -
| -
|<small>''Did not Qualify''</small>
|-
!2023
|67
|65
|.508
|1st Half: 2nd in MWL East<br/>2nd Half: 4th in MWL East
| -
| -
| -
|<small>''Did not Qualify''</small>
|-
!2024
|74
|58
|.566
|1st Half: T - 2nd in MWL East<br/>2nd Half: 1st MWL East
|0
|2
|.000
|Lost to '''Lake County Captains''' in League Semi- Finals, 0-2
|-
!''TOTAL''||  1571 || 1722 || .477 || — || 11 || 18 || .379 || —
|}

==Major league alumni==
Through the 2023 season, 143 Dragons players have gone on to play in [[Major League Baseball]] since the team's move to Dayton in 2000. The following are notable players whose minor league career included playing for the Dayton Dragons, including the years they played in Dayton.

{{Div col|colwidth=15em}}
*[[Austin Kearns]] (2000)
*[[Adam Dunn]] (2000)
*[[Wily Mo Peña]] (2001)
*[[Edwin Encarnación]] (2001–02)
*[[Ryan Hanigan]] (2002–03)
*[[Todd Coffey]] (2002–03)
*[[Joey Votto]] (2003–04)
*[[Chris Dickerson (baseball)|Chris Dickerson]] (2004)
*[[Homer Bailey]] (2005)
*[[Johnny Cueto]] (2006)
*[[Travis Wood]] (2006)
*[[Adam Rosales]] (2006)
*[[Jay Bruce]] (2006)
*[[Drew Stubbs]] (2007)
*[[Justin Turner]] (2007)
*[[Chris Heisey]] (2007)
*[[Zack Cozart]] (2007–08)
*[[Devin Mesoraco]] (2008)
*[[Todd Frazier]] (2007–08)
*[[Didi Gregorius]] (2010)
*[[Ronald Torreyes]] (2010–11)
*[[Billy Hamilton (baseball, born 1990)|Billy Hamilton]] (2011)
*[[Tucker Barnhart]] (2011)
*[[Michael Lorenzen]] (2013)
*[[Jesse Winker]] (2013)
*[[Sal Romano]] (2013–2014)
*[[Amir Garrett]] (2013–14)
*[[Tyler Mahle]] (2015)
*[[Aristides Aquino]] (2015)
*[[Nick Senzel]] (2015)
*[[Tanner Rainey]] (2016)
*[[José Siri]] (2016-17)
*[[Jonathan India]] (2018)
*[[Noah Davis (baseball) |Noah Davis]] (2021)
*[[Elly De La Cruz]] (2022)
{{Div col end}}

==Managers and coaches==
The Dragons have had 12 managers in their history:

{{Div col|colwidth=15em}}
*[[Freddie Benavides]] (2000)
*[[Donnie Scott]] (2001–2003, 2007–2008)
*[[Alonzo Powell]] (2004–2005)
*Billy Gardner, Jr. (2006)
*[[Todd Benzinger]] (2009–2010)
*[[Delino DeShields]] (2011–2012)
*[[José Nieves]] (2013–2015)
*[[Dick Schofield]] (2016)
*Luis Bolivar (2017–19)
*José Moreno (2021)
*[[Bryan LaHair]] (2022-2023)
*Vince Harrison, Jr. (2024-)

{{Div col end}}

Additionally, past Dragons coaching staffs have included three inductees into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame as players:
*[[Chris Sabo]] (2005 Dragons hitting coach)
*[[Ken Griffey, Sr.]] (2010 Dragons hitting coach)
*[[Tom Browning]] (2012, 2015 Dragons pitching coach)

==Media==
Radio: All Dragons home and road games are broadcast on radio on 980 [[WONE (AM)|WONE]], with Tom Nichols as the lead broadcaster. The broadcasts are also available via the internet at daytondragons.com and wone.com and on mobile devices via the Dragons mobile app. Dragons radio broadcasts moved to WONE starting with the 2011 season after Dragons games aired on WING 1410 AM from 2003 to 2010 and on WHIO 1290 AM from 2000 to 2002. Nichols has served as the Dragons Director of Broadcasting and lead play-by-play announcer since the 2008 season. Mike Vander Woude was the team's primary broadcaster from 2000 to 2007. All home and road games have been broadcast throughout the Dragons history.

Television: The Dragons have televised 25 games per season since the 2011 season with Dragons Director of Broadcasting Tom Nichols serving as the lead announcer. In 2016, telecasts moved to [[WBDT]] (Dayton's CW) as games appeared on an over-the-air network station for the first time in Dragons history.<ref>{{ cite news | url = http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/sports/dragons-partner-with-cw/nqqFZ/ | title = Dragons partner with CW | newspaper = [[Dayton Daily News]] | last = Pendleton | first = Marc F. | date = March 21, 2016 | access-date = March 27, 2016 }}</ref>  Since the 2016 season, WDTN sports director Jack Pohl has teamed with Nichols on Dragons television broadcasts. From 2001 to 2010, the Dragons television schedule included 15 games per season before the number of broadcasts was increased to 25 in 2011. The Dragons televised five games in their inaugural season of 2000. Dragons games were televised on [[WHIO-TV]] digital channel 7.2 (Time Warner Cable channels 23 and 372) from 2009 to 2015.<ref>{{ cite news | url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_action=doc&p_docid=1275ADCD6D414BF0&p_docnum=8 | title = Dragons like their viewership chances | newspaper = [[Dayton Daily News]] | last = Katz | first = Marc | date = April 3, 2009 | access-date = March 27, 2016 }}</ref> Games were televised on Time Warner Cable from 2000 to 2008. Over the years, Dragons color commentators on television broadcasts have included [[Joe Nuxhall]], [[Ken Griffey Sr.]], [[Tom Browning]], [[Ron Oester]], [[Bill Doran (second baseman)|Bill Doran]], [[Tommy Helms]], [[Todd Benzinger]], [[Doug Bair]], [[Jeff Reboulet]], and [[Hal McCoy]], among others.<ref>[https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-91524444 Dragons on TV Wednesday], milb.com, August 26, 2014.</ref>

==Roster==
{{Dayton Dragons roster}}

==Player milestones in Dayton Dragons history==
{{refimprove-section|date=September 2020}}
* [[Austin Kearns]] hit home runs in eight consecutive games from July 17–24, 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mydaytondailynews.com/entertainment/dayton-dragons-the-history-beloved-hometown-team/x9VbgVHBcPCaemyDsXOPdP/ |title=Dayton Dragons: The History of a Beloved Hometown Team |newspaper=[[Dayton Daily News]] |last=Thrasher |first=Don |publisher=mydaytondailynews.com |date=April 10, 2015 |access-date=October 19, 2017}}</ref>
* In 2002, Bobby Basham pitched three consecutive nine-inning complete game shutouts for the Dragons. Over 27 innings, he allowed just two walks with 34 strikeouts and surrendered only 11 hits.
* [[Donald Lutz]] became the first and only Dragons player to hit for the cycle on July 21, 2011, vs. the Peoria Chiefs. He did it in reverse order within the first five innings of the game (home run, triple, double, single).
* [[Billy Hamilton (baseball, born 1990)|Billy Hamilton]] became the first player in the history of the Cincinnati Reds organization to compile at least 100 stolen bases in a season when he stole 103 in 2011.
* Seth Mejias-Brean hit an ultimate grand slam home run (game-ending home run with team trailing by three runs) to defeat Beloit on July 18, 2013. Mejias-Brean's walk-off homer came with one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the 9th, trailing 6–3.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.milb.com/documents/2/4/4/254429244/2017_media_guide_32817_.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171020033913/http://www.milb.com/documents/2/4/4/254429244/2017_media_guide_32817_.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 20, 2017 |title=Dayton Dragons 2017 Media Guide |date=April 1, 2017 |access-date=October 19, 2017}}</ref>
* On May 20, 2017, three Dayton pitchers combined for the first nine-inning no-hitter in Dragons history. Scott Moss, Carlos Machorro, and Brian Hunter combined to no-hit the Bowling Green Hot Rods.
* On July 31, 2017, [[José Siri]] extended his hitting streak to 36 consecutive games to break the Midwest League record that had stood since 1977 (Tony Toups, Waterloo, 35). Siri's streak eventually reached 39 straight games.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/mlb/reds/2017/08/01/reds-prospect-jose-siri-sets-midwest-league-record-36-game-hitting-streak/527925001/ |title=Reds prospect Jose Siri sets Midwest League record with 36-game hitting streak |newspaper=[[The Cincinnati Enquirer]] |last=Rosecrans |first=C. Trent |publisher=Cincinnati.com |date=July 31, 2017 |access-date=October 19, 2017}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Dayton Dragons}}
* [https://www.milb.com/dayton Official website]
* [http://www.mwlguide.com/cities/dayton/index.html Dayton, Ohio, in the Midwest League]
* [https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?city=Dayton&state=OH&country=US Dayton Baseball History at ''Baseball-Reference'']

{{Cincinnati Reds}}
{{Midwest League}}
{{Ohio Sports}}

[[Category:Baseball teams established in 1988]]
[[Category:Cincinnati Reds minor league affiliates]]
[[Category:Chicago Cubs minor league affiliates]]
[[Category:Kansas City Royals minor league affiliates]]
[[Category:Montreal Expos minor league affiliates]]
[[Category:Midwest League teams]]
[[Category:Baseball in Dayton, Ohio]]
[[Category:Professional baseball teams in Ohio]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Dayton, Ohio]]
[[Category:1988 establishments in Illinois]]
[[Category:High-A Central teams]]