Dylan Axelrod Baseball Cards: A Look at the Career of the Journeyman Pitcher
Dylan Axelrod is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for five different teams between 2011-2016. While he never achieved stardom at the big league level, Axelrod had an impressive minor league career that showed flashes of potential. As a result, he has a respectable collection of baseball cards from his time in the minors and majors. Let’s take a deeper look at Axelrod’s playing career and the baseball cards that were produced documenting his time on the mound.
Axelrod was originally drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 32nd round of the 2004 MLB Draft out of high school in California. He opted to attend the University of San Diego instead of signing. As a pitcher for the Toreros, Axelrod developed into a standout player. In his junior year of 2007, he went 11-2 with a 2.11 ERA and 106 strikeouts over 115 innings pitched to earn All-West Coast Conference honors.
Axelrod’s strong collegiate performance led to him being selected in the fourth round of the 2008 MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox. He began his professional career that season pitching for the Great Falls White Sox of the Pioneer League. In 13 games started, Axelrod posted a 5-3 record with a 3.05 ERA. His solid debut earned him write-ups in Baseball America and cards in 2008 Bowman Draft Picks & Prospects and Great Falls team sets.
Over the next few seasons, Axelrod continued moving up the White Sox minor league system. He pitched for Kannapolis, Winston-Salem, and Birmingham between 2009-2011. Along the way, he gained notice for his steady performances which resulted in baseball cards appearing in sets like 2009 Bowman, 2010 Bowman, and 2011 Topps Minor League. By 2011, Axelrod had reached Triple-A and was putting up his best numbers as a pro with a 10-7 record and 3.74 ERA for the Charlotte Knights.
Based on his productivity in the minors, Axelrod received his first September call-up to the major league White Sox that year. He made his MLB debut on September 6th, 2011 versus the Detroit Tigers working 1.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Axelrod’s promotion led to cards in 2011 Topps Triple Threads and Topps Tier One. While he didn’t stick on the big league roster, Axelrod had taken the first step towards realizing his dream of becoming a major leaguer.
In 2012, Axelrod split time between Charlotte and Chicago. He made 11 appearances for the White Sox, including his first MLB start on May 26th against the Kansas City Royals. Axelrod tossed 5.1 innings allowing two runs to pick up his first big league win. Cards from 2012 Topps, Bowman Platinum, and Triple Threads captured his continued progress. Though he performed capably, the White Sox designated Axelrod for assignment at season’s end to make room on the 40-man roster.
Axelrod was then claimed off waivers by the San Diego Padres in November 2012. He spent most of 2013 with the Padres’ Triple-A affiliate in Tucson, where he put together his finest minor league campaign. Posting a 9-5 record with a 3.21 ERA over 26 games (21 starts), Axelrod’s standout season led to inclusion in the 2013 Pacific Coast League All-Star team. He also earned cards in 2013 Bowman and Triple Threads Minor League sets.
In July 2013, the Padres purchased Axelrod’s contract to bring him back to the majors. He made 11 appearances for San Diego, including two starts, and put up a respectable 4.15 ERA. Axelrod’s return to the bigs netted him more major league cards from brands like 2013 Topps Update and Finest. At season’s end though, he was designated for assignment and later released by the Padres.
Looking to continue his career, Axelrod signed a minor league deal with the Cincinnati Reds in January 2014. He started the year with the Reds’ Triple-A affiliate in Louisville, where he went 8-6 with a 4.01 ERA over 21 games, 18 starts. Axelrod’s solid showing led to a contract purchase by Cincinnati in July and his return to the major leagues. He made 12 appearances out of the Reds bullpen posting a 3.65 ERA. Cards from 2014 Topps Heritage and Stadium Club captured his time in Cincinnati’s system.
In November 2014, Axelrod was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays along with pitcher Jack Hannahan for pitcher DJ Hales. He started 2015 with Triple-A Buffalo and was off to a strong start, going 2-1 with a 2.60 ERA over his first five starts, before an injury sidelined him for over two months. Axelrod returned in late June and continued pitching well enough to earn a call-up by Toronto in July. He made six appearances for the Blue Jays, allowing just one run over 10.1 innings.
Axelrod signed a minor league deal with the Chicago White Sox, the team that originally drafted him, prior to the 2016 season. He spent the entire year with Triple-A Charlotte, where he posted a 5-7 record and 4.50 ERA over 23 games, 19 starts. It would be Axelrod’s final season playing professional baseball, as he retired in the offseason at age 31.
While he didn’t achieve stardom, Dylan Axelrod had a respectable seven-year professional career. He made 66 appearances over parts of five seasons in the major leagues, providing serviceable innings for the White Sox, Padres, Reds, and Blue Jays along the way. Axelrod’s journey through the minors resulted in baseball cards chronicling his time with organizations like Great Falls, Kannapolis, Birmingham, Charlotte, Tucson, Louisville, and Buffalo. For a pitcher who debuted as a 32nd round draft pick, Axelrod maximized his abilities to carve out a career at the highest level of baseball. His baseball cards serve as a reminder of the perseverance and dedication it takes to reach the majors, even if only for a cup of coffee.
