THE APEX TIMES
After a hamate bone fracture in his right hand cost him seven weeks during his first season with the organization, Lewis heads to the Arizona Fall League looking to rebuild confidence in his power-and-speed game and fine-tune his strength heading into next spring.
Miami’s No. 11 prospect, outfielder Dillon Lewis, is in the Arizona Fall League after a right-hand hamate bone fracture disrupted a promising first year in the organization. The hamate injury required surgery and sidelined him for seven weeks, interrupting the steady buildup he had been targeting as a right-handed hitter with a profile built around power, speed, and defense.
Before the injury, Lewis’ season at Double-A Pensacola still produced an overall line of.242/.302/.460 with 12 doubles, four triples, 18 home runs and 20 steals in 89 games. The Marlins’ development plan for the AFL is often about getting at-bats in a controlled environment and Lewis’ participation was framed as an easy decision once the team asked.
Lewis described how the injury presented and how his return unfolded. He said he had felt discomfort in his right wrist and then had an MRI that revealed a hamate issue, an injury he noted is not commonly seen with that type of problem location. He also said he learned to rehab the fracture, including regaining finger mobility and building grip strength with emphasis on the ring and pinky fingers, before gradually resuming baseball activity.
Upon returning on Aug. 14, Lewis recorded four extra-base hits with 29 strikeouts and two walks in 103 plate appearances through season’s end. He said pain was still present until the final week, and he described using heavy taping and anti-inflammatories to manage it. He also pointed to how it affected his swing, saying he knew he was not generating the same impact as earlier in the year.
The move to the AFL was cast by Lewis as a confidence rebuild. With the missed time and the need to feel healthy again, he called the request a “no-brainer,” saying the additional work is meant to help him compete at the level he set for himself earlier in the season and to carry stronger hand confidence into the offseason.
Through the start of AFL play, Lewis was batting.275/.333/.451 with six doubles, one home run, nine RBI and one steal in 13 games for Glendale. In Phoenix-style matchups, he has also been leaning on teammates’ scouting intelligence, including observations from Charles Davalan and Caleb Bonemer on how pitchers set up batters and how those game plans can be answered.
The broader development goal is hand strength and continued all-around production. MLB Pipeline’s scouting report cited run tool and power tool grades of 60 and 55, with 50 grades for arm and field, and the organization has highlighted Lewis as an all-around contributor type. Lewis also connected the AFL to a specific plan for strengthening his hand so he can enter next spring with full confidence.