Dragons’ India has been all over the map in first season

During the course of a baseball season, a major leaguer usually plays for only one team, unless he is traded. The possibility of being traded twice in a season is rare, but it happens.

That’s not the case in the minor leagues. A player can be — and will be — promoted or demoted to other teams as his skills warrant, often in the middle of a season.

Some players, such as Dayton’s third baseman Jonathan India, play for several teams during a season. The Drag- ons, for instance, are India’s fourth team this year, and he’s scheduled for more in the Fall Instructional League in Arizona beginning a few days after the regular season ends and lasting about a month.

“I’m excited to be here,” India said as the Dragons headed into their last few games of the Class A Midwest League season. “I’m excited to be playing the game. I’m just out here playing.”

This is not like football or basketball, where a highly-con- sidered player who attends a big-time school gets drafted and moves into an NFL or NBA lineup immediately if he’s drafted high enough.

In baseball, a hitter with- out fielding skills will need more work. A player without base-running skills, or the ability to build up arm strength, will need more time than just 2-3 years of college.

India knew football and bas- ketball players at Florida, his college team. He also knew he’d have to play more than a few games in the minor leagues to reach his dream of playing in the big leagues.

He isn’t sure how many games that means.

“I don’t know,” India said. “I’ve never played at that (major league) level. I’d like to experience that soon. I’ve got to take it step by step. That comes in the future.”

In the present, he’s playing with every team that puts him in the lineup.

The year began at Florida, where in 69 games he hit .350 with 21 home runs and 52 RBIs, enough to make him an All-America and allow him to rocket up the draft lists. He was taken in the first round by the Reds with the No. 5 overall pick despite the fact the Reds employ Eugenio Suarez with a long-term contract at third and have Nick Senzel, the No. 2 overall pick in 2016, waiting.

Senzel, on the disabled list with a hand injury, has also been tried at second base and is being considered for an outfield spot. He was with the Dragons during his draft year.

About a month after the Reds drafted India — and after India’s junior season at Flor- ida was finished — he signed for $5.3 million and was sent to Short-A Greeneville, Tenn., in the Appalachian League.

India played in 14 games there, then went to rookie Billings for three games to see if he could also play shortstop. Three games later, he was promoted to the Drag- ons on July 30.

“To me, just the competition, as you go up, it’s harder,” India said. “Nothing really changes. It’s still the same game. Have a bat, hit the ball. Pitch the ball, hit the ball. I don’t really see much of a difference.”

To be fair, he hasn’t been in any one place long enough to suggest a trend. He even had to take a week off in Dayton due to strep throat.

With Greeneville, he hit .261 with three homers. In Billings, he hit .250 with two singles.

In Dayton, he was hitting .213 in 22 games with a homer and eight RBI in 23 games.

Dragons manager Luis Bolivar sees the potential and says the real challenge comes when India moves up another level.

“The biggest change is from Class A to Class AA,” he said.

For now, India is working with the Dragons, then will be off to Arizona.

If he does well there, he could begin the 2019 season at “high” A Daytona Beach. If it is determined he needs a little more work in Dayton — infielder Todd Frazier finished his draft year, 2007, with the Dragons and started 2008 in Dayton — he’ll return for a few more games.

Chances are, India will play for multiple teams next year as he advances, although playing for five different teams probably won’t happen. Even in the minors, not too many players experience that.