Patience pays off for Arizona Diamondbacks’ rookie Danny Dorn

Nine years.

Seven teams.

One-hundred forty-eight home runs, 910 hits, 3,252 at-bats.

Zero days of big league service time.

That was the résumé of Danny Dorn — up until Monday, that is.

The 30-year-old career minor-leaguer finally got the call to “the show” when the Arizona Diamondbacks recalled him from Triple-A Reno.

Tuesday night, he stepped to the plate in a Major League game for the first time, drawing a pinch-hit walk in the seventh inning of a game against the Texas Rangers.

Dorn was stranded at third base and the D-backs went on to lose by a 7-1 margin. But none of that really mattered.

“It was amazing,” Dorn told Burns and Gambo Wednesday on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM. “It was a long time coming. I’ve had a lot of people supporting me throughout the last couple of days — the last 36 hours have been crazy, but I was glad to get out on the field and call myself a major leaguer.”

Not only has Dorn had to show patience in reaching the big leagues. Back in 2006, he had to do the same during the MLB First-Year Player Draft. A total of 953 names were announced before the Cincinnati Reds made him a 32nd-round pick out of Cal State Fullerton.

He immediately began his pro career with the Billings Mustangs, Cincinnati’s Pioneer League affiliate in Montana. By 2009, Dorn was playing Triple-A ball in Louisville, just one phone call away from the big time. But that call didn’t come.

In fact, earlier this month Dorn started what would have been his seventh year in Triple-A. A torrid start during which he batted .474 (18-for-38) coupled with an injury to third baseman Jake Lamb paved the way for his promotion.

Despite his long path to Arizona, Dorn remained steadfast in pursuing his goal.

“I never really thought about quitting. I’d be frustrated but I was having good years,” he said. “It wasn’t like I was hitting .220 in the minor leagues going ‘what am I doing, I’m wasting my time.’

“I was putting together some good years and I thought I was going to get a chance sooner or later, and I had great support — my wife has been amazing. I knew I could play in the Major Leagues and I’m just grateful for the Arizona Diamondbacks to give me the opportunity.”

A trek almost a decade in the making is a great story. But the goal for Dorn is now staying in the Majors, something he believes he can do.

“Absolutely. You’ve just got to go out and play the game — it’s the same game,” he said. “You’ve just got to go day-by-day. Come in, do your stuff, prepare like you’re going to play every day.

“Whatever you can do. If you play well, you’re going to help your chances. If you don’t, they’re going to find someone else.”