Dennis Lewallyn – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Dennis Lewallyn carved out a pretty unique eight-year run in Major League Baseball, popping up in parts of several seasons from 1975 through 1982. The 6-foot-4 righty from Pensacola, Florida, left his mark with three different teams during a time when baseball was changing fast, with free agency and new approaches to developing players.

Lewallyn put together a 4-4 record in 34 big league appearances for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, and Cleveland Indians before he retired in 1982. He pitched during the heyday of some legendary franchises, including those Dodgers teams that chased championships in the late ‘70s.

Even though he didn’t spend tons of time in the majors (here’s a look at the reality for players like that), Lewallyn’s baseball life didn’t end there. He dove into coaching in the minors and kept shaping the game from the dugout.

Starting at Chipola Junior College and ending with his last mound appearance in Cleveland, Lewallyn’s story shows what it’s like for the many players who make baseball history without ever becoming household names. His path through the pro ranks, winter league stints, and later focus on player development gives us a window into baseball during a pretty pivotal era.

Early Life and Education

Dennis Dale Lewallyn was born August 11, 1953, in Pensacola, Florida, where he first fell in love with baseball thanks to some important mentors. Growing up in a supportive family and then heading to junior college laid the groundwork for his Major League Baseball journey.

Family Background

Dennis came into the world as the youngest of four, born to Alfred T. Lewallyn Jr. and Johnnie Mae Lewallyn (née Hall). His dad, originally from Anniston, Alabama, served on a Navy aircraft carrier in the Pacific during World War II, then worked as an aircraft mechanic and signal man at the Pensacola Naval Air Rework Facility.

His mom, Johnnie Mae, grew up in Atmore, Alabama, and worked at Western Union in Pensacola. Dennis had three older sisters: Gwen (born 1949), Susan (born 1951), and Brenda (born 1952).

The Lewallyns really valued hard work. Dennis once said, “We had enough and didn’t lack, but we had to work for everything we got.” His dad’s military service included playing baseball on a service team, so the sport was always a big deal in their house.

Pensacola Roots and Escambia High School

Lewallyn attended Escambia High in Pensacola all four years and became a standout pitcher who drew a lot of attention from scouts.

Scouts often showed up to Escambia Gator games to watch Lewallyn pitch, especially with his teammate Preston Hanna in the early 1970s. He pitched well enough to get noticed by several big league teams.

The Atlanta Braves drafted him in the third round (56th overall) of the June 1971 MLB draft right out of high school. But Lewallyn decided to keep going with his education instead of signing.

A year after he graduated, the 1972 Escambia Gators won Florida’s Class 4A title, which kind of shows how strong the program was when he played there.

Chipola Junior College Experience

Lewallyn turned down the Braves’ offer and enrolled at Chipola Junior College in Marianna, Florida, for the 1972 season. That ended up being a great move for him as both a player and a student.

At Chipola, he played for coach Ellis G. Dungan, who helped him sharpen his game. Dungan remembered, “Dennis was a tall, rangy kid. He had an outstanding high school coach, Waters was one of the best pitching guys in the business.”

At that time, Lewallyn became only the second Chipola alum to reach the majors. The first, Terry Enyart, pitched two games for the 1974 Montreal Expos.

His time at Chipola really set him up for pro ball. After that season, he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers for a $20,000 bonus after the Junior College state tournament in Winter Haven, Florida.

Influences and Coaches

Fred Waters, Lewallyn’s high school coach and a Minnesota Twins scout, probably influenced his baseball career the most. Waters discouraged him from playing football, saying, “You’ll get killed playing football, your future is in baseball.”

Waters managed the Twins’ Gulf Coast League team during summers and had loads of experience developing pitchers. His impact was so strong that when Lewallyn played with Bert Blyleven on the 1981 Indians, Blyleven told him, “Fred Waters was the best pitching coach I ever had.”

At Chipola, coach Ellis G. Dungan kept pushing Lewallyn’s development. Dungan said Waters had already taught him good mechanics, but he helped Lewallyn “fill out physically” and learn “how to compete.”

Growing up, Lewallyn rooted for the Yankees, especially Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris. He pitched in youth leagues like PONY League, though he wasn’t always the ace on his teams as a kid.

Path to the Major Leagues

Dennis Lewallyn started his journey to pro baseball when the Atlanta Braves drafted him in 1971, but he chose college first. The Los Angeles Dodgers eventually picked him up in 1972, and he worked his way through their minor league system, finally making his big league debut three years later.

MLB Draft and Signings

The Braves spotted Lewallyn’s talent and drafted him in the third round of the June 1971 draft, 56th overall. The Pensacola native decided to go to Chipola Junior College in Marianna, Florida, instead of signing.

That choice really helped him develop and boost his draft value. After one season at Chipola, where coach Dungan helped him “fill out physically” and learn “how to compete,” Lewallyn went back into the draft.

The Dodgers grabbed him in the first round of the January 1972 secondary phase draft, eighth overall. Scout Dale Jones signed Lewallyn at a Holiday Inn in Winter Haven, Florida, right after the junior college state tournament.

Contract Details:

• Signing bonus: $20,000
• Signing date: Winter 1972
• Scout: Dale Jones

Minor League Journey

Lewallyn’s minor league career ran from 1972 to 1982, and he moved steadily up through the Dodgers’ system. He started at Daytona Beach in the Class A Florida State League, going 11-6 with a 3.70 ERA for the West champs.

His 1973 season with Bakersfield in the California League started off rough. Still, he finished 11-12 with a 3.86 ERA over a team-high 175 innings.

In 1974, he moved up to Waterbury in the Eastern League. Lewallyn went 7-10 with a 4.30 ERA in 23 starts, and he showed better control with just 43 walks in 138 innings.

He really broke through in 1975 with the Albuquerque Dukes in the PCL. Lewallyn posted a solid 13-10 record and a 3.90 ERA, which got him his first call-up to the majors that September.

Development as a Pitcher

With help from various coaches, Lewallyn became a control pitcher who counted on movement, not velocity. His high school coach Fred Waters gave him crucial early lessons, and future teammate Bert Blyleven praised Waters’ work.

Lewallyn once said, “I threw a sinker, slider, change-up; did not throw a lot of pitches in a game.” He focused on efficiency and getting ground balls instead of racking up strikeouts.

His time with the Albuquerque Dukes helped him a ton. Facing AAA hitters regularly let him really hone his approach.

He kept improving his control during his minor league years. By 1974, his walk rate dropped a lot, and that trend stuck with him throughout his pro career.

MLB Career Highlights (1975-1982)

Dennis Lewallyn’s MLB career stretched across eight years and three teams, showing how he grew from a rookie into a dependable reliever. His best season came in 1977 with the Dodgers, when he picked up three of his four career wins and helped out a pennant-winning squad.

Debut with Los Angeles Dodgers

Lewallyn debuted in the majors on September 21, 1975, at 22 years old against the Houston Astros. He tossed two scoreless innings in relief, retiring all six hitters he faced, including César Cedeño and José Cruz.

He earned that call-up after a strong 1975 season with Triple-A Albuquerque, where he went 13-10 with a 3.90 ERA. He made another scoreless outing that September.

Early on, Lewallyn bounced between the Dodgers and Triple-A Albuquerque. He notched his first big league win on October 1, 1976, against San Diego, throwing seven scoreless innings in an 8-1 Dodgers victory.

He stuck with his sinker, slider, and change-up combo, focusing on efficiency over pure power.

Best Season: 1977 and Notable Achievements

Lewallyn’s top year was 1977, when he went 3-1 with a 4.24 ERA and picked up a save for manager Tom Lasorda. He contributed to the Dodgers’ National League West title and their pennant run.

He earned his lone career save on September 28, 1977, with a four-inning relief outing against San Francisco. He gave up four hits, including a home run to Willie McCovey, and struck out pitcher John Montefusco.

His last career win came on September 30, 1977, against Houston. After tossing a scoreless 14th inning, Steve Garvey’s walk-off single gave the Dodgers a 6-5 win.

That season, he also logged 175 innings at Triple-A Albuquerque, going 13-12 while waiting for his shot with the loaded Dodgers.

Texas Rangers Stint

After his Dodgers days, Lewallyn moved over to the Texas Rangers. His time with Texas was the middle stretch of his MLB career, where he kept working on his relief pitching.

The Rangers gave Lewallyn more chances to show off his sinker-heavy style. He worked mostly out of the bullpen, adjusting to whatever the team needed.

Facing American League hitters for the first time, he had to tweak his game a bit. Switching leagues meant making some changes to his pitch selection and approach.

Cleveland Indians Final Years

Lewallyn wrapped up his MLB career with the Cleveland Indians, playing alongside his old teammate Bert Blyleven in 1981. He made his last big league appearance on April 27, 1982, against Seattle.

In that final outing, Lewallyn pitched two-thirds of an inning, gave up three hits, and allowed two earned runs. That marked the end of his eight-year run in the majors.

Career Statistics:

• Record: 4-4
• Games: 34
• ERA: Various seasons
• Teams: Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, Cleveland Indians

He ended up with about a season and a half’s worth of service time in the majors. His approach and sinker-heavy arsenal made him a steady bullpen option during his career.

Performance and Career Statistics

Dennis Lewallyn’s big league career lasted from 1975 to 1982, spanning eight seasons and 34 games. He posted a 4.48 ERA and a 4-4 record, numbers that show how tough it can be to find steady success as a pitcher at the top level.

Pitching Style and Repertoire

Standing 6-foot-4 and throwing right-handed, Lewallyn had a physical edge on the mound. He always focused on control more than power, which you can see in his lower strikeout totals.

He preferred hitting his spots and mixing speeds over trying to blow hitters away. His best stretch for strikeouts came in 1981 with Cleveland, where he fanned 11 in 13.1 innings.

Lewallyn fit better as a reliever than a starter. He only started three games in his whole career, spending almost all his time coming out of the bullpen.

Career Record: Wins, Losses, and ERA

Lewallyn wrapped up his career with a 4-4 record and a 4.48 ERA over 80.1 innings pitched.

His earned run average jumped all over the place from year to year, sometimes as low as 0.00 in short outings, then ballooning to 7.94 during that rough patch with Texas.

In 1977, he had his best season with Los Angeles, going 3-1 with a 4.24 ERA.

That year marked his highest win total and the most innings he pitched as a starter.

His ERA shifted a lot depending on the league. With the Dodgers, he posted a 3.35 ERA in the National League, but in the American League, things didn’t go so well, and he ended up with a 6.44 ERA.

Noteworthy Stats: Strikeouts, WHIP, Walks

Lewallyn struck out only 28 batters in his whole career, averaging around 3.1 strikeouts per nine innings.

He had a strikeout-to-walk rate of 1.27, which really shows he pitched to contact rather than trying to blow hitters away.

His career WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) came out to 1.419.

Over 80.1 innings, he gave up 92 hits and walked 22 batters.

Later in his career, he showed better control, especially with Cleveland.

There, he improved his strikeout-to-walk ratio to 4.67, though he didn’t pitch many innings.

Analysis by Advanced Metrics

Lewallyn’s WAR (Wins Above Replacement) sat at -0.1, which means he performed a bit below replacement level.

That negative number basically says he didn’t quite provide as much value as your average minor league call-up.

His FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching) was 3.81, noticeably better than his 4.48 ERA.

So maybe he got a little unlucky with balls in play, or perhaps his defense let him down.

He actually did better in clutch moments than his overall numbers make it seem.

Limiting home runs to 0.7 per nine innings kept him in games, even though he had some control issues.

Post-Playing Career: Coaching and Legacy

After hanging up his cleats in 1982, Dennis Lewallyn jumped into a coaching career that lasted nearly forty years.

He worked his way through several minor league organizations, eventually landing as pitching coach for the AA Mississippi Braves, where he helped shape future major league talent.

Coaching Roles in the Minor Leagues

Lewallyn kicked off his coaching career in 1984 as pitching coach at single-A Vero Beach in the Dodgers organization.

He stuck around Vero Beach for his first stint, showing real dedication to helping young players develop.

“You can always learn no matter where you’re coaching,” Lewallyn told The Miami Herald in 1986.

“It seems like a different situation always crops up, especially in the lower levels.”

He moved to AA San Antonio in 1987, then headed back to Vero Beach through 1994.

After that, he bounced around a bit, coaching at stops like the High Desert Mavericks and AA El Paso.

Between 2002 and 2006, Lewallyn served as minor league pitching coordinator for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

That job gave him a chance to influence the whole organization, not just one team.

AA Mississippi Braves and Braves Organization

Lewallyn’s last coaching gig came with the AA Mississippi Braves, the Double-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves.

Kind of a full-circle moment, considering the Braves organization originally drafted him out of high school in the third round.

While with the Mississippi Braves, Lewallyn worked with top prospects like Spencer Strider and AJ Smith-Shawver.

He liked to keep things hands-on, even throwing batting practice every day, which says a lot about his commitment.

The Braves organization appreciated his experience and teaching skills.

Mississippi Braves’ director of communications remembered how two young pitchers called Lewallyn first after making the majors, just to thank him for everything he did.

Impact as a Pitching Coach

As a pitching coach, Lewallyn put a big emphasis on fundamentals and the mental side of the game.

At High Desert in 1998, he shared his philosophy with The Victorville Daily Press.

“You develop players, but you also develop a winning attitude,” Lewallyn said.

“The two do go hand-in-hand. You can be a successful minor league player, but if you don’t know how to win, you’re not going to help anyone in the big leagues.”

He focused on pitch location and execution, always working to build confidence in young pitchers.

With eight seasons of big league experience, he brought plenty of credibility to the table.

He retired from coaching in 2019 after almost four decades, leaving a real legacy of player development and mentorship in several organizations.

Recognition, References, and Resources

Dennis Lewallyn’s baseball career shows up in several statistical databases and historical records.

His standout season came in 1977, when he picked up three of his four career wins.

His connection to Chipola College is still a pretty big deal in that school’s baseball history.

Media Mentions and Notable Games

Lewallyn made his major league debut on September 21, 1975, and got some attention for retiring all six Houston Astros batters he faced at the Astrodome, including César Cedeño and José Cruz.

His first career win happened on October 1, 1976, when he threw seven shutout innings in an 8-1 win over San Diego.

The Victorville Daily Press featured Lewallyn in 1998 during his time coaching the High Desert Mavericks.

He talked about how important it is to develop both players and a winning attitude.

Probably his most dramatic outing came on September 30, 1977, when he pitched a scoreless 14th inning against Houston.

Steve Garvey’s walk-off single gave Los Angeles a 6-5 win.

That was during the Dodgers’ pennant-winning season, though Lewallyn didn’t pitch in the postseason.

Primary Statistical Sources

Baseball-Reference.com tracks Lewallyn’s career stats, including his 4-4 record in 34 big league games between 1975 and 1982.

You can find details about his time with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, and Cleveland Indians there.

StatsCrew.com keeps detailed game logs and breakdowns of his eight-season major league career.

Their records show he had about a year and a half of service time in the majors.

The Society for American Baseball Research put together a thorough biographical profile that covers his journey through the minors and his time playing winter ball in Venezuela and the Dominican Republic.

Legacy Among Chipola Alumni

Lewallyn became the second former Chipola College player to reach the major leagues, right after Terry Enyart. Enyart pitched in just two games for the 1974 Montreal Expos.

Lewallyn’s success really put Chipola on the map as a legit path to pro baseball. By 2019, 22 more Chipola alumni made it to the majors.

Some of those names? José Bautista, Russell Martin, Patrick Corbin, and Tyler Flowers. Lewallyn blazed a trail from Marianna, Florida’s junior college right up to the big leagues, and honestly, that’s pretty impressive.

Coach Ellis G. Dungan remembered Lewallyn as “a tall, rangy kid.” He said Lewallyn showed up at Chipola in 1972 after some great high school coaching.

The Los Angeles Dodgers picked him eighth overall in the January 1972 draft’s secondary phase.