Many athletes live by the midnight rule of sports psychology — bad game or good game, they don’t dwell on it too long. Their focus moves to the next one when the clock strikes 12.
Las Vegas Aviators outfielder Jared Dickey has a shower rule. Whether he goes 4-for-4 or racks up a few strikeouts, whatever’s on his mind about his performance that day swirls down the drain with the lather. He said this helps his mental health, as well as his game.
After hitting .215 for Double-A Midland this year, Dickey is getting a clean start in Las Vegas (40-27) and making a difference on both sides of the ball.
Since getting promoted from Midland on May 12, he leads active Aviators with four outfield assists. After a hot start offensively with Las Vegas, Dickey is hitting .267, but he’s become a more patient hitter at this level. Dickey cut his strikeout percentage from 23% in Double-A to 18% in Triple-A, and increased his walk rate from 6% to 14% as an Aviator.
He’s flashed his speed and power tools in Las Vegas — most recently, legging out a triple in Sunday’s 12-7 win over the Omaha Storm Chasers. The Aviators won four of six games in Omaha and now have the Pacific Coast League’s best record.
“He started to hit as soon as he got here, he’s continued to hit, and he’s just done a really nice job helping us win ballgames,” Las Vegas manager Fran Riordan said. “Having him come in and solidify the corner outfield positions has just been great.”
A lot of Dickey’s success in pro ball can be traced back to his focus on mental health. He said that the isolation and anxiety faced during the COVID-19 pandemic took a hard toll on him. To bounce back, Dickey started going to therapy in 2021 while at the University of Tennessee. The shower rule practice is something he picked up during this time, and it’s stuck.
As a Volunteer, he thrived, earning second team All-SEC honors in 2023. The Kansas City Royals drafted Dickey in the 11th round that year, and he came to the Athletics organization (along with former Aviator Mason Barnett) in a 2024 trade for reliever Lucas Erceg.
In a June 2022 post still pinned to his X profile, Dickey opened up about his emotional journey and encouraged other athletes to prioritize their mental health. He was pleasantly surprised by the positive response, getting messages of support, as well as other players opening up to him.
“I know that there’s so many people that struggle with mental health, and they just never get help,” Dickey said. “It was really encouraging to see the amount of people that wanted to change their lives and go get help.”
Though he’s focused on improving his power and plate vision as he works his way to the big leagues, Dickey still advocates for mental health. Whether it’s contributing a clutch hit or helping a teammate get back on his game mentally, Dickey has been a key part of the Aviators’ success.
Marlowe riding a high
Though the A’s have a crowded outfield, Cade Marlowe is doing all he can to work his way into the mix.
He opened last week’s series against the Storm Chasers on Tuesday by notching eight total bases in the Aviators’ 8-5 win. Marlowe went 3-for-3 with a home run and was a double shy of the cycle. Since the calendar turned to June, he’s been swinging a hot bat, hitting .340.
Marlowe has been one of the most consistently productive hitters for Las Vegas, trying to earn his way back onto a big league roster.
“For Cade, he’s just got to continue to play good baseball, and hopefully at some point, he gets that opportunity,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said.
Civale perfect in rehab
A’s pitcher Aaron Civale went 4⅓ spotless innings in Thursday’s rehab start, striking out seven in Las Vegas’ 5-2 win over Omaha.
Kotsay said he expects Civale, who went on the injured list May 26 with right shoulder tendonitis, to rejoin the Athletics’ rotation on Wednesday.
“Most concerns were just with how his shoulder was going to respond and how the strength is going to come back,” Kotsay said. “Everything seems to be doing really well.”
White, Lin to the IL
The Aviators placed two key prospects on the seven-day injured list last week — infielder Tommy White on Tuesday and pitcher Wei-En Lin on Sunday.
White, the A’s No. 9 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, suffered a concussion after a groundball took a bad hop and hit him in the face on June 7 against Reno. Riordan said Saturday the Aviators can establish a timeline for his return once he clears concussion protocol and is ready to resume baseball activities.
Lin, the No. 4 prospect in the Athletics’ system, is dealing with an elbow issue and is being evaluated at the A’s training facility in Arizona. The 20-year-old lefty started Saturday, but left after giving up three hits and three runs in the first inning.
Up next
Who: Las Vegas Aviators vs. Round Rock Express (Texas Rangers affiliate)
When: Tuesday-Sunday
Where: Las Vegas Ballpark
Promotions: Tuesday — Copa de la Diversión; Wednesday — Bark on the Berm; Thursday — $2 beer night; Friday — Las Vegas Headliners & Aviators Rat Pack t-shirt giveaway; Saturday — America 250th anniversary jersey giveaway; Sunday — Kids run the bases
