On a star-studded Los Angeles Dodgers team featuring the likes of Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, few observers would have predicted that their postseason run to the 2024 World Series championship would be propelled by an under-the-radar midseason acquisition.

But when the Dodgers beat the New York Mets in the National League Championship Series, it was La Jolla Country Day School alumnus Tommy Edman who led them with a .407 batting average and matched a team record with 11 RBIs in six games. Edman was named Most Valuable Player of the NLCS.

In the World Series in late October against the New York Yankees, Edman went 5-for-17 (.294) with two doubles, three walks, a home run, two stolen bases and six runs scored.

After the Dodgers hoisted the World Series trophy with their victory in five games, Edman returned to his home in San Diego to enjoy some time off.

“Baseball is weird,” Edman said. “You have your ups and downs over the course of a season. Part of that (success) can be your swing feeling really good and getting a lot of good pitches to hit. You kind of have to have a couple things align for that to happen. I think both happened in those series.”

Part of his success could be attributed to the overall power of the Dodgers’ lineup.

“I think the great thing about playing in such a good lineup is that the pressure is on the pitcher at all times,” Edman said. “They put so much of their attention on Mookie, Freddie and Shohei that it’s tough to focus for an entire lineup. So it kind of frees up guys like myself to not be the center of an opponent’s gameplan.”

Edman said he experienced many games this season that he would consider among the best he’s been a part of. First was Ohtani’s walk-off grand slam against the Tampa Bay Rays on Aug. 23 to reach 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases on the season. And Freeman’s walk-off grand slam in Game 1 of the World Series set the tone for the rest of the series.

“The World Series was incredible,” Edman said. “Obviously, the first two series leading up to that — beating the Padres and beating the Mets — were great series in and of themselves. And the buildup to having the best team in the NL face the best team in the AL was really exciting.”

Another thing that helped set up Edman for his success on the big stage was his time playing winning baseball at La Jolla Country Day and then Stanford.

Edman was a Country Day Torrey from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade and grew up watching his father, John, coach the high school baseball team. Edman played for his father from 2010-13.

“I learned about the game of baseball a lot when I was pretty young,” Edman said. “So I think that kind of helped me with my instincts and just understanding the game and what it takes to win.”

And win the Torreys did. In Edman’s sophomore year, LJCDS took home its first CIF baseball championship. His first-inning home run in the title game propelled the team to victory.

Edman still holds LJCD records for hits, runs, stolen bases, and ERA as a pitcher. He was a four-time All-Coastal League selection, a three-time All-CIF selection, the 2013 Coastal League MVP, a 2013 MaxPreps All-State selection, a 2013 Louisville Slugger First-Team All-American and a 2013 CIF San Diego Section Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Those accolades earned him a spot in Country Day’s Athletic Hall of Fame last year.

“I grew up around the school and I would go into the gym and they had all the plaques and banners for all the past athletes in the Hall of Fame,” Edman said. “I used to admire them. So now, to get to join their ranks, it feels very special.”

Edman played against the best players in San Diego, something he said was crucial to his development as a young ballplayer.

His baseball career further blossomed at Stanford, where he was named to the All-Pac-12 first team, All-Pac-12 Defensive Team and All-Pac-12 Academic Team and earned a degree in math and computational science.

The St. Louis Cardinals took him in the sixth round of the 2016 draft.

In St. Louis, Edman won several awards for his defensive prowess, including a 2021 Gold Glove and a 2022 Fielding Bible Award. His versatility and speed made him a key piece of a Cardinals team that typically was in the playoff mix.

Edman’s 2024 season had a sluggish start. He endured a longer-than-expected recovery from wrist surgery and suffered a sprained ankle on a rehabilitation assignment in June.

But the Dodgers saw value in Edman, who can play shortstop, second base and outfield. In the last week of July, they acquired Edman and hard-throwing reliever Michael Kopech in exchange for infielder Miguel Vargas and a pair of minor-leaguers.

Edman quickly immersed himself in the Dodgers’ clubhouse culture, showing his versatility not only in the positions he plays but also in how he can adjust to a new setting.

“When I went in there, I just wanted to learn as much as I could,” Edman said. “And I think that helped me get integrated pretty quickly. I think guys just saw I was excited to be a part of the team (and) excited to contribute and that I wanted to be the best player I could be.”

He made his Dodgers debut Aug. 19. Just over two months later, he had added NLCS MVP and World Series champion to his resumé.

And Edman will remain in Dodger blue for the foreseeable future. He signed a five-year, $74 million contract extension Nov. 29 that goes through the 2029 season, with a sixth-year club option valued at $13 million.

Beyond his MLB, college and high school teams, Edman played for the Korean team in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

It marked his first time visiting the country, and he saw it as an opportunity to represent his family lineage. As of April, Asian players made up only 3.4% of MLB’s population, a slight increase over 2023’s 3.2%.

“There’s not too many players in MLB with an Asian-American background,” Edman said. “It’s definitely becoming more common … with Shohei and a lot of guys coming over from Japan and Korea. But I think it’s really cool to be an example, especially for Asian American kids who are growing up and see players in the big leagues who are having success who look like them.”

Following a weeklong vacation to Florida, Edman’s offseason focus is on his family. He and his wife, Kristen, welcomed their first child, Eli, in October last year.

“Spring training always comes really quickly,” Edman said, “so we gotta take advantage of this time off while we can.”

Lyons writes for the La Jolla Light.

Originally Published: December 15, 2024 at 12:15 PM PST