Who is James Outman? All about the new Dodgers Center Fielder after Opening Day heroics

Last night, Los Angeles Dodgers rookie James Outman made his presence known in front of his home crowd. The 25-year-old center fielder has not only established himself as an MLB-level talent but also as a fan favorite among Dodgers supporters.

In front of a sold-out crowd of 52,075 fans, Outman did not crumble under pressure, instead, he shined under the lights on Opening Day. The outfielder went 2-for-3 with three runs scored, two RBIs and a home run.

"James Outman on the Dodger Stadium crowd: 'It was going to bring me to tears in the beginning. It's pretty crazy being on the field level and hearing those fans.' Outman went 2-for-3, with a HR, BB, and 2 RBI in his Dodger Stadium debut. Outman's an instant fan-favorite." - Doug McKain

A seventh-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Outman won a platoon role by hitting .283, with a team-leading eight extra-base hits, three of them for home runs and 11 RBIs in 23 spring games.

He now looks to have made the Dodgers' coaching staff reconsider keeping him in the platoon, and while it was only one game, the rookie looks primed for a strong season with the star-studded Dodgers.

"James Outman is legit. In his first career game at Dodger Stadium, he just hit a home run to left center field. The Dodgers have their centerfielder of the future." - Noah Camras

“I don’t think any moment is going to be too big for him,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of the rookie outfielder. “It’s sort of his heartbeat, the head. He’s just got a good, calm demeanor. There’s a quiet confidence there. So him hitting a homer tonight wasn’t surprising.”

Following the departure of former National League MVP Cody Bellinger, the Dodgers found themselves with an opening in the outfield. While the club signed veterans David Peralta and J.D. Martinez in the offseason, James Outman's Opening Day performance may have the Dodgers leaning toward developing their potential future star.

A look at James Outman's road to the MLB

After being drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the seventh round of the 2018 MLB Amateur Draft out of California State University, the outfielder spent the next four seasons across various levels of the Minor Leagues.

Through 403 games in the minors, Outman batted .263 with 79 home runs, 249 RBIs and 68 stolen bases. While last night's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks is a small sample size, if he can continue to perform at a similar level, he should have a long MLB career.