Player development is not linear. It's is not an elevator. It's often staggered, fractured and frustrating. Player development almost never bestows instant gratification. Indeed, every single person/player develops at a different rate -- on a different path.
Lipscomb Academy shortstop Jack Dugan is in the throes of that tug-o-war.
Dugan is no stranger to the bright lights or the push and pull of highly-competitive baseball. His grandfather, Ken Dugan, is a revered figure in the annals of Nashville baseball lore. He was a star at Lipscomb University before becoming the school's head baseball coach, amassing 1,127 wins and two national championships. That baseball bloodline was passed down to Jack's father Mike, and then down to him. Dugan has been around baseball, and specifically successful, winning baseball his entire life. Hell, he helped carry Lipscomb Academy to a state title in 2025.
Dugan has been a dude for a long time. …