After seven minor league seasons, O’Koyea Dickson makes his big league debut today. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

By Cary Osborne

Unless O’Koyea Dickson’s faith is unshakeable, there had to be a moment or many moments when he thought this day would never happen.

The 27-year-old is making his Major League debut today starting in left field and batting seventh for the Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park against the San Diego Padres in the first game of a doubleheader.

That’s not a sentence. It’s a declaration.

Despite his power and versatility, Dickson has never appeared on one of MLB.com’s top prospects list for the Dodgers.

Yet, in seven minor league seasons, he has clubbed 117 home runs and OPSed .840.

Last year had to be particularly trying.

He spent 40 days of the first two months of the 2016 season on the disabled list and was seemingly stuck behind a glut of talent on the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers.

The Oklahoman’s Jacob Unruh profiled the San Francisco native in his return to action and caught a reflective Dickson in a June 9, 2016 article.

“It was a learning experience, but I think it’s made me a better person first and foremost,” Dickson said. “My family, all my closest friends have seen a difference in how I approach every day, not just in baseball.

“You know, trust that God has a plan and sometimes you might have to go through some dark times, but at the end of the day he’s in control. I’m just grateful to have an opportunity be back playing again.”

From June 4 to Sept. 4 last season, Dickson hit .339/.407/.619 with 16 homers and 46 extra-base hits in 86 games.

His season ended with a quad injury.

And then he became a free agent.

However, the Dodgers — with Adrián González and Cody Bellinger ahead of Dickson at first base and numerous options ahead of him at the corner outfield positions — re-signed the 2011 12th-round pick and gave him a non-roster invite to 2017 Major League Spring Training.

He appeared in 28 games, hit two homers and OPSed .689. He was then assigned to OKC.

Dickson set career highs with 24 homers and 76 RBI and slashed .246/.328/.484.

Never on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster, he not only achieved that promotion on Friday when Major League rosters expanded, he got called up to the Major Leagues.

Today, after 736 Minor League games and 2,964 plate appearances, he’ll get his Major League firsts.

It’s not quite the John Lindsey story — 16 years and 1,571 games before he was called up and made his Major League debut with the Dodgers and appeared, officially, in a game at the same Petco Park on Sept. 8, 2010.

But it must’ve felt just as long for Dickson.