After transferring from Lassen Junior College in California, Dixon made an instant impact. As a freshman in 1992, he opened the season with back-to-back one-hitters against Mobile College and followed with a two-hit, 14-strikeout shutout of Southwest Mississippi. He won his first five starts with four shutouts and a 0.59 ERA, allowing just 12 hits over 32.2 innings. His 7-2 complete-game win over Pearl River clinched the South Division title, and he helped force a decisive third game in the MACJC Championship Series with a six-hitter over Northeast Mississippi. The Bulldogs claimed their first state title in 11 years, finishing 33-17. Dixon ended the season 11-1 with a 2.33 ERA and earned All-MACJC and All-Region 23 honors. That summer, he pitched for the NJCAA All-Star team at the Tournament of the Americas in Mexico, earning a win over the Dominican Republic for a bronze medal.

In 1993, Dixon was even more dominant. He finished 12-3 with a 1.04 ERA and 119 strikeouts in 104 innings. Highlights included shutouts of Jones and a playoff-clinching win over Co-Lin. He beat top-ranked Delgado with 11 strikeouts in the Region 23 opener and earned NJCAA First-Team All-American, All-MACJC, and All-Region 23 honors. He was also the first recipient of the Randy Rouse Award, recognizing character and perseverance.

Dixon continued his success at Delta State University, where he went 16-3 with a 1.93 ERA in 1994 and was named the ABCA National Pitcher of the Year. He helped lead the Statesmen to a third-place finish at the College World Series and still holds multiple school records, including 177 strikeouts and 144.1 innings in a season.

Selected in the 14th round of the 1994 MLB Draft by the San Diego Padres, Dixon played five seasons professionally, reaching Triple-A and recording 447 strikeouts over 407.2 innings with a 3.75 ERA.