With the ninth overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, the Colorado Rockies picked right-handed pitcher Chase Dollander out of Tennessee. After entering this collegiate season as an early favorite to be the first-overall selection, he performed slightly below expectations and fell down the board.
Who is Chase Dollander?
Sporting a highly praised fastball that sits in the mid to high 90s, Dollander went 10-0 with a 2.39 ERA in his sophomore 2022 season. Pairing his elite fastball is a slider that has late and hard break, although once in a while, the break does not do its job in time.
Alongside his fastball-slider combo is a changeup and curveball, both of which will see necessary development in the minor leagues. Despite his struggles in 2023 with command, he ended his two-year run in Tennessee with 17 wings, sporting a 3.64 ERA and 228 strikeouts over 168 innings.
A high ceiling is still there for Dollander, as long as Colorado can unlock what he showed in his first year as a Volunteer.
With the ninth overall pick, the #Rockies select RHP Chase Dollander! pic.twitter.com/EqTuUITn48
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) July 10, 2023
Franchise Ties to Tennessee Baseball
It is no secret that the Rockies like players from Tennessee. After all, one of their franchise icons came from the school. In 1995, with the eighth overall pick in the draft, they selected Todd Helton. Through his career, Helton became worth 61.8 WAR and became a household name.
Since Helton and Dollander went just one pick apart, there are obvious parallels for fans to get excited about. Helton flew through the minors in just a few short years, but given that Colorado has no clear path to competing in 2023, Dollander has time to develop before the MLB is ready for him.
Recently, the team drafted Jordan Beck in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft. Beck is currently in A+ ball, where he has a .941 OPS. Just 22 years old, he is on his way to making an impact at the big league level.
Fixing a need: Pitching
Historically, the Rockies have struggled to find consistent good pitching due to the environment they play in. Even harder has been home-grown pitching talent coming up and succeeding and then staying.
Out of the five pitchers in the rotation for the Rockies this season, one has an ERA+ above league average, that being Kyle Freeland at a 101 ERA+. If Dollander is as good as he can be, he has the potential to be one of the best pitchers in franchise history.
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Floor and Ceiling
At his very best, Chase Dollander can have a Jacob deGrom level impact. Based on his velocity and arsenal, as well as similar mechanics, he has the tools to be that good. However, everything will need to go right in his development and he will still need to add at least 3-4 miles per hour on his slider to be as elite as deGrom, but there is potential.
Concerns about his control plague Dollander, as at his worst, he may be a high-volume strikeout but high-volume walk pitcher who is a danger to snowball at any moment in a game. Given his elite velocity and room to improve with his secondary pitches, there is far more upside when it comes to the righty than concerns.
Photo Credit- Caitie McMekin-USA TODAY NETWORK
Players Mentioned- Chase Dollander, Todd Helton, Jordan Beck, Kyle Freeland, Jacob deGrom
