Chase Dollander Stats & Scouting Report

IP	48
ERA	2.25
WHIP	1.1
BB/9	3.56
SO/9	10.88

Full name Tyler Chase Dollander
Born 10/26/2001 in Evans, GA
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Tennessee
Drafted in the 1st round (9th overall) by the Colorado Rockies in 2023 (signed for $5,716,900).

View Draft Report

School: Tennessee Source: 4YR

Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.7
BA Grade:55/High
Tools:Fastball: 60. Slider: 60. Curveball: 50. Changeup: 55. Control: 55.

An under-the-radar prospect out of high school, Dollander began his college career at Georgia Southern, but transferred to Tennessee in 2022 where he took a huge step forward with his control, became the Friday night starter and performed as one of the best arms in the country. Dollander posted a 2.39 ERA over 79 innings with a sparkling 108-to-13 strikeout-to-walk ratio, won the SEC pitcher of the year award and entered the 2023 season as the consensus top pitcher in the 2023 class. Dollander hasn’t been quite as electric in his draft year, however, as his walk rate jumped from 4.2% to 7.8% and he posted a 4.75 ERA over 17 starts and 89 innings. The shape on both his fastball and slider backed up a bit compared to the 2022 version, but in terms of pure stuff and velocity, Dollander hasn’t changed much. He still averaged 95-96 mph with his fastball and has been up to 98 and throws his slider in the mid 80s—both in line with his 2022 velocities—with great spin rates. He has less carry on his fastball and the slider has also lacked the consistent hard and late bite that fooled so many hitters a year ago, though at the end of the season the whiff rate on the slider had only gone from 36% in 2022 to 34% in 2023. Both pitches still flash plus, but Dollander has been noticeably less pinpoint with his command after putting his fastball in Dixie Cups each outing in 2022. Some scouts think his struggles are simply due to very slight mechanical changes, like not staying stacked on his back leg as efficiently as a year ago. On top of the fastball and slider, Dollander throws a mid-to-upper-80s changeup and a mid-70s curveball with top-down shape and 2,700 rpm spin rates. Dollander has a great pitcher’s frame at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds with a clean, fluid delivery and fast arm from a three-quarter slot. Even with his comparative struggles, Dollander is one of the most talented arms in the class and should be a top-15 selection.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 65/High.

Track Record: Dollander was not heavily recruited out of Greerbrier High in Georgia and wound up on campus at Georgia Southern. After a standout freshman campaign, he transferred to Tennessee. In his first year in Knoxville in 2022, Dollander won Southeastern Conference pitcher of the year honors for going 10-0 with a 2.39 ERA and 108 strikeouts against 13 walks in 79 innings. Heading into his draft year, he ranked as the top pitcher on the board. After a tumultuous start to the 2023 season, Dollander was passed by LSU’s Paul Skenes on draft rankings after his fastball shape and command backed up. In 17 starts as a junior, Dollander posted a 4.75 ERA while both his walk rate and number of home runs allowed doubled. Undeterred, the Rockies drafted him ninth overall. Dollander made his pro debut at High-A Spokane in 2024 and pitched to a 2.83 ERA and struck out 37% of batters over 70 innings. The Rockies promoted him to Double-A Hartford in late July. He made nine Eastern League starts and pitched to a 2.25 ERA with 58 strikeouts in 48 innings.

Scouting Report: Dollander stands 6-foot-2 with a lean, athletic frame that projects to age well. His mechanics are simple and clean. He starts from a semi-windup, with a higher leg lift that closes off his front side. His arm action is moderate in length and gives way to a three-quarters arm slot with a crossfire finish. Dollander mixes four pitches in a four-seam fastball, curveball, cutter and changeup. His fastball is a double-plus weapon with a strong combination of plus velocity, movement and release traits. Sitting 95-97 mph and touching 100, Dollander delivers his fastball from a 5-foot-4 release height and generates 16-17 inches of induced vertical break from that point, which is an outlier combination. This led to outrageous success for the pitch in 2024, when Dollander generated a minor league-best 20.4% swinging-strike rate against his fastball. While Dollander’s fastball is his best pitch, he also has a trio of secondaries, led by his upper-80s cut-slider hybrid. The pitch has power and gyro cutter shape and generates a heavy amount of whiffs. Dollander’s curveball sits 77-78 mph and is an anomaly in the modern game as a classic curve with two-plane break. He uses his curveball is a major part of his repertoire against both righties and lefties. His changeup is a clear fourth pitch which sits 89-90 mph with solid vertical separation off his fastball. Dollander shows average or better control with the ability to work all parts of the strike zone with his fastball.

The Future: Dollander has the stuff, durability and pitchability of a future No. 2 starter. Despite concerns around his future home park in Denver, he has the ability to be an all-star in time. He will likely begin 2025 at Triple-A Albuquerque, with a legitimate chance at the Rockies rotation at some during the season.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 70 | Curveball: 55 | Changeup: 45 | Cutter: 60 | Control: 55
BA Grade: 55/High

Track Record: Dollander slipped under the radar of Power Five conference schools coming out of the 2020 pandemic-shortened season. He pitched one year at Georgia Southern before transferring to Tennessee for 2022, when he was Southeastern Conference pitcher of the year. He headed into 2023 as the top college pitcher in the class but struggled at times as junior. The Rockies drafted him ninth overall and signed him for slot value of $5.72 million. Dollander did not pitch in an affiliated game and has yet to make his professional debut.

Scouting Report: Dollander has a prototype pitcher’s build with lean athleticism. His operation is fluid, clean and repeatable as he delivers from a three-quarters slot with above-average extension and a lower release height. He mixes four pitches, led by his 94-96 mph four-seam fastball that touches 98-99. His unique release characteristics allow his fastball to generate high rates of swings-and-misses when elevated in the zone. His primary secondary is an upper-80s slider with cutter shape and spin rates in the 2,600-2,700 rpm range. He uses his slider almost exclusively as his go-to secondary against righthanded batters, but SEC opponents batted .291/.333/.582 against the pitch in 2023. Dollander’s third pitch and primary secondary against lefthanded hitters is his changeup, an upper-80s pitch with some tumble and fade. Lefties hit Dollander’s changeup to the tune of .294 despite drawing the highest chase rate of any pitch in his arsenal. His curveball is a clear fourth pitch and sees moderate usage against lefthanded hitters. It sits 75-77 mph with two-plane bite. Dollander’s command, which flashed plus throughout his sophomore campaign, backed up to average in 2023.

The Future: Dollander has midrotation potential but is more likely a fit as a No. 4 starter.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 55

Draft Prospects

School: Tennessee Source: 4YR

Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.7
BA Grade:55/High
Tools:Fastball: 60. Slider: 60. Curveball: 50. Changeup: 55. Control: 55.

An under-the-radar prospect out of high school, Dollander began his college career at Georgia Southern, but transferred to Tennessee in 2022 where he took a huge step forward with his control, became the Friday night starter and performed as one of the best arms in the country. Dollander posted a 2.39 ERA over 79 innings with a sparkling 108-to-13 strikeout-to-walk ratio, won the SEC pitcher of the year award and entered the 2023 season as the consensus top pitcher in the 2023 class. Dollander hasn’t been quite as electric in his draft year, however, as his walk rate jumped from 4.2% to 7.8% and he posted a 4.75 ERA over 17 starts and 89 innings. The shape on both his fastball and slider backed up a bit compared to the 2022 version, but in terms of pure stuff and velocity, Dollander hasn’t changed much. He still averaged 95-96 mph with his fastball and has been up to 98 and throws his slider in the mid 80s—both in line with his 2022 velocities—with great spin rates. He has less carry on his fastball and the slider has also lacked the consistent hard and late bite that fooled so many hitters a year ago, though at the end of the season the whiff rate on the slider had only gone from 36% in 2022 to 34% in 2023. Both pitches still flash plus, but Dollander has been noticeably less pinpoint with his command after putting his fastball in Dixie Cups each outing in 2022. Some scouts think his struggles are simply due to very slight mechanical changes, like not staying stacked on his back leg as efficiently as a year ago. On top of the fastball and slider, Dollander throws a mid-to-upper-80s changeup and a mid-70s curveball with top-down shape and 2,700 rpm spin rates. Dollander has a great pitcher’s frame at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds with a clean, fluid delivery and fast arm from a three-quarter slot. Even with his comparative struggles, Dollander is one of the most talented arms in the class and should be a top-15 selection.