The Colorado Rockies selected Tennessee pitcher Chase Dollander with the ninth pick in the 2023 MLB Draft Sunday night.
Dollander becomes the Vols’ third first round pick in two years and the fourth first round selection of the Tony Vitello era. The right-handed pitcher is Tennessee’s highest drafted player since Nick Senzel went second overall in the 2016 MLB Draft. That makes Dollander the highest selected Vol of the Tony Vitello era and tied for the fourth highest drafted player in program history.
In the Colorado farm system, Dollander joins former Tennessee teammate Jordan Beck.
The Evans, Georgia native spent his first collegiate season at Georgia Southern and faced Tennessee in his first ever college appearance. Dollander impressed the Vols’ coaches and when he entered the transfer portal after the season he chose Tennessee over Arkansas, TCU and a number of other suitors.
Dollander became a weekend start for Tennessee in his sophomore season and proceeded to be the best starting pitcher in the country. The tall right-handed posted a 10-0 record, 2.39 ERA and a 0.80 WHIP as Tennessee’s Saturday starter.
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The Georgia Southern transfer earned all sorts of accolades in the process including SEC Pitcher of the Year and First Team All-American honors.
Dollander entered his junior season pegged as the nation’s best collegiate pitcher and in the conversation to be the top overall pick in the 2023 draft.
However, Dollander couldn’t replicate his elite 2022 season again instead posting a 7-6 record, 4.75 ERA and 1.25 WHIP in 89 innings pitched. The Georgia native faced first inning struggles and eventually moved from the Vols’ Friday night spot to Saturday spot the back half of the regular season.
Dollander is the first of a handful of Tennessee players that will hear their name called over the next three days. Stay dialed in to RockyTopInsider.com for complete 2023 MLB Draft coverage.
One Response
Love it. Go Vols!