Should the Marlins select Dollander if he’s available with their first-round draft pick?
Position: RHP
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 200 pounds
School: Tennessee
Chase Dollander is a 6’2”, 200-pound right-handed pitcher who played for the Tennessee Volunteers. Dollander is one of the top power pitchers in this draft class with an elite fastball and also has a plus breaking pitch to go with it.
Coming out of high school, Dollander wasn’t a top prospect. On Perfect Game, Dollander was the 227th-ranked right-handed pitcher in the nation. He signed with the Georgia Southern Eagles out of high school.
In his freshman season, Dollander had a quality season for the Eagles. He earned a weekend rotation spot and posted a 4-3 record, a 4.04 ERA, and an 11.8 K/9. Dollander was named a Freshman All-American on Perfect Game and transferred to Tennessee.
In his first season at Tennessee, Dollander had a major breakout season. Dollander posted a perfect 10-0 record with a 2.39 ERA, 1.5 BB/9, and struck out 120 strikeouts in 79 innings pitched. He was named the 2022 SEC Pitcher of the Year and First-Team All-American.
In his junior season, Dollander took a little bit of a step back in terms of results, but should still showed why pro scouts are all over him. He had a 7-6 record with a 4.75 ERA but still struck out 120 batters in 89 innings pitched.
Chase Dollander has a four-pitch mix that’s highlighted by his power fastball and plus slider. Dollander’s fastball sits 95-97 mph and can reach triple digits. His slider is also a really good pitch that can reach the low 90s and gets plenty of swing-and-miss.
Strengths
- Elite fastball
- Plus slider
- Good size for a pitcher
- Strike thrower
- Pitched against elite college baseball competition
Weaknesses
- Struggled junior season
- Struggled to locate his pitches
Pro Comparison: Jacob deGrom
Projection: Top 15 pick
Bottom Line
Chase Dollander is a power pitcher who could be an excellent fit in the Marlins system. They like drafting pitchers with plus fastballs and breaking pitches. They can help develop his other secondary pitches and fix his location issues from this past season.
The Miami Marlins will have a lot of quality options with the overall tenth pick. There’s a chance Dollander is already gone by then. However, if he’s available when the Marlins make their pick, he should be under consideration.
Photo courtesy of vol_baseball/Instagram
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