Top Rockies prospects of 2024: No. 2 Chase Dollander

As we have gone through the Rockies top prospect lists, there have been a couple of things stand out: the Rockies have some extremely talented offensive potential, yet they might have the worst crop of starting pitcher prospects in the league.

The Rockies have placed an emphasis on changing this starting with the 2022 MLB Draft when they selected the Gonzaga star, Gabe Hughes. They followed that up with acquiring both a high-risk, high upside pitcher in Jake Madden, along with a high floor, back of the rotation option in Mason Albright in the same trade. Then added a pair of really good starting pitchers in the 2023 draft class that could prove to be fixtures in the rotation.

The top pick in the 2023 draft, and potential future ace of the staff, Chase Dollander, comes in at No. 2 in our 2024 Rockies Prospect rankings

The Rockies were ecstatic to get Dollander at number nine overall after a dominant 2022 season had many scouts projecting him as the consensus top pitching prospect in the class. He was down right nasty in 2022 over 79 innings iwth the Tennessee Volunteers. He had an incredible 12.3 K/9, while issuing just 1.5 BB/9; He had some of the best stuff and command in college baseball. He regressed a little in 2023 over 89 innings. His walk rate doubled to 3.0 per nine, but he was able to maintain he elite strikeout ability, with 12.1 per nine innings pitched.

Dollander's devastating arsenal begins with a 95-97 mph fastball that peaks at 99 and produces elite swing-and-miss rates with its combination of velocity and carry. His best secondary pitch is a tight slider that parks in the mid-80s and reaches 91 mph, and it can be a well-above-average offering with sweep at its best. He also has a bigger mid-70s curveball and a fading upper-80s changeup, both of which can be solid pitches but aren't as consistent as his primary weapons.

Coming into the 2023 draft, MLB Pipeline had great things to say about Dollander's arsenal. It starts with one of the best fastballs in the class as he will sit in the upper 90's touching 100 regularly. It has impressive swing and miss ability and will carry Dollander throughout his career. He also possesses a very solid slider that he re-shaped in 2023, so we could see some tweaks made there, but make no mistake, it is a very good pitch. He should be able to have at least two other average offerings with a curveball and changeup that will help him stick at the front of the Rockies rotation.

Check out some really good highlights of Dollander, courtesy of Prospects Live

Dollander didnt get a chance to pitch after getting drafted last year, so I would expect him to start out in Single-A Fresno or Spokane. He could move pretty quickly as a college arm that has some advanced stuff, with polish. There is an outside chance that he debuts in the rotation out of spring training in 2025, but it is more likely that he debuts later in the year and possibly not until spring of 2026. Dollander has elite potential and could become the Rockies ace for a long time.

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