Minor League Baseball

Colorado Rockies Prospect Chase Dollander Reveals Hall of Famer Will Attend MLB Debut

Chase Dollander got a text from Colorado Rockies legend and fellow Tennessee alumnus Todd Helton on Saturday, confirming that he would extend his stay in Denver just to see him pitch.
Sam Connon|
Salt River Pima-Maricopa, Arizona, USA; Colorado Rockies pitcher Chase Dollander throws against the Cleveland Guardians in the first inning at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick.
Salt River Pima-Maricopa, Arizona, USA; Colorado Rockies pitcher Chase Dollander throws against the Cleveland Guardians in the first inning at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

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Colorado RockiesTennessee Volunteers

When Chase Dollander takes the mound for the Colorado Rockies on Sunday, he will become just the latest player to complete their journey from Knoxville to Denver.

For one, he will be reuniting with outfielder Jordan Beck, who also played for the Tennessee Volunteers in 2022. But beyond that, the school's most accomplished alumni of all will be in the stands watching Dollander make his MLB debut.

Speaking to reporters pregame, Dollander said he got an exciting text from Hall of Fame first baseman Todd Helton on Saturday.

"Todd texted me yesterday and congratulated me and said he was extending his stay so he could watch me pitch, which I thought was really cool," Dollander said. "I'm really excited to see him and, you know, give him a hug and stuff like that."

Dollander is ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the Rockies' farm system and the No. 24 overall prospect in baseball. He has made a mere 24 professional starts since getting picked in the first round of the 2023 MLB Draft, with his first Triple-A appearance coming just last week.

In that limited time in the minors, Dollander has gone 6-2 with a 2.58 ERA, 1.221 WHIP and 12.8 strikeouts per nine innings. He made six starts in the Cactus League this spring, going 2-3 with a 7.13 ERA, 1.528 WHIP and 12.2 strikeouts per nine innings.

The 23-year-old right-hander will take on the Athletics at Coors Field on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 3:10 p.m. ET.

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Sam Connon
SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a staff writer for “Minor League Baseball on SI’’ and other "On SI'' baseball sites. He previously covered UCLA Athletics for “UCLA on SI’’ and won awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for “New England Patriots on SI’’ and was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk. Follow Sam on Twitter @SamConnon.

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