Colorado Rockies Top Prospect Could Make Starting Rotation After Just One Year in Minors

Chase Dollander, who was selected by the Rockies in the first round of the 2023 draft, could bypass Triple-A entirely if he has a good spring training, according to a report from The Denver Post.

National League Future pitcher Chase Dollander (24) throws during the first inning against the American League Future team during the Major league All-Star Futures game at Globe Life Field in 2024. / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

According to a report in The Denver Post, Colorado Rockies top prospect Chase Dollander could make the starting rotation if he has a good spring training. Dollander, a first-round pick in 2023, has spent just one year in the minor leagues and could skip Triple-A entirely.

The following report comes from the Rotowire fantasy baseball portal but links to the original report in The Denver Post:

Dollander could make the Rockies' Opening Day rotation if he performs well in spring training,Kyle Newman of the Denver Post reports.

The 23-year-old Dollander was taken with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2023 draft out of Tennessee. He went 6-2 in 2024, pitching at both Single-A Spokane and Double-A Hartford. He struck out 169 batters in just 118 innings. The Rockies finished with the worst record in the National League last season, so there is no pressure to rush him to the big leagues, but there's also no real ace option ahead of him, either.

If Dollander is ready, he is ready.

The following comes from a portion of his MLB.com prospect profile:

Dollander has the chance to have four at least above-average offerings at his disposal. His fastball sits around 96 mph and touches 98-99, and it’s a bat-misser thanks to his approach angle, extension and induced vertical break. At its best, his upper-80s slider is hard and tight and can be an out pitch, though the right-hander tinkered with a variety of grips for the breaking ball in 2024 and wasn’t always thrilled with where it was. As a result, he did go to his upper-70s curve more frequently, especially to get ahead in counts quickly. His upper-80s changeup features fade and can also be very effective.

The Rockies will report to spring training this week and will open the regular season on March 28 on the road against the Colorado Rockies.

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