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Where ESPN ranks Tennessee baseball players as MLB prospects at the College World Series

IMG_3593by:Grant Ramey•06/17/23•

GrantRamey

Tennessee Baseball
(Tennessee Athletics)

Tennessee pitcher Chase Dollander is the fifth-best MLB Draft prospect at the College World Series, according to rankings from ESPN, and could parlay his late-season success into being a top-ten pick in this summer’s draft.

ESPN ranked 41 prospects playing in Omaha, with Dollander topping the seven Vols that made the cut. The junior right-hander came in ahead of second baseman Christian Moore (No. 14), right-handed pitcher Chase Burns (No. 20) and right-handed pitcher Drew Beam (No. 24), all three ranked as 2024 draft prospects.

Then there was shortstop Maui Ahuna (No. 28), first baseman Blake Burke (No. 34), another 2024 prospect, and catcher/outfielder Jared Dickey (No. 38).

Chase Dollander has ‘increased odds he goes in the top 10 picks’ in MLB Draft

“Dollander began his college career at Georgia Southern after being lightly scouted at high school in Georgia,” ESPN MLB Insider Kiley McDaniel wrote. “He transferred to Tennessee for the 2022 season and set the SEC on fire, becoming the best pitching prospect in all of college baseball at this time last year. 

“This spring, he’s looked mortal at times, but things have clicked of late and his command has been sharper, increasing the odds he goes in the top 10 picks in July.”

Dollander was 10-0 with 2.39 ERA last season, striking out 108 while walking just 13 over 79.0 innings pitched. He gave up just 21 earned runs on 50 hits while opponents batted .175 against him. 

This season he’s 7-6 in 16 starts, with 118 strikeouts against 28 walks and 43 earned runs on 79 hits over 86.0 innings. He’s 2-0 in the postseason, working 4.1 innings in Tennessee’s 6-5 win at Clemson in 14 innings, then eight innings at Southern Miss on Sunday, when the Vols rallied for an 8-4 win after the Golden Eagles scored four runs in the third inning against Dollander.

Up Next: Tennessee vs. No. 5 LSU, Saturday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN

McDaniel added that Ahuna “could go in the second round” in this year’s draft and that Dickey and right-handed pitcher Andrew Lindsey “are in the third-to-fifth range.”

Lindsey will likely be the Game 1 starter in Omaha when Tennessee (43-20) faces No. 5-seed LSU (48-15) on Saturday (7 p.m. Eastern Time, TV: ESPN) in the final game of the opening round at the College World Series.

“For the class of 2024 crew,” McDaniel wrote, “RHP Chase Burns has been used as a starter and reliever this season — where he’ll land has been the question about him since he hit 100 mph in the summer before his senior year in high school. Second baseman Christian Moore was a solid prospect when he stepped on campus but has really blossomed this spring; he now has a shot to join Burns in the first round next summer.

“RHP Drew Beam isn’t far behind. He has just a little less raw stuff than Burns, but a better chance to remain a starter. First baseman Blake Burke is another strong prospect in the same draft class with 30-plus homer potential.”

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