Dallas picked by Blue Jays in 4th round of MLB Draft

Published 2:34 pm Monday, July 12, 2021

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Tennessee baseball’s and former West Orange-Stark standout pitcher Chad Dallas was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the fourth round of the 2021 MLB Draft on Monday.

Dallas was the first Vol from UT’s College World Series team selected. He was picked No. 121 overall.

“I would not bet against this guy being a starter,” MLB Pipeline senior writer Jim Callis said on MLB.com. “He is going to tell you he is going to make sure he is a starter.”

Here’s what to know about Dallas:

Dallas, who came to UT from Panola College, was UT’s Friday night starter for two seasons. He went 3-0 with a 2.53 ERA in 2020. He was 11-2 with a 4.19 ERA in 2021, becoming the first Vols pitcher to win at least 10 games since 2005.

He increased his strikeout rate in 2021 after adding a cutter to his arsenal.

Dallas earned his place in Tennessee’s rotation for his competitive nature and demeanor on the mound as much as anything. That attitude gives him a chance to carve out a role in pro baseball.

“Just a really good competitor,” Callis said.

He’s a strike-thrower and proved as a junior that he can generate swings and misses.

Dallas could be either a starter or reliever, but certainly has starting ability if he can make his changeup a more steady fourth pitch.

“He doesn’t have the ideal build at 5-foot-11, 206 for a starter,” Callis said. “But man he pounds the strike zone and he competes so hard.