interesting to see Gonzalez drop to #5. I gotta think Rizzo is
over Dollander. He'll be 22.5 at the start of the 2024 season and ideally would be ready to join a rotation of Gore, Cavalli, and Gray at some point that year.
here's the full MLB scouting report:
Scouting grades: Fastball: 70 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 55 | Overall: 60
Dollander began to blossom as a Georgia high schooler in 2020, but the truncated season didn't give him enough time to impress scouts, so he went undrafted before heading to Georgia Southern. He stymied Tennessee with eight strikeouts in 5 2/3 one-run innings in his college debut -- then joined the Volunteers as a transfer for his sophomore season and won Southeastern Conference pitcher of the year honors in 2022. He enters the year as the clear top arm in the 2023 Draft and may be the best college pitching prospect since Stephen Strasburg (2009) and Gerrit Cole (2011).
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 upper-70s curveball and a fading upper-80s changeup, both of which can be solid pitches but aren't as consistent as his primary weapons.
Not only does Dollander have frontline starter stuff, but he also commands it well. He ranked seventh in NCAA Division I in K/BB ratio (8.3) as a sophomore while repeating his simple delivery with ease. His athleticism helps him generate his premium pitches with little effort and he still has room to add more strength to his 6-foot-3 frame.
