Advertisement

Chase Dollander discusses leadership, Jared Dickey as a catcher

Tennessee has opened fall practices at Lindsey Nelson Stadium under sixth-year head coach Tony Vitello.

Tennessee pitcher Chase Dollander met with media Friday and discussed the Vols beginning fall baseball.

“The guys coming back are trying to be the guys that can just kind of try to show morale and show them the ropes of what’s going to happen, what’s going to go on this fall and just kind of some things that the coaches expect from us,” Dollander said of being a leader for new players in the Vols’ program. “As of right now, they’re doing a really good job with it. The older guys just have to step into that leadership role.”

Dollander also discussed what he has been working on during the offseason.

I’m really working on my off-speed pitches a lot this year, just trying to sharpen up the curveball a little bit, just to be able to use that pitch more,” he said. “Me and Coach A (Frank Anderson) have really been focusing on that.”

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

As a redshirt freshman in 2022, Jared Dickey appeared in 40 games, starting 25 contests, for the Vols.

Dickey recorded a .380 batting average, while totaling seven home runs, 38 hits, eight doubles, one triple, 19 RBIs, 29 runs, 20 walks, three stolen bases and was hit by a pitch twice in 2022.

Dollander discussed Dickey focusing on playing catcher in 2022. Dickey played in the Vols’ outfield and as a catcher last season.

“It’s awesome,” Dollander said of Dickey playing catcher. “I mean, he’s doing a really good job, I think, in my opinion. He obviously knows what he’s doing back there, and it brings me a lot of confidence whenever he’s catching.”

Below are Dollander’s statistics during the 2022 season.

Record: 10-0

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Strikeouts: 108

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

ERA: 2.39

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Innings pitched: 79.0

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Walks: 13

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

WHIP: .80

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Story originally appeared on Vols Wire