Former Tennessee pitcher Chad Dallas called up by Toronto Blue Jays

Former Tennessee baseball pitcher Chad Dallas has been called up by the Toronto Blue Jays to join the taxi squad.

Toronto is in the midst of a three-game series in Atlanta, where Dallas will join the Blue Jays and potentially make his MLB debut.

Dallas pitched for the Vols in 2020 and 2021, serving as the Friday night starter in both seasons and anchoring the Tennessee rotation on the way to the College World Series in 2021.

The Blue Jays picked Dallas in the fourth round of the 2021 MLB Draft.

The right-handed pitcher is 0-3 with a 4.50 ERA this season with the Buffalo Bisons, the Blue Jays’ Triple-A affiliate. He has started eight games and made two relief appearances. Dallas missed the 2025 season after having Tommy John surgery in late 2024.

He is 12-18 with a 4.56 ERA in 70 games with 68 starts in his minor league career.

Dallas, who came to UT from Panola College, 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 is the first Tennessee alum to be called up this season and the 11th to reach the major leagues since 2020.

Four Vols reached the majors for the first time in 2025.

Pitcher Chase Dollander was called up by the Colorado Rockies debuted on April 6 against the Oakland Athletics. Blade Tidwell was called up in May by the Mets and started against the St. Louis Cardinals on May 4. Second baseman Christian Moore made his debut on June 13 with the Los Angeles Angels less than a year after he was drafted No. 8 in 2024.

Drew Gilbert made his debut on August 8 shortly after he was traded to the San Francisco Giants by the New York Mets. Tidwell also was traded to the Giants in the same deal.

Three Vols reached the majors in 2024.

Trey Lipscomb, who was picked in the third round of the 2022 draft, debuted with the Washington Nationals on March 30, 2024. Jordan Beck, the No. 38 pick in the 2022 draft, made his debut with the Colorado Rockies on April 30, 2024.

Seth Halvorsen, a seventh-round pick in 2023, was called up on Aug. 30, 2024. He made his debut a day later with the Colorado Rockies.

Two got to the majors in 2023.

Ben Joyce got to the majors with the Los Angeles Angels on May 29, 2023, less than a year after he was drafted in the third round in 2022. Andre Lipcius made his debut on Sept. 1, 2023 with the Detroit Tigers, who had taken him in the third round in 2019.

Pitcher Garrett Crochet debuted with the Chicago White Sox in 2020, skipping the minor leagues and debuting the same year in which he drafted No. 11 overall.