Former Tennessee pitcher Chad Dallas has been called up by the Toronto Blue Jays and is joining the team for its series against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park this week.
Dallas will be the first former Vol to make his MLB debut this season after four VFLs made their initial big league appearances last year in outfielder Drew Gilbert (Giants), second baseman Christian Moore (Angels), pitcher Chase Dollander (Rockies) and pitcher Blade Tidwell (Mets).
Dallas is the 11th Tennessee player since 2020 to make it to The Show, joining Garrett Crochet (2020), Ben Joyce (2023), Andre Lipcius (2023), Trey Lipscomb (2024), Jordan Beck (2024), Seth Halvorsen (2024), Dollander (2025), Tidwell (2025), Moore (2025) and Gilbert (2025). The Texas native is the 53rd player in program history to make it to the Majors.
After being selected by Toronto in the fourth round of the 2021 MLB Draft, Dallas has worked his way through the organization’s minor league system. The right-hander has made 70 appearances (68 starts) and pitched 314.0 innings while recording 12 wins with a 4.56 ERA and 1.38 WHIP during his professional career.
Dallas has made 24 appearances and 22 starts for the Buffalo Bisons since joining the club in 2024. After missing the entire 2025 season with an injury, Dallas has come back strong this year with a 4.50 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 10 appearances (eight starts) for the Blue Jays’ Triple-A affiliate.
Dallas starred for Tennessee in 2020 and 2021, spending the entirety of his career as a weekend starter for the Vols, compiling a 14-2 record with a 3.91 ERA and 143 strikeouts over 124.1 innings of work.
As UT’s Friday-night starter in 2021, Dallas was tabbed an All-American by the ABCA and NCBWA after posting an 11-2 record to help lead the Big Orange to their first Men’s College World Series appearance since 2005.
