Blue Jays prospect Chad Dallas, aka ‘Cheese,’ is bringing the cheddar at double-A

Baseball

Published 13.06.2023

Blue Jays prospect Chad Dallas, aka ‘Cheese,’ is bringing the cheddar at double-A

TORONTO — Cheese, a baseball slang time period for fastball, is a good nickname for a pitcher and it’s so ubiquitous for Toronto Blue Jays prospect Chad Dallas, that he can go for days, typically weeks with out listening to his correct identify.

“Somebody called me Chad not too long ago and it sounds weird just because I haven’t even heard my parents say Chad in years,” says the double-A New Hampshire right-hander. “I’ve had that nickname since I was seven or eight and it’s caught on so much, I hear Cheese most of the time.”

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Apt as it could appear for a pitcher with a 2.20 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 49 innings throughout 9 begins for high-A Vancouver and New Hampshire, the origin story of the moniker has nothing to do with baseball. As a child he emulated the howls of spray-cheese consuming character Bobby Zimuruski, voiced by Pauly Shore, in A Goofy Movie, so usually that ‘Cheese’ took maintain.

Though he’s been up 96 m.p.h. and has sat 93-94 m.p.h. along with his fastball this season, Dallas says “I don’t throw hard enough to have that nickname” for baseball causes. On the mound, “spin to win is what I say,” he explains. “The fastball can almost be used as an off-speed if I’m spinning it really well.”

The method he’s used his slider and curveball, plus the occasional work-in-progress changeup, has made him one of many higher tales within the Blue Jays’ farm system this season. A fourth-round decide in 2021 out of the University of Tennessee, he had an up-and-down professional debut at Vancouver final 12 months, logging 88 innings over 21 begins with 86 strikeouts, but in addition strolling 51 whereas permitting 85 hits.

Looking again, Dallas concedes that he “maybe worried about stuff I couldn’t control,” getting caught up in watching teammates like Ricky Tiedemann, Yosver Zulueta, and Sem Robberse earn promotions whereas he remained with the Canadians.

He arrived at spring coaching with a special mindset, decided to not let that occur once more.

“Seeing your buddies, your teammates moving on, going up, getting promotions throughout the season, I struggled a bit worrying about how to move up instead of just how to pitch better and letting the promotions happen when they’re supposed to,” says Dallas. “Controlling the stuff you can control, like filling up the zone, working on the things you need to work on instead of only focusing on how to crawl up the ladder, let it happen on its own.”

To that finish, the Blue Jays set considered one of his growth targets as throwing extra strikes and he’s accomplished that, chopping his walks-per 9 from 5.2 a 12 months in the past to three.9 to this point. In half, he feels he was “giving the hitters too much credit” final 12 months, which might “shy you away from filling up the zone.”

Now, he’s centered on “going with your strengths and not to their weaknesses.” With his velocity ticking up a notch, he made 5 begins with Vancouver earlier than incomes a promotion to New Hampshire, the place he’s continued to roll.

“The main thing we’ve talked about since I’ve been up here is playing the same game I have all season because it’s just a different stadium,” added Dallas. “That’s the plan.”

Elsewhere within the Blue Jays system:

Triple-A Buffalo Bisons

Infielder Addison Barger, who has a ligament harm in his elbow, started a rehab task on the Florida Complex League on Thursday and performed three innings at shortstop on Saturday and 6 extra on Monday. The harm has been extra problematic for the 23-year-old swinging slightly than throwing, however he was again taking his trademark large hacks earlier than taking the sphere. It’s potential he’ll want the harm addressed throughout low season, however barring setbacks is on observe again to the Bisons. … Righty Matt Peacock was activated from the injured listing final week and picked up a ten^th-inning save in a 5-4 win over Toledo. Claimed off waivers from Kansas City with an eye fixed towards making him a depth bulk-arm possibility, he’s pitched in shorter stints this season and he’s been as much as 96 m.p.h. … Yosver Zulueta, who’s been within the bullpen since mid-May, has solely walked two batters in his final six innings over 5 outings after strolling 23 in his first 24.2 frames. … Infielder Otto Lopez, leapfrogged by Ernie Clement throughout Santiago Espinal’s current IL stint, is batting .318/.394/.349 with 4 stolen bases in 5 makes an attempt in his final 16 video games. … Hard-throwing reliever Hagen Danner, promoted from New Hampshire 2½ weeks in the past, posted consecutive shutout outings after getting touched up for 5 runs in his first three appearances.

Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats

Lefty Ricky Tiedemann, out since May 4 with biceps irritation, remains to be long-tossing and is inching towards getting again up on the mound. The Blue Jays are being overly cautious along with his development given his significance to the membership, however he’s stated to be sturdy and throwing with out situation. … Infielder Orelvis Martinez, the membership’s prime position-player prospect, has been on a month-long tear since opening the season .089/.169/.266 by way of the primary 22 video games, hitting 12 homers whereas batting .320/.429/.750 in 119 plate appearances over 28 video games. Perhaps most significantly, he’s walked 17 occasions in opposition to 22 strikeouts throughout that span, seeing some payoff from an early-season deal with pitch choice on the plate. That’s been an space of focus for him for the reason that finish of a disappointing 2022 and if the 21-year-old can keep his extra disciplined strategy, his star will shortly rise. … Corner infielder Damiano Palmegiani, who performed for Canada on the current World Baseball Classic, is off to a stable begin at .279/.387/.475. The bulk of his reps within the discipline have come at third base. … Reliever Connor Cooke, promoted from Vancouver similtaneously Chad Dallas, has struck out 19 batters in 10.1 innings over eight video games, permitting 5 runs.

High-A Vancouver Canadians

Devereaux Harrison struck out eight over six hitless innings and reliever Matt Svanson closed out a seven-inning no-hitter Saturday in a 2-0 win over Everett within the second recreation of a doubleheader. A ninth-round decide final 12 months, the 22-year-old has struck out 18 and allowed solely three runs on seven walks and 9 hits in 20 innings over 4 begins since becoming a member of the rotation. … Outfielder Garrett Spain, a 15^th-round decide in 2021, had a 14-game hit streak stopped Saturday however batted .444/.455/.907 through the run. That pushed his season numbers as much as .337/.371/.643 in 29 video games. … A rival evaluator raved concerning the defence of shortstop Josh Kasevich, saying “the little things he does are really special.” The 22-year-old’s glove has been described as primarily major-league prepared however his bat remains to be growing. Through 43 video games, he’s hitting .299/.378/.320, three doubles his solely extra-base hits.

Low-A Dunedin Blue Jays

Brandon Barriera, the 23^rd-overall decide final 12 months, is working his method again from some forearm tightness and barring setbacks, is anticipated to renew throwing bullpens on the finish of this week. He threw solely 43 pitches earlier than leaving a May 25 outing in opposition to Fort Myers. … Lefty Kendry Rojas continues to pitch nicely, with 45 strikeouts, 12 walks and a 2.97 ERA in 39.1 innings over 9 outings. The 20-year-old threw a season-high 87 pitches in 5 shutout innings May 26, when he walked none and struck out eight in opposition to Fort Myers. … Outfielder Jaden Rudd, who impressed with Great Britain on the World Baseball Classic, has an eye-popping .396 on-base proportion, to go along with a .237 common and .358 slug, because of his 31 walks in 188 plate appearances. All of the 20-year-old’s numbers have jumped from his FCL debut a 12 months in the past.