• Loading stock data...
Friday, July 18, 2025

Top 2023 MLB Draft Prospect Is Taking A Different Approach to NIL

  • Tennessee pitcher Chase Dollander is signing NIL deals that give him access to products that help his on-field performance.
  • He’s gained access to technology, products and resources he didn’t have before.
Jake Crandall/ Advertiser

As MLB.com’s No. 2 projected prospect and top-rated pitcher in the 2023 Draft, Tennessee’s Chase Dollander could be using name, image, and likeness deals to cash in on his star power. 

But the SEC Pitcher of the Year has taken a different approach: He focused on deals that specifically help improve his on-field performance — specifically partnering with companies that help with physical recovery. 

“I’ve been focused on companies and brands that contribute to my health and performance. Specifically brands that can put me in a financial situation to help me to invest in other products to help me become the best I can be,” Dollander told Front Office Sports. The slate of deals he’s signed have “helped me be able to become the next tier of player — just because I feel like recovery is such an important aspect of the game.”

His experience with NIL illustrates that deals can provide much more than just a weekly or monthly paycheck. Many agents and industry experts have been wary, for example, of deals that offer athletes products as part of their compensation. 

But Dollander’s approach shows that for college athletes, access to company products can be a game-changer. The cash he receives is also going toward improving his performance. With his extra earnings, he said, “I’m able to go out and eat a healthier meal.”

  • Before NIL, he relied on his family and his athletic department to provide all of the resources he needed to be a star, he said. 
  • But after last season, he realized he needed to place an extra emphasis on post-outing recovery. 
  • So he turned to NIL deals — which provide him not just disposable income, but also get access to products he may not be able to afford otherwise. 

Dollander has one partnership with Therabody, for example, which includes monetary compensation as well as access to the company’s recovery products. He received the massage gun — the most basic of which go for $179 — as well as compression boots for leg recovery that start at $699 a pair.

He also has a partnership with Six Star Pro Nutrition, which helps him refuel, particularly with protein-based products. 

Dollander is using NIL to make sure he’s ready for the draft, which will be held July 9-11 in Seattle. But he also acknowledges it could provide career opportunities for athletes in the future who build relationships with brands.

“I thought it could potentially be one of the best things that’s happened to college sports, just so the athletes can No. 1 can get paid for what they’re doing on and off the field, but not only that, but just kind of reinvest in themselves.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

(NCL_OSU_11_SUGAR_LAURON 04JAN11) Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Terrelle Pryor (2) slips around the Arkansas Razorbacks defense during first half of the Sugar Bowl at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, January 4, 2011.

Terrelle Pryor’s Case for NIL Backpay Dismissed in Court

Pryor played seven years in the NFL after leaving OSU amid a scandal.
Texas Head Coach Steve Sarkisian waits to lead his team out of the tunnel ahead of the Longhorns' game against the Baylor Bears, Saturday, Sept. 23 at McLane Stadium in Waco.

Is a Texas Takeover About to Hit the SEC, On and Off..

The Longhorns are favored to win the SEC in their second year in the conference.
Apr 4, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; Connecticut Huskies guard KK Arnold (2)1 dribbles against UCLA Bruins forward Angela Dugalic (32) during the third quarter in a semifinal of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament at Amalie Arena.

‘Kind of a Joke’: Frustrations Mount As New NIL Deal Approval Process..

Delays have already led to athletes losing NIL opportunities.

Featured Today

Jul 21, 2024; Ayrshire, SCT; Xander Schauffele celebrates with Claret Jug after winning the Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Troon.

The Boozy History and Traditions of The Open’s Claret Jug

The Open awards the world’s most famous wine decanter.
2025 PDC World Darts Championship Final - Luke Littler vs Michael Van Gerwen
July 16, 2025

A Teen Darts Prodigy Is Becoming Bigger Than the Game Itself

Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler is cashing in on his devastatingly accurate shot.
May 31, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Sydney McLaughin-Levrone (USA) reacts before the women's 100m hurdles during the Grand Slam Track Philadelphia at Franklin Field
exclusive
July 13, 2025

Track’s New Money Is Running Into Old Problems

The sport’s big-money era has hit some speed bumps in 2025.
Bobbleheads are seen at Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. The local sports memorabilia store opened recently.
July 12, 2025

Baseball’s Bobbleheads Are the Center of the Collectibles Universe

Baseball’s most important keepsake drives long lines—and big business.
Mar 21, 2025; Seattle, WA, USA; Memphis Tigers head coach Penny Hardaway walks off the court after losing to Colorado State Rams at Climate Pledge Arena.

Memphis Basketball and Softball Placed on NCAA Probation

Memphis has had multiple NCAA issues since hiring Penny Hardaway.
July 16, 2025

Alabama’s New Era Contends With NIL—and Nick Saban Rumors

Kalen DeBoer is entering his second season as head coach.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Dealmaker Jeffrey Kaplan maps the evolution of sports as an asset class
Georgia takes the field for the first half of the SEC championship game against Texas in Atlanta, on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024.
July 15, 2025

SEC Lands Starring Role in Netflix College Football Docuseries

Netflix brings its sports storytelling to the heart of SEC football.
May 15, 2025; Washington, DC, USA; United States Capitol seen as People rally outside the Supreme Court before justices hears oral arguments in Trump v. CASA, Inc. At issue in the case is if the Supreme Court should stay the district courts' nationwide preliminary injunctions on the Trump administration’s executive order ending birthright citizenship.
July 15, 2025

Pro-NCAA Bill Takes First Step Toward Being Introduced on House Floor for..

It could be the first bill of its kind to make it to the House floor.
July 15, 2025

Georgia’s Kirby Smart Says Money Is Making Players Too Comfortable

The football coach is concerned about the revenue-sharing era.
July 14, 2025

Lane Kiffin: ‘Doesn’t Seem’ Like CFB Revenue-Sharing Cap Works Very Well

The outspoken Ole Miss football coach isn’t impressed with revenue-sharing guidelines.