Micah Dallas will be instrumental in Tech’s effort to return to College World Series

This year’s pitching staff may comprise the best group of arms Texas Tech coach Tim Tadlock has had the pleasure of coaching, and of that bunch, Micah Dallas may be the most lethal.

Despite routinely throwing 91-93 mph and topping out at 95 mph, Dallas doesn’t boast the strongest arm on the roster. He does, however, command a strong mound presence, balancing an aggressive approach with a delicate precision in each pitch in his arsenal. His 83-86 mph slider buckles the knees of lefty hitters and his 83-84 mph changeup serves as an excellent strikeout pitch.

After making an immediate impact as a freshman in 2019 with 13 starts, 84 strikeouts and just 28 walks, Dallas moved to the bullpen in the COVID-shortened 2020 season with even greater success. The budding prospect saw 15.2 innings of actions and shut down hitters to the tune of a 0.57 ERA, striking out 23 while walking just one.

Tadlock’s public plans for Dallas in the upcoming season have been predictably nebulous in recent interviews, neglecting to reveal whether he’ll continue to use the sophomore as the primary reliever or move him back into a starting role. Dallas certainly has the tools to be a Friday-night starter, but Tadlock is known for saving some of his best pitchers for extended relief roles.

Projected as a late-first or early-second round pick in the 2021 MLB draft, Dallas is the centerpiece of an absolutely filthy rotation in Lubbock. Whether he returns to the bullpen or moves back to starter, the 6’2 athlete will undoubtedly eat up a lot of innings this year as the Red Raiders try to return to the College World Series for the fifth time since 2014.