MLB Draft day is underway.

A year removed from sending eight players through the draft after winning a national title, Tennessee baseball has eight players ranked inside the top-150 prospects. The notion could put the Vols in the territory of breaking their 2022 program record of 10 draftees.

Live draft updates:

Liam Doyle: 5th overall, St. Louis Cardinals

Tennessee’s ace is the first off the board. An MLB-ready fastball highlights the profile of the dominant southpaw. Generating a high whiff rate at 40%, Doyle mowed through SEC hitters with a Vols single-season record of 164 strikeouts.

Doyle becomes the third pitcher to go in the first round under Vitello. He is the highest selected player in program history since Nick Senzel went second overall in 2016, and the highest pitcher since Luke Hochevar went first overall in 2006.

Gavin Kilen: 13th overall, San Francisco Giants

Another transfer portal success story, Kilen heads to the west coast to join the San Francisco Giants. His selection makes it the second consecutive year that the Vols have seen two players drafted in the first round. 

Kilen mashed his way to All-American honors for the Vols in 2025. After totaling nine homers in two seasons at Louisville, Kilen smoked 15 bombs and hit a team-best .357 for the defending champions.

Andrew Fischer: 20th overall, Milwaukee Brewers

Fischer becomes the third player to transfer to Tennessee this offseason and land as a first-round pick. The Brewers elect to take him 20th overall, making it the first time since 2007 that the Vols had three players selected in the opening round.

The strong corner infielder put an all-around offensive performance on display in his lone season with Tennessee. Fischer led the SEC with 25 homers, while tying the Vols’ single-season walk record with 63. 

Marcus Phillips: 33rd overall, Boston Red Sox

One of the biggest success stories on the Tennessee roster, Phillips vaulted himself to a first-round pick with a strong ending to the season. The South Dakota native struggled with baserunners aboard, but fixed his issues down the stretch to become a reliable starter. 

Phillips finished his junior season with a 4-5 record and a 3.90 ERA to pair with 98 strikeouts. 

AJ Russell: 52nd overall, Texas Rangers

With limited collegiate innings, Russell possesses some of the most projectable tools in the draft. Without injury, the Tennessee native earned first-round hype but lingering elbow injuries to go along with Tommy John surgery limited what he could actually put on tape. 

His freshman season was dominant with a 0.89 ERA in 30.1 innings, but then his sophomore season was full of disappointment when he could not quite get through an outing comfortably. He returned to form midway through his junior year, and it led to a 3.55 ERA across 25.1 innings with 36 strikeouts. 

It’s a bargain for the Rangers, who if he returns to the form he can be on a consistent basis, will be a high-risk, high-reward payoff. 

Dean Curley: 65th overall, Cleveland Guardians

A tale of two seasons for Curley, who had an exciting first year and an underwhelming second year with Tennessee. 

The star freshman burst onto the scene for the Vols as an everyday shortstop for the eventual-national champions. He hit .285 with 12 homers in a low-pressure spot in the lineup surrounded by multiple high-level draft picks. 

When he returned with a new lineup surrounding him, and as the focal point of the offense, Curley struggled to meet expectations. He began the year as the team’s leadoff hitter, but eventually moved down to the five-hole by the end of the year where he balanced back out. He put forth a statistically better year, posting a .315 average with 14 homers — but failed to be an asset defensively. 

Curley posted a team-worst .906 fielding percentage with 17 errors to lead the team by a wide margin to a point where he became virtually unplayable in the field. He moved from third base to shortstop to second base with a temporary stop at designated hitter after two ninth-inning errors against LSU lost the Vols the game. 

Still, Curley possesses plenty of professional tools to make him a desirable prospect and potential steal for the Guardians in the second round.

Tanner Franklin: 72nd pick, St. Louis Cardinals

Franklin joins up with fellow teammate Doyle in St. Louis as the Cardinals elect for former Vols in back-to-back rounds. It is an ideal spot for the pair to land together, as Franklin began the year as the follow guy to Doyle out of the pen.

Hailing from Kennesaw State, Franklin served as a top bullpen arm for Tennessee in 2025. He began the year with expectations to take over a potential closer role for the Vols, but it never materialized into an attainable use. Franklin tied for the fourth-most innings on the team with 38.2 across 27 appearances. He struck out 52 batters to just nine walks.

Franklin possesses a high-velocity fastball that surpasses triple digits. 

Nate Snead: 105th overall, Los Angeles Angels

For the fourth year in a row, the Angels dip into Knoxville and take a Tennessee product. This time, it’s the right-handed reliever who held a variety of roles in his two seasons with the Vols.

While he does possess a fastball that tops out at 101 mph, he is dependent on contact outs. Snead does a great job at getting ground ball outs with his pitch ability, but does run into trouble when hitters get a hold of a fastball. 

Snead went 4-2 with a 4.53 ERA in 49.2 innings pitched this season. He pitched to a 3.11 ERA in 75.1 innings the season prior en route to a national championship.

While he does have a speed-heavy fastball, Snead matches that with an entire five-pitch mix as a reliever. He adds a strong curveball with a 50-grade slider and cutter with a changeup that grades out at 45. Development is key for Snead, who can serve as a pivotal Major League arm with his mix of experience and arsenal.

Cannon Peebles: 522nd overall, 17th round, Cleveland Guardians

Tennessee’s first catcher selected since Connor Pavolony in 2021, Peebles goes off the board in the 17th round. 

The switch-hitting catcher spent two seasons at Tennessee with varying results. After a record-breaking freshman year with NC State, Peebles hit the portal and got stuck behind Cal Stark in 2024. His duties became more utilized in 2025, where he became a near everyday catcher, batting .253 with 11 homers. 

Prospects selected: 

Steele Hall: 9th overall, Cincinnati Reds

Tennessee’s first prospect is off the board. Steele Hall gets taken by the Reds at ninth overall out of Hewitt-Trussville High School (Al.). Hall was rated as the Vols’ third-best prospect in the class and the No. 17 player in the country according to Perfect Game.

Billy Carlson: 10th overall, Chicago White Sox

For the second pick in a row, Tennessee gets poached. The White Sox elect to take the Vols’ top-ranked prospect in the 2025 class. Carlson is ranked as the No. 3 player in the country out of Corona High School (Ca.).

Kruz Schoolcraft: 25th overall, San Diego Padres

Tennessee’s first disappointment of the night comes at 25th overall to the Padres. Schoolcraft had an outside chance of making it to campus, but the Padres snag the lanky lefty. 

Standing at 6-foot-8, 230 pounds, Schoolcraft ranked No. 9 in the country and the top-ranked left-handed pitcher out of high school.

Ethan Moore: 554th overall, 18th round, Cincinnati Reds

The Reds attempt to double dip on Vols prospects by snagging top-100 draft prospect Ethan Moore in the 18th round.

Moore ranks as the No. 94 player in the country, but is expected to forego the draft and land at Tennessee for his freshman season, according to KnoxNews’ Mike Wilson. 

Cameron Appenzeller: 572nd overall, 19th round, Seattle Mariners

A potential first-round selection, Appenzeller ultimately set an asking price that suggested he’d rather make it to college. That will still happen despite the Mariners taking him in the 19th round. 

Appenzeller ranked as the No. 58 prospect in the draft and the No. 3 left-handed pitcher in the country out of high school. Now, he’ll head to campus under pitching coach Frank Anderson, who has a touted history with freshman contributors. 

Transfers selected:

Matt Barr: 149th overall, 5th round, Minnesota Twins

Tennessee’s first college transfer commit goes off the board in the form of top junior college arm Matt Barr. 

Barr pitched to a 1.74 ERA in 57.0 innings, dealing 94 strikeouts and a 0.75 WHIP across 10 starts. He was the No. 1 JUCO prospect in the country out of SUNY Niagara. 

Mason Estrada: 225th overall, 7th round, Los Angeles Dodgers

Another transfer arm off the board, Tennessee loses MIT transfer Estrada to the Dodgers in the seventh round. 

Estrada is a right-hander that featured a strong season at the Division III level with a 2.21 ERA in 40.2 innings. He struck out 66 batters and walked 23. 

Clay Edmondson: 430th overall, 14th round, San Diego Padres

Tennessee’s first commitment of the transfer class, Edmondson committed to the Vols in the middle of the season as a graduate transfer. 

The Big South Conference Pitcher of the Year from UNC Asheville pitched to a 2.20 ERA with 87 strikeouts this past season. He throws from a submarine slot where hitters batted.224 against him in 81.2 innings.

DJ Newman: 456th overall, 15th round, Houston Astros

The first mild surprise of the draft for Tennessee, Newman gets selected by the Astros as a two-way player. He maintains one year of college eligibility, and now must decide between signing or heading back to school. 

Newman shined on both sides of the ball for Bowling Green State for three seasons. The outfielder and right-handed pitcher put together an injury-riddled 2025 season, but shined in 2024 with a .371 average and 10 homers batting and 42 strikeouts with a 4-2 record on the mound. 

Preview

Superstar southpaw Liam Doyle headlines the class as one of the top collegiate arms in the country with a fastball that is likely to earn him a quick promotion. Fellow transfers Gavin Kilen and Andrew Fischer join Doyle as likely first-round prospects, putting Tennessee in a position to have a trio of opening-round picks for the first time since 2007.

Other highly touted names include flame-throwing righty Marcus Phillips, who has been mocked as early as No. 33 overall. Dean Curley is expected to be a first-day pick despite a disappointing sophomore season. The Tennessee shortstop was mocked as an early first-rounder after exploding onto the scene as a freshman for the national champions, but a lackluster season followed and now he projects within the top three rounds.

AJ Russell adds to the class as a toolsy prospect, possessing an arsenal of MLB-ready pitches, but injury concerns remain his biggest question mark. Tanner Franklin and Nate Snead were pivotal bullpen options, and their high-velocity right arms allow them to round out the top of the list.

Tennessee will also be awaiting to see which of its signees will not make it to campus. Between transfer portal additions and highly rated high school prospects, the Vols should be poached hard.

As head coach Tony Vitello sits on the MLB Network broadcast set, he will wait to see which of his high school commits are selected. Billy Carlson and Steele Hall should be the first ones to go. Kruz Schoolcraft and Cameron Appenzeller are also high risks.

In the transfer class, Virginia transfer Henry Ford is the biggest risk. MIT transfer Mason Estrada, UNC Asheville pitcher Clay Edmondson and junior college transfer Matt Barr all could also be selected across the two-day draft.