{"id":187160,"date":"2025-07-19T06:20:16","date_gmt":"2025-07-19T06:20:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/187160\/"},"modified":"2025-07-19T06:20:16","modified_gmt":"2025-07-19T06:20:16","slug":"liam-doyle-cardinals-sign-no-5-mlb-draft-picks-from-vols","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/187160\/","title":{"rendered":"Liam Doyle: Cardinals sign No. 5 MLB Draft picks from Vols"},"content":{"rendered":"

Liam Doyle<\/a> has signed with the St. Louis Cardinals<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Tennessee baseball<\/a> pitcher signed for $7.25 million after the Cardinals picked him No. 5 in the 2025 MLB Draft<\/a>, according to MLB.com<\/a> on July 17. The No. 5 pick had a slot value of $8,134,800.<\/p>\n

Doyle is the highest-drafted Tennessee player under coach Tony Vitello<\/a> and the second highest-drafted pitcher in program history.<\/p>\n

Doyle was 10-4 with a 3.20 ERA and was named the SEC pitcher of the year. He struck out a program-record 164 batters in 95\u2154 innings, while walking only 32.<\/p>\n

The left-handed pitcher was one of four first-round picks in the 2025 MLB Draft for the Vols, who had a first-rounder for the fourth straight draft.<\/p>\n

He is the third first-round pitcher in the past six seasons at Tennessee, joining\u00a0Chase Dollander (No. 9 to Colorado in 2023)<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Garrett Crochet (No. 11 to the Chicago White Sox in 2020)<\/a>. Only Luke Hochevar, the No. 1 pick in 2006, was drafted earlier than Doyle.<\/p>\n

Liam Doyle set Tennessee baseball strikeout record in big 2025<\/p>\n

Doyle overpowered lineups throughout the 2025 season with his fastball. He took over the Friday night starter role as soon as he arrived on campus and dominated.<\/p>\n

He broke Hochevar’s strikeout record of 154 when he entered in relief to earn the save in Tennessee’s regional title-clinching win against Wake Forest. He struck out 10 or more in eight starts.<\/p>\n

The Ole Miss transfer struck out 14 in a career-best 8\u2153 innings on April 11 against his former team. Doyle allowed two runs on three hits with two walks.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Doyle was named a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy, two national player of the year awards. He was the first Vol since Chris Burke in 2001 to be named a finalist for both awards.<\/p>\n

Liam Doyle started his career at Coastal Carolina, Ole Miss<\/p>\n

Doyle finished his college career with a 16-9 record and a 4.13 ERA. He struck out 317 in 207 innings.<\/p>\n

He was 6-5 with a 4.93 ERA in his first two seasons before transferring to Tennessee. He struck out 153 with 41 walks in 111\u2153 innings at Coastal Carolina in 2023 and Ole Miss in 2024.<\/p>\n

DOYLE: How Liam Doyle’s fastball makes Tennessee’s ace college baseball’s top strikeout pitcher<\/a><\/p>\n

The Derry, New Hampshire, native was 3-4 with a 5.73 ERA with the Rebels. He struck out 84 in 55 innings with 22 walks in 16 games with 11 starts.<\/p>\n

He was 3-1 with a 4.15 ERA with 69 strikeouts and 20 walks in 56\u2153 innings pitched at Coastal Carolina. He started seven games in 23 appearances with the Chanticleers.<\/p>\n

Mike Wilson<\/a>\u00a0covers University of Tennessee athletics.\u00a0Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com\u00a0and follow him on X\u00a0@ByMikeWilson<\/a>\u00a0or Bluesky\u00a0@bymikewilson.bsky.social<\/a>.\u00a0If you enjoy Mike\u2019s coverage,\u00a0consider a\u00a0digital subscription\u00a0<\/a>that will allow you access to all of it.<\/p>\n