Skip to main content
Tennessee

Vols commit Kruz Schoolcraft signs with Padres at full-slot value

On3 imageby: Eric Cain07/23/25_Cainer
Kruz Schoolcraft. Credit: Kruz Schoolcraft X
Kruz Schoolcraft. Credit: Kruz Schoolcraft X

Tennessee baseball elite 2-way prep commit Kruz Schoolcraft has officially signed with the Padres organization after the club selected him with the No. 25 overall pick in the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft last week.

According to Jim Callis of MLB.com, the left-handed pitcher signed at full-slot value for $3,606,600.  

Schoolcraft, despite being mocked as high as No. 11 overall, was considered an extremely high draft risk in the class due to his two-way ability to impact the game at the collegiate level.

The southpaw was on campus for an official visit the weekend of the Third Saturday in October when the Vols’ football team defeated Alabama last fall. He chose Tennessee over the likes of Texas A&M, Florida, Oregon State, Oregon and many more. Schoolcraft was always viewed as a huge draft risk throughout his recruitment. 

Schoolcraft was slated as the No. 9 ranked player in the 2025 class by Perfect Game and the No. 1 left-handed pitcher. Like fellow Tennessee signee Steele Hall, the hurler reclassified from the 2026 class with ‘ultra-high ceiling talent,’ according to the publication. There’s two-way potential here at the college level, if he were to end up making his way to Knoxville.  

Not only was Schoolcraft viewed as one of the top-rated southpaws in the recruiting class at the prep level, the hurler was viewed the same in MLB Draft circles. Coming into the weekend, Schoolcraft was slated as the No. 19 draft prospect per MLB Pipeline and No. 21 by Baseball America. 

Tennessee in the 2025 MLB Draft

*Denotes has signed with organization

Round 1 (No. 5 overall) Liam Doyle – Cardinals*
Round 1 (No. 9 overall) Steele Hall (signee) – Reds*
Round 1 (No. 10 overall) Billy Carlson (signee) – White Sox*
Round 1 (No. 13 overall) Gavin Kilen – Giants*
Round 1 (No. 20 overall) Andrew Fischer – Brewers*
Round 1 (No. 25 overall) Kruz Schoolcraft (signee) – Padres*
Round 1 (No. 33 overall) Marcus Phillips – Red Sox*
Round 2 (No. 52 overall) AJ Russell – Rangers*
Round 2 (No. 64 overall) Dean Curley – Guardians
Round 2 (No. 72 overall) Tanner Franklin – Cardinals*
Round 3 (No. 105 overall) Nate Snead – Angels*
Round 5 (No. 149 overall) Matt Barr (JUCO) – Twins*
Round 7 (No. 225 overall) Mason Estrada (portal) – Dodgers
Round 14 (No. 430 overall) Clay Edmondson (portal) – Padres
Round 15 (No. 456 overall) DJ Newman (portal) – Astros
Round 17 (No. 522 overall) Cannon Peebles – Guardians
Round 18 (No. 534 overall) Ethan Moore (signee) – Reds
Round 19 (No. 572 overall) Cameron Appenzeller (signee) – Mariners

You may also like