Another active MLB Draft awaits Tennessee, Tony Vitello

Fresh off record-setting showcases each of the past three summers, the stage is set for this year’s iteration of the Major League Baseball Draft. The Tennessee baseball program is once again expected to show well over the course of the two-day event.

The 2025 MLB Draft takes place on Sunday, July 13 and Monday, July 14 from the Coca-Cola Roxy in The Battery Atlanta. The opening night of the draft on Sunday will reveal the first 105 picks of the first three rounds, compensatory rounds, competitive balance rounds and prospect promotion incentive selections.

The first 43 picks (first round) will be televised live on ESPN and the MLB Network beginning at 6 p.m. ET. The remaining 62 selections on opening night will be simulcasted on MLB.com. Rounds four through 20 will take place on Monday, beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET on MLB.com.     

Tennessee, Tony Vitello and MLB Draft History

Tennessee baseball boasts 21 first round draft picks in program history. Christian Moore (No. 8 overall LAA) and Blake Burke (No. 34 overall MIL) accomplished the feat last summer in 2024 as Tony Vitello has produced six first round draft picks while at Tennessee. The program has accumulated multiple first round draft picks on six occasions while the trio of J.P Arencibia, Julio Borbon and James Adkins led the way in 2007 for the most first-round draft picks in a single draft for the Vols.

Entering the 2025 MLB Draft, Vitello has produced 43 draft picks while the skipper at Tennessee and a program-high 10 selections in 2022. Vitello also matched the previous high of eight, set back in 1992, in each of the past two drafts. Keep in mind the draft shortened to 20 rounds since 2021 and was just five rounds in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tennessee has an NCAA-leading 36 players chosen since 2020.

Tennessee’s program record for players drafted in the first two rounds in four, set last summer. UT had a program-record six pitchers selected in the 2023 MLB Draft. Those program records, along with three first round selections (2007) and 10 overall (2022) could also be broken in 2025.

The program has 194 total MLB Draft selections and 53 additional undrafted free agent signings.

Rankings: Tennessee Players, HS Signees and Portal Commits

Key: MLB (MLB Pipeline) | BA (Baseball America) | PG (Perfect Game) for HS Signees

Billy Carlson (SS) HS Signee: No. 7 MLB | No. 9 BA | No. 3 PG (No. 2 SS) | Extremely High Risk
Liam Doyle (LHP): No. 8 MLB | No. 8 BA
Steele Hall (SS) HS Signee: No. 12 MLB | No. 15 BA | No. 17 PG (No. 12 SS) | Extremely High Risk
Kruz Schoolcraft (LHP) HS Signee: No. 19 MLB | No. 21 BA | No. 9 PG (No. 1 LHP) | High Risk
Gavin Kilen (INF): No. 21 MLB | No. 20 BA
Andrew Fischer (INF): No. 29 MLB | No. 28 BA
Cameron Appenzeller (LHP) HS Signee: No. 58 MLB | No. 52 BA | No. 22 PG (No. 3 LHP) | High Risk
Dean Curley (INF): No. 60 MLB | No. 39 BA
Marcus Phillips (RHP): No. 61 MLB | No. 67 BA
AJ Russell (RHP): No. 70 MLB | No. 37 BA
Henry Ford (OF/1B) Portal Commit: No. 73 MLB | No. 69 BA | High Risk
Ethan Moore (INF) HS Signee: No. 100 MLB | No. 140 BA | No. 94 Perfect Game (No. 35 SS) | Extremely High Risk
Trent Grindlinger (C) HS Signee: No. 110 MLB | No. 100 BA | No. 30 PG (No. 2 C) | Risk
Tanner Franklin (RHP): No. 124 MLB | No. 122 BA
Matt Barr (RHP) JUCO Commit: No. 136 MLB | No. 223 BA | Extremely High Risk
Nate Snead (RHP): No. 148 MLB | No. 84 BA
Reese Chapman (OF): No. 181 BA
Evan Hankins (1B/LHP) HS Signee: No. 206 BA | No. 147 PG (No. 2 1B)
Brandon Arvidson (LHP): No. 230 MLB | No. 186 BA
Evan Blanco (LHP) Portal Commit: No. 250 BA | Risk
Taylor Tracey (OF) HS Signee: No. 269 BA | No. 267 BA | No. 86 PG (No. 16 OF)
Ethan Baiotto (RHP) HS Signee: No. 417 BA | No. 92 PG (No. 24 RHP)
Tyler Wood (RHP) HS Signee: No. 465 BA | No. 130 PG (No. 33 RHP)
Tyler Myatt (INF) Juco Commit: No. 466 BA | Risk
Cannon Peebles (C): Not Ranked
Dalton Bargo (UTL): Not Ranked
Hunter Ensley (OF): Not Ranked
Nathan Eisfelder (OF) HS Signee: Not Ranked
Mason Estrada (RHP) Portal Commit: Not Ranked | High Risk
Clay Edmondson (RHP) Portal Commit: Not Ranked
DJ Newman (RHP/OF) Portal Commit: Not Ranked

Players Drafted in the Tony Vitello Era (43)

2018 Zach Linginfelter 19^th Round (WSH)
2018 Benito Santiago 34^th Round (STL)
2019 Andre Lipcius 3^rd Round (DET)
2019 Garrett Stallings 5^th Round (LAA)
2019 Andrew Schultz 6^th Round (PHI)
2019 Zach Linginfelter 9^th Round (LAA)
2019 Rickey Martinez 18^th Round (ARZ)
2019 Jay Charleston 26^th Round (KC)
2020 Garrett Crochet 1^st Round (CHW)
2020 Alerick Soularie 2^nd Round (MIN)
2020 Zach Daniels 4^th Round (HOU)
2021 Chad Dallas 4^th Round (TOR)
2021 Liam Spence 5^th Round (CHC)
2021 Max Ferguson 5^th Round (SD)
2021 Connor Pavolony 7^th Round (BAL)
2021 Jake Rucker 7^th Round (MIN)
2021 Jackson Leath 12^th Round (TEX)
2021 Sean Hunley 19^th Round (TB)
2022 Drew Gilbert 1^st Round (HOU)
2022 Jordan Beck 1^st Round (COL)
2022 Blade Tidwell 2^nd Round (NYM)
2022 Trey Lipscomb 3^rd Round (WSH)
2022 Ben Joyce 4^th Round (LAA)
2022 Will Mabrey 6^th Round (ARZ)
2022 Jorel Ortega 6^th Round (MIN)
2022 Seth Stephenson 7^th Round (DET)
2022 Mark McLaughlin 7^th Round (CHW)
2022 Cortland Lawson 14^th Round (WSH)
2023 Chase Dollander 1^st Round (COL)
2023 Maui Ahuna 4^th Round (SF)
2023 Andrew Lindsey 5^th Round (MIA)
2023 Seth Halvorsen 7^th Round (COL)
2023 Jared Dickey 11^th Round (KC)
2023 Zach Joyce 14^th Round (LAA)
2023 Jake Fitzgibbons 14^th Round (ARZ)
2023 Bryce Jenkins 17^th Round (NYM)
2024 Christian Moore 1^st Round (LAA)
2024 Blake Burke 1^st Round (MIL)
2024 Billy Amick 2^nd Round (MIN)
2024 Dylan Dreiling 2^nd Round (TEX)
2024 Drew Beam 3^rd Round (KC)
2024 Kavares Tears 4^th Round (SD)
2024 AJ Causey 5^th Round (KC)
Aaron Combs 8^th Round (CHW)