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Tennessee

Tanner Franklin selected by Cardinals in second round of MLB Draft

On3 imageby: Eric Cain07/14/25_Cainer
Tanner Franklin. Credit: Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Tanner Franklin. Credit: Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tennessee right-handed pitcher Tanner Franklin has been selected in the second round of the 2025 Major League Baseball Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals with the No. 72 overall pick. He joins teammate Liam Doyle who was drafted by the organization with the No. 5 overall pick in the draft. The slot value assigned with the pick is $1,145,900.

The 6-foot-5, 225-pounder from Jefferson County High School joined the Vols as a junior ahead of the 2025 season, transferring in from Kennesaw State following his first two years of collegiate baseball.

Franklin was heavily relied on out of the Tennessee bullpen in 2025, appearing in 27 games with one open while contributing a 4.89 ERA and a 1-2 record across 38.2 innings on the mound. The flamethrower struck out 52 batters and walked just nine, while opponents tallied a .268 batting average against him.

The pitcher was slated as the No. 124 draft prospect per MLB Pipeline and No. 122 by Baseball America ahead of draft weekend.

Scouting Report from MLB.com

Fastball: 70 | Cutter: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45

“Franklin walked 21 percent of the hitters he faced in two seasons at Kennesaw State and continued to do so as an all-star last summer in the Cape Cod League. He has pounded the zone with power stuff this year after transferring to Tennessee, though he has a somewhat limited Draft ceiling as a two-pitch reliever. He still lacks consistency, showing the ability to overwhelm hitters but also getting hit surprisingly hard at times.

Franklin ranks among the NCAA Division I leaders in overall and in-zone swing-and-miss rate with his fastball, no real surprise considering it operates at 94-98 mph and reaches 102 with huge carry and some armside run. He also throws one of the hardest cutters in college baseball, averaging 90 mph with a peak of 93, though it doesn’t miss nearly as many bats as his heater. He focuses on his main two pitches, rarely showing a slider or changeup that both sit in the upper 80s.

The Volunteers have helped Franklin tone down the effort in his delivery, enabling him to slice his walk rate to 6 percent this year, down from 20 percent during his sophomore season. But his command still leaves much to be desired, because he leaves way too many pitches over the fat part of the plate, and his cutter is especially vulnerable when he does. If he can come up with a solid second offering, he might be a closer.”

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