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Tennessee

Gavin Kilen selected No. 13 overall by Giants in MLB Draft

On3 imageby: Eric Cain07/13/25_Cainer
Gavin Kilen. Credit: Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Gavin Kilen. Credit: Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tennessee infielder Gavin Kilen has been drafted in the first round with the 13th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft by the San Francisco Giants. Kilen becomes the 23rd first round pick in program history and the eighth of the Tony Vitello era.

Kilen, who played shortstop the final month of the season after starting the year at the keystone, hit a team-high .357 and had a 1.112 OPS with a .671 slugging percentage after transferring to Tennessee from Louisville. He hit 15 home runs, had 46 RBI and 60 runs scored on his 75 hits, which included 13 doubles and four triples. He started 52 times in 53 games while missing roughly 12 games with injury midway through the year.  

The junior becomes the 23rd first round draft pick in program history and the eighth of the Tony Vitello era at Tennessee. He is now the third infielder selected in the first round of the Tony Vitello era, joining Christian Moore and Blake Burke who were first rounders last summer. Kilen was slated as the No. 21 prospect by MLB Pipeline and No. 25 from Baseball America ahead of draft weekend. He was also a four-time All-American in 2025.

Kilen joins teammate Liam Doyle as first round picks thus far in 2025, making it the sixth time in program history Tennessee has sported a pair of first rounders. With one more first round selection, the Vols would match a program-record of three set back in 2007.

The slot value assigned for the No. 13 overall pick is $5,524,300. Teammate Liam Doyle was selected No. 5 overall by the Cardinals moments before.

Scouting Report from MLB.com

Hit: 60 | Power: 45 | Run: 50 | Arm: 50 | Field: 55 | Overall: 55

“Kilen displayed some of the best bat-to-ball skills in the 2022 high school class but slid to the Red Sox in the 13th round because he was set on attending Louisville. He spent two years with the Cardinals, boosting his OPS from .659 as a freshman second baseman to .952 as a sophomore shortstop before deciding to transfer to Tennessee. He slid back over to second this spring while establishing himself as one of the best hitters in the Southeastern Conference.

With outstanding hand-eye coordination, a quick left-handed swing and feel for the barrel, Kilen continues to excel as a contact hitter. He tends to swing too often and chase breaking pitches, sometimes putting pitches in play without much authority and rarely drawing walks. He has shown more power with the Volunteers but may not have more than average raw pop, and while his hitting ability should enable him to get to most of it, he has yet to prove he can drive balls in the air with wood bats.

Kilen’s skills stand out more than his tools, with his speed and arm strength both grading as average. He has good actions and instincts but the game speeds up on him and his arm is a bit stretched at shortstop. He’s a solid defender at second base and could develop in a similar fashion to fellow Wisconsin prep product Gavin Lux.”

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