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What Tony Vitello said on Marcus Phillips going No. 33 overall to Boston

On3 imageby: Eric Cain07/14/25_Cainer
Tennessee pitcher Marcus Phillips. Credit: UT Athletics (Kate Luffman)
Tennessee pitcher Marcus Phillips. Credit: UT Athletics (Kate Luffman)

Tony Vitello, who was on the MLB Network set providing draft analysis for the first round, was quick to comment on Marcus Phillips being drafted No. 33 overall by the Boston Red Sox on Sunday night.   

The selection is a new program record as the 2007 trio of J.P Arencibia, Julio Borbon and James Adkins previously held the mark for most first round picks I a single draft cycle for the Vols.

“A story of development,” Vitello said f Phillips. “You got a kid that [is] from the north – from the Dakotas – goes to junior college. He was a two-way athlete. Wasn’t sure if he was going to be a hitter or a pitcher.”

Phillips moved into the starting rotation as a junior with the Vols in 2025, making 17 starts with a 3.90 ERA and a 4-5 overall record. He tossed 83.0 innings on the year – second on the team to Liam Doyle – with 98 strikeouts to 34 walks. Opponents tallied a .239 clip against the 6-foot-4, 245-pound native from Sioux Falls, S.D. The slot value assigned to this pick is $2,898,300.

“From the moment he decided he was just going to be a pitcher and he was going to be a guy, you’ve seen a gradual progression in literally every single category,” the skipper praised. “Whether it’s getting his delivery under control, throwing more strikes, holding on runners, which became an issue in the middle of the year that he literally fixed mid-season. But the biggest thing is just the maturation process.”

The hurler tossed a seven-inning gem against Florida on March 15 where he allowed no runs. He struck out a career-high eight batters on four occasions, most recently against Cincinnati in the Knoxville Regional.

His first season with Tennessee in 2024 – fresh out of junior college – Phillips appeared in 19 games, making two starts, with a 4.95 ERA across 20.0 innings pitched. He struck out 22 and walked 15 batters throughout his first season of Southeastern Conference play.  

“The way he started talking different, the people he was hanging out with. Just an awesome, awesome development piece,” Vitello concluded. “And a lot of these guys have been on the scene and done all this, the fancier events for a long time. This kid was on the outside looking in and he kicked the door down. And kudos to him for what he’s got going on right now. And I think he’s got a lot of room for improvement.”

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