ATLANTA – For the fourth straight year, Tennessee finished among the national leaders in players selected in the Major League Baseball Draft.
The Volunteers had nine players chosen in the 2025 MLB Draft, including a record-setting four first-round picks and eight in the first three rounds. The nine selections were tied for the fourth most among Division I schools and are the second most in a single draft in program history, falling just one short of the 2022 team’s record 10 picks.
UT has had an NCAA-leading 45 players chosen since 2020 and under the leadership of head coach Tony Vitello, has had 52 players drafted since 2018, averaging just over 6.5 picks per year. The Big Orange have produced at least seven selections in each of the last five drafts dating back to 2021, with 10 in 2022, eight in 2023, eight in 2024 and nine this year.
It was a record-setting night for Tennessee on Sunday during Day 1 of the draft in Atlanta.
The Volunteers led all schools with a program-record eight players selected in the opening three rounds, including four first rounders in Liam Doyle, Gavin Kilen, Andrew Fischer and Marcus Phillips.
UT’s four first-round picks were also a program high and were tied with Arkansas for the most of any school in this year’s draft. Tennessee’s seven players picked in the first two rounds led all programs and was a school record, as well.
Arkansas, LSU and Florida State, who all had four players taken on Sunday night, were the next closest programs to the Big Orange in terms of total players selected on Day 1.
Headlined by first rounders Doyle and Phillips, five of UT’s eight selections on Day 1 were pitchers, setting another highwater mark for the program. Prior to Sunday night, the most pitchers picked in the first three rounds of any draft was two in 2022 and 2006.
More information on each of Tennessee’s draft picks can be found below.
Fans can see every pick of this year’s draft on the MLB Draft Tracker.
2025 Tennessee Draft Picks
DAY 1 (ROUNDS 1-3)
LHP Liam Doyle – St. Louis Cardinals – First Round – No. 5 Overall
After earning unanimous first-team All-America honors as a junior this season, Doyle became the 22nd first-round pick in program history and highest drafted player of the Tony Vitello era, going No. 5 overall to the St. Louis Cardinals. He is the seventh Vol to be selected in the first round under Vitello (2018-present) and is the first UT player to be selected by the Cardinals since Benito Santiago was picked in the 34th round of the 2018 draft.
The flamethrowing lefthander is widely considered to have the best fastball in this year’s draft and finished his junior campaign ranked second in the nation with a Tennessee program record 164 strikeouts while his 15.64 strikeouts per nine innings led the NCAA. Doyle posted a 10-4 record and 3.20 ERA in 19 appearances (17 starts) to help lead Tennessee to its fifth consecutive NCAA super regional.
The Derry, New Hampshire, native, was just the third Vol to ever garner SEC Pitcher of the Year honors and was also the third player in program history to be named a finalist for both the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy, joining UT legends Todd Helton (1995) and Chris Burke (2001). His impressive list of accolades also included being named the Perfect Game National Pitcher of the Year and the NCBWA District 3 Pitcher of the Year.
SS Gavin Kilen – San Francisco Giants – First Round – No. 13 Overall
Kilen became the eighth first rounder of the Vitello era after being selected with the 13th pick in the first round by the San Francisco Giants. He is the second-highest drafted position player to be selected under Vitello behind Christian Moore, who was taken with the No. 8 overall pick by the Angels in the 2024 draft. Kilen joins fellow shortstop Maui Ahuna (fourth round – 2023) as the second player during Vitello’s tenure to be picked by the Giants.
Kilen made the most of his lone season on Rocky Top, earning All-America honors from three different outlets and ABCA Southeast All-Region accolades in 2025. The Milton, Wisconsin, native, led the team with a .357 batting average and four triples. The junior middle infielder also ranked second on the team in OPS (1.112), homers (15), total bases (141) and slugging percentage (.671) despite missing 12 games in the middle of the season with a hamstring injury. The versatile infielder was also a first-team All-SEC selection after racking up 32 extra-base hits and a career-high 46 RBIs.
3B Andrew Fischer – Milwaukee Brewers – First Round – No. 20 Overall
Fischer was the third Volunteer selected in the opening round, tying the program record from 2007. Like Doyle, the junior slugger was tabbed a unanimous first-team All-American as a junior in 2025 during his lone season with the Vols. With the pick, Tennessee has now had players selected by the Brewers in the first round in back-to-back years after Blake Burke went 34th overall to Milwaukee in 2024.
Fischer put together one of the most complete offensive seasons in program history, leading the Big Orange in OPS (1.257), runs (70), home runs (25), RBIs (65), total bases (165), slugging percentage (.760), on-base percentage (.497) and walks (63). His 63 walks tied Chase Headley’s program record from 2005 while his 25 long balls led the SEC and were the second most in a single season in UT history.
The Manasquan, New Jersey, native, was the only player in the country to reach base in every game, getting on in all 65 contests. Fischer’s marks in homers (third), walks (fourth), slugging percentage (11th) and total bases (18th) all rank in the top 20 nationally.
RHP Marcus Phillips – Boston Red Sox – First Round (CB-A) – No. 33 Overall
Phillips became the Vols’ record-setting fourth pick of the first round, being selected as a competitive balance pick with the 33rd overall selection by the Boston Red Sox. He is the fourth Tennessee pitcher to be taken in the first round under Vitello and pitching coach Frank Anderson, joining Doyle, Chase Dollander (2023 – Colorado Rockies) and Garrett Crochet (2020 – Chicago White Sox).
The hard-throwing righthander had a breakout season in 2025, staking his claim in the weekend rotation. Phillips started all 17 weekends for the Big Orange and finished the year with a 3.90 ERA, a 1.31 WHIP and 98 strikeouts over 83.0 innings. Phillips was a 2025 Perfect Game Midseason All-American and named the College Baseball Foundation National Pitcher of the Week on March 18.
RHP AJ Russell – Texas Rangers – Second Round – No. 52 Overall
One of the most talented arms in this year’s draft, Russell was the third UT hurler to come off the board after being selected by the Texas Rangers with the 52nd overall pick in the second round. The Franklin, Tennessee, native, is third Tennessee player to be drafted by the Rangers under Vitello, joining pitcher Jackson Leath (12th round – 2021) and outfielder Dylan Dreiling (2nd round – 2024).
Despite being limited in 2025 while working his way back from offseason elbow surgery, Russell still put up solid numbers as a junior, posting a 3.55 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 25.1 innings of work. Following his debut season in 2023, Russell earned freshman All-America honors from three different outlets and was also named an NCBWA Third-Team All-American after recording a 0.89 ERA in 24 appearances. He struck out 47 and issued just seven walks over 30.1 innings, primarily as a reliever on Tennessee’s College World Series squad.
During his three seasons at UT, Russell finished with a 2.70 ERA and 104 strikeouts in 70.0 innings pitched (42 appearances, 11 starts) while holding opposing hitters to a .179 batting average.
SS Dean Curley – Cleveland Guardians – Second Round – No. 64 Overall
The starting shortstop on the Vols’ national championship team as a true freshman in 2024, Curley was selected in the second round with the 64th overall pick by the Cleveland Guardians. He is the 10th Tennessee position player to be taken in the top two rounds under Vitello.
The California native was a freshman All-American and earned SEC All-Freshman Team honors in 2024 before posting an impressive sophomore season in 2025 in which he started all 65 games and batted .315 with 14 home runs and 51 RBIs, all of which ranked top four on the team. During his two seasons on Rocky Top, Curley hit .301 with 46 extra-base hits, 26 homers, 101 RBIs and 76 walks.
RHP Tanner Franklin – St. Louis Cardinals – Second Round (CB-B) – No. 72 Overall
Franklin made it four Volunteer pitchers taken in the first two rounds after being selected as a competitive balance pick by the St. Louis Cardinals at No. 72 overall. The hard-tossing righthander is the seventh Tennessee hurler to be picked in the opening two rounds under Vitello and Anderson.
The Jefferson City, Tennessee, native, boasts a 100-plus MPH fastball and was one of the Vols most relied upon relievers in 2025. Franklin struck out 52 batters in 38.2 innings pitched with a 1.27 WHIP and had two saves over 27 appearances during his lone season in Orange and White.
RHP Nate Snead – Los Angeles Angels – Third Round (SUP) – No. 105 Overall
Snead rounded out the Vols’ night one selections, going to the Los Angeles Angels with the final pick of the night at No. 105 overall. The junior righthander the sixth Vol to be drafted by the Angels during the Vitello era, joining the likes of Christian Moore (first round – 2024), Zach Joyce (14th round – 2023), Ben Joyce (third round – 2022), Garrett Stallings (fifth round – 2019) and Zach Linginfelter (ninth round – 2019).
Snead was one of Tennessee’s most trusted relievers during his two-year stint with the program and played an instrumental role on the Vols’ 2024 national championship team, earning ABCA Southeast All-Region honors that season after going 10-2 with a 3.11 ERA and six saves.
The Milwaukee, Wisconsin, native, posted an impressive 14-2 record and 11 saves in 52 appearances during his two years on Rocky Top after starring at Wichita State as a freshman in 2023.
DAY 2 (ROUNDS 4-20)
C Cannon Peebles – Cleveland Guardians – 17th Round – No. 522 Overall
The pinch-hitting backstop had a solid junior year as UT’s No. 1 catcher, especially during the second half of the season. Peebles hit 11 homers and drove in 41 runs while posting a .335 on-base percentage. During conference play, he was tied for second on the team with seven long balls and 22 RBIs and was named to the SEC All-Tournament team.
Peebles burst onto the scene as a freshman in 2023 with NC State, batting .352 with 12 home runs and 50 RBIs for the Wolfpack to earn freshman All-America honors from multiple outlets. During his three-year college career, the Ashland, Virginia, native, slashed .275/.387/.511 with 26 doubles, 25 homers and 115 RBIs.
