University of Tennessee right-handed pitcher Hunter Martin was selected by the Houston Astros in the 20th round (601st overall) of the 2017 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

With his selection, Martin joins third baseman Jordan Rodgers (sixth round — Atlanta), righty Kyle Serrano (10th round — Houston) and lefthander Zach Warren (14th round — Philadelphia) as Tennessee’s 2017 Major League Draft picks through the first 20 rounds.

Martin is the second Volunteer selected by Houston in the 2017 Draft (10th round — Kyle Serrano), as well as the 131st all-time draft selection for Tennessee since 1965.

After claiming Tennessee’s Friday night starter role in 2017, Martin finished the season ranking ninth in NCAA Division I baseball and tied for first in the SEC with four complete games. He ranked fourth in the league with a 5.56 strikeout-to-walk ratio, as well as second among SEC pitchers with just 1.55 walks allowed per nine innings.

This season, Martin started a career-high 14 games, posting a 5-7 record with a 3.59 ERA with a career-best four complete games and 89 strikeouts in 92.2 innings of work. He led the Vols’ staff in multiple pitching categories, including innings pitched and strikeouts.

With his four complete games for the Volunteers as a senior, the Murfreesboro, Tenn., native also became the first UT pitcher to record multiple complete games in a single season since VFL and Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zack Godley did so in 2013 (6).

As a freshman on UT’s staff in 2014, Martin made an immediate impact as his 12 starts marked the second-most by a Volunteer that season. That year, he maintained a 3.25 ERA over 63.2 innings, marking the fourth-best ERA by a first-year Volunteer in school history.

Martin finished his UT career with a 13-17 overall record, 3.50 ERA and 181 strikeouts over 63 games (37 starts), spanning 231.2 innings pitched. His 63 appearances are now the 10th-most by a Vol in school history. 

-UT Athletics

University of Tennessee pitcher Zach Warren was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 14th round (413th overall) of the 2017 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

With his selection, Warren joins third baseman Jordan Rodgers (sixth round — Atlanta) and pitcher Kyle Serrano (10th round – Houston) as Tennessee’s 2017 Major League Draft picks through the first 14 rounds.

Previously drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates (23rd round — 2014) out of high school, Warren is the 130th all-time draft selection for the Volunteers since 1965 and is the first pick by Philadelphia out of Rocky Top since fellow lefty VFL Bryan Morgado was taken in the fourth round of the 2010 MLB Draft.

Warren claimed Tennessee’s Saturday starter role to begin 2017 before transitioning into one of Tennessee’s go-to relievers. He started 11 of 18 games, posting a 2-5 record with one save and 6.31 ERA while collecting 34 strikeouts over 51.1 innings of work.

Prior to the 2017 season, Warren was tabbed a Top 100 Draft Prospect (No. 64) by Baseball America and earned a position on USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team. The Vineland, New Jersey native was the 20th Tennessee player to join Team USA and just the third Volunteer pitcher to make the roster in school history. He was first Vol to represent the United States on the hill since VFL and Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zack Godley served as an alternate on the 2012 squad.

Warren maintained a 4.04 ERA over a career-high 75.2 innings pitched during his sophomore campaign. He fired 58 strikeouts and allowed 34 earned runs en route to earning five wins that season.

As a freshman on UT’s staff in 2015, Warren saw action in eight games, making five starts. He totaled 23.0 innings of work and threw 16 strikeouts to earn two wins.

Over 40 career appearances (30 starts) for the Orange and White, Warren is 9-10 with a 4.98 ERA and 108 strikeouts in 150.0 innings pitched. 

-UT Athletics