The 2024 MLB Draft was a strong one for Tony Vitello's Tennessee baseball program after winning its first national championship.
Ben McKee
The MLB Draft was a successful one for Tennessee baseballyet again. Eight players were drafted off this past season's national-championship winning team to tie the 2023 and 1992 teams for the second-most in program history.
All eight ofUT's draft picks were selected during the first two days of the three-day event. No school in the country had more picks through the first 10 rounds of the draft.Tennessee led all programs with four picks on day one, representing the most players selected through the first two rounds of any draft in program history.
The Volunteershave had at least seven players selected each year since the MLB Draft was shortened to 20 rounds in 2021.They lead the nation with 33 total players drafted during that span.
Tennessee had two players selected in the first round of the MLB Draft for the second time in the last three years. UT has nowhad at least one player selected in the first round of the MLB Draft in four of the last five years. With Christian Moore's selection,it hashad players picked in the top-10 overall in back-to-back drafts for the first time in program history during the modern draft era after pitcher Chase Dollander went ninth overall to the Colorado Rockies last year.
Moore and Blake Burke, who rank first and second in program history in career home runs, are the 20th and 21st first-round picks in program history.They're the fifth and sixth under head coach Tony Vitello and staff.
Here's a recap of all the Tennessee baseball players who were drafted in the 2024 MLB Draft.
INFChristianMoore,Los AngelesAngels
Pick: No. 8 overall, 1st round
Slot value: $6,502,800
Moore became both the highest-drafted Vol and the fifth first-round pick in the Tony Vitello era when the Angels selected him No. 8 overall. He's the highest-drafted Vol since Nick Senzel was picked No. 2 by the Cincinnati Reds in 2016.
The Brooklyn, New York native finished his college career as a unanimous All-American after turning in one of the greatest single seasons in program history to lead Tennessee to its first ever national championship. He became just the third player in SEC history to win the Triple Crown, leading the SEC during conference play with a .429 batting average, 20 home runs and 41 RBIs. He also led the league with 57 hits and 123 total bases.
Moore finished the year as the nation's leader in hits (111) and total bases (236), while also ranking in the top-25 nationally in home runs (3rd, 34), runs (t-8th, 83) and slugging percentage (14th, .797).
1BBlakeBurke,Milwaukee Brewers
Pick: No. 34 overall, 1st round
Slot value: $2,698,300
Tennessee has now had two first-round picks in two of the last three seasons after Moore and Burke were both selected in the opening round. UT has had five total first rounders in those three years.
Burke turned in the best season of his three-year career this year, leading the nation with 30 doubles and finishing second in the country with 108 hits. The California native's 30 doubles are tied for the most in program history while his 108 hits rank fifth most in Tennessee single-season history. He also posted career highs in batting average (.379), runs (74), home runs (20), RBIs (61), walks (35), total bases (200) and stolen bases (11).
3BBillyAmick,MinnesotaTwins
Pick: No.60 overall,2nd round
Slot value: $1,453,700
Amick is the third Tennessee infielder to be drafted by the Twins in the last four drafts. Minnesota selected former UT third baseman Jake Rucker in the 2022 draft before picking second baseman Jorel Ortega a year later in the 2023 draft. Former slugger Alerick Soularie was also drafted by the Twins when they spent the No. 59 pick on the utility man in 2020.
The Batesburg, S.C. native ranked fifth on the Vols with a .313 batting average and a 1.055 OPS in his lone season at Rocky Top after transferring from Rocky Top. He ranked second with 23 homers and third with 65 RBIs despite missing eight games, while tallying 23 multi-hit games and 15 multi-RBI games.
OFDylanDreiling,TexasRangers
Pick: No.65 overall,2nd round
Slot value: $1,287,600
Tennessee's left fielder was the fourth Vol to be picked when the Rangers selected him towards the end of the second round. Dreiling's selection set a new program for most players drafted through the first two rounds of the draft.
Dreiling was an All-American for Tennessee after a monster sophom*ore season in which he hit .341 with 19 doubles, 23 home runs and a team-leading 75 RBIs, which rank sixth most in program history. The first-team All-SEC outfielder also led the Big Orange with 53 walks and a .459 on-base percentage.
RHPDrewBeam,Kansas CityRoyals
Pick: No.76 overall,3rd round
Slot value: $1,030,000
Beam earnedAll-America honors for the second time in his career this season.Heled the team with 19 starts and tossed a career-high 102.1 innings, posting a 9-2 recordwith acareer-best 99 strikeouts. Beam was 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA and 14 strikeouts over two starts at the Men's College World Series.
The Murfreesboro, Tennessee, native finished his Tennessee career ranked among the program leaders in a handful of categories, including tied for second in starts (52) and third in victories (26). Beam also ranks tied for sixth in strikeouts (249) and ninth in innings pitched (262.2) in UT career annals.
OFKavaresTears,San DiegoPadres
Pick: No. 134 overall, 4thround
Slot value: $525,200
Tears enjoyed a breakout season in his third year with the program to position himself as an early-round draft pick. He hit .324 with 20 home runs, 62 RBIs, 16 doubles and 45 walks.
The Lewisburg, Tenn. native was a huge part of Tennessee's success in Omaha, batting .269 with three runs scored, two doubles, a triple, two home runs and seven RBIs.
Tears went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer and an RBI double in a win over North Carolina on Father's Day. His four RBIs tied his career high and marked the first four-RBI outing from a UT player in the MCWS since Jeff Christensen on June 12, 2001, in a 10-2 win over Southern Cal. Tears became just the fifth Vol to hit multiple homers in a MCWS game.
RHP AJ Causey,Kansas CityRoyals
Pick: No.138 overall,5th round
Slot value: $505,000
Causey earned third-team All-America honors from three different outlets after finishing the year tied for first in the country with 13 victories. TheJacksonville State transfer earned a win or a save in 14 of his 19 outings with eight of his victories coming against SEC foes.
In his lone season on Rocky Top, Causeyposted a 13-3 record with a team-leading 125 strikeouts, a mark that ranked 11th nationally and third in the SEC. His13 wins aretied for fourth on UT's single-season wins list, while his strikeout total finished as the sixth-highest in program history.
RHPAaron Combs,ChicagoWhite Sox
Pick: No.229 overall, 8thround
Slot value: $232,200
Combswas one of the bestrelievers in the countryduring the second half of Tennessee's championship season. Theright-hander recorded the final three outs of the Men's College World Series championship game to conclude his two-year career with the Vols.
The Sarasota, Fla. nativeended the season with a 3-1 record and 3.35 ERA in 24 appearances while finishing fourth on theteamwith 66 strikeouts in 45.2 innings pitched. In SEC play, Combs posted a 1.25 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP while holding opposing hitters to a .152 average in 11 SEC appearances.
Combs finished tied for the team lead and fifth in the SEC with six saves on the year, including saves in both the SEC Tournament Championship game and the final game of the MCWS finals.
