Draft Day Decision Time: Vols’ Kuhns, Incoming Stars Await Their Call
- Ellie Williamson
- 20 hours ago
- 4 min read
KNOXVILLE, TN - The 2026 MLB Draft kicks off Saturday in Philadelphia, and Tennessee baseball will have a stake in nearly every stage of it, from a potential first-round arm off this year’s roster to a pair of blue-chip high school signees who could hear their names called before they ever throw a pitch or take a swing in Knoxville. Rounds 1 through 4 start Saturday, July 11, beginning at 1 p.m. ET, with the marathon 15-round finale following Sunday, July 12.
If Tennessee is going to get a player picked in the draft’s opening rounds, it’s going to be junior right-hander Tegan Kuhns. Kuhns attended the MLB combine but did not participate in on-field activities.
The Vols’ ace battled through a rocky opening stretch of SEC play before locking in, and evaluators have taken notice of his mid-90s fastball that pairs with a sharp, downer curveball. ESPN’s draft rankings have Kuhns at No. 18 overall on their updated board, while MLB Pipeline has slotted him anywhere from the back of the first round to the competitive-balance range in the 20s and 30s in various recent mock drafts, including landing spots with the Cubs, Mariners, and Braves, depending on the version.
ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel has floated a slightly later landing spot in the 30s, projecting Kuhns to the Colorado Rockies at pick No. 37 in one mock. It is a franchise that already has a pipeline of former Vols on its roster, including pitchers Chase Dollander and Seth Halvorsen and outfielder Jordan Beck.
Wherever he lands, Kuhns would give Tennessee a first-round or seemingly-first-round-adjacent pick for a fifth consecutive year, continuing one of the most productive draft pipelines in college baseball.
Kuhns isn’t the only Vol whose name belongs in the conversation this weekend. Third baseman Henry Ford, who transferred in from Virginia and led the team with 20 home runs and 57 RBIs while hitting .293, checks in at No. 144 on MLB.com’s board.
Catcher/outfielder Garrett Wright, who paced Tennessee with a .348 average and .439 on-base percentage while getting plunked 19 times, sits at No. 188. Both were among four current Vols who received invitations to the MLB Draft Combine last month in Phoenix. Rhudy went 5-5 with a 3.56 ERA as a sophomore, striking out 106 batters over 81 innings. Like Kuhns, none of these names were found in on-field showcase activities at the Draft combine in Arizona. They did, however, attend the Combine process which included meetings with MLB front office staff, medical evaluations and more.
The more fascinating subplot for Tennessee fans might not involve a single player currently on the roster at all. Two headline names from the Vols’ 2026 signing class, one of the top three classes in the country, according to Perfect Game, are both considered legitimate first-round prospects, and how the draft unfolds could determine whether they ever put on the orange and white.
Outfielder Trevor Condon, out of Etowah High School in Georgia, ranks as the No. 21 prospect in the class according to Perfect Game and checks in at No. 12 on ESPN’s updated board. MLB Pipeline’s latest first-round projection has the Detroit Tigers taking Condon with the 22nd overall pick.
Right next to him on draft boards is left-hander/outfielder Jared Grindlinger, younger brother of Tennessee’s own Trent Grindlinger, who reclassified into the 2026 class and ranks as Perfect Game’s No. 5 overall prospect in the cycle. ESPN has Jared Grindlinger at No. 11 overall, and one MLB Pipeline mock had him going 11th to the Washington Nationals, noting his youth. He won’t turn 18 until nearly three months after draft day as a major point of intrigue for teams looking for long-term upside. Shortstop/right-hander Cole Koeninger, another Tennessee signee, rounds out the group as Perfect Game’s No. 14 prospect in the class.
This is familiar territory for Josh Elander’s program. Trent Grindlinger himself was a projected top-100 pick a year ago before he withdrew from the draft and honored his commitment to Tennessee, a decision that paid off immediately with an SEC All-Freshman season. Whether Condon, Jared Grindlinger, and Koeninger follow that same path, bypassing pro ball for college or get scooped up early and forgo Knoxville altogether, will shape what Tennessee’s 2027 roster looks like before it’s even had a chance to take shape.
Add in Kuhn’s pending decision on whether his name gets called early enough to sign, and this week represents one of the most consequential 48-hour window on Tennessee’s baseball calendar all year.
Here's the full list based on official
MLB Draft Combine invitations, which is the most reliable indicator of who's in play this year - 17 names total tied to Tennessee baseball.
Current Tennessee players (4)
Tegan Kuhns, RHP junior; ranked as high as No. 18 overall on ESPN's board
Bo Rhudy, RHP sophomore; 5-5, 3.56 ERA, 106 strikeouts in 81 innings
Henry Ford, 3B - transfer from Virginia; 293 avg., 20 HR, 57 RBI; No. 144 on MLB.com's board
Garrett Wright, C/OF - .348 avg., .439 OBP, hit by 19 pitches; No. 188 on MLB.com's board
2026 signing class (11)
Trevor Condon, OF - Etowah HS (Ga.); No. 21 per Perfect Game, No.12 per ESPN
Jared Grindlinger, LHP/OF -Huntington Beach HS (Calif.); No. 5 per Perfect Game, No. 11 per ESPN; brother of current Vol Trent Grindlinger
AJ Curry, OF
Jack Dugan, SS
Sean Dunlap, C
Gannon Grant, RHP
Kaiden McCarthy, RHP
Gary Morse, RHP
Tyler Putnam, RHP
Shawn Sullivan, RHP
Cole Koeninger, RHP/SS - No. 14 per Perfect Game
Transfer commits (2)
Ricky Ojeda - committed to Tennessee from UC Irvine on June 19
Jake McCoy - committed to Tennessee after three seasons at South Carolina, announced June 22
A caveat worth flagging: a combine invite signals draft eligibility and prospect status, not a guarantee of being selected - and for the incoming signees and transfer commits, being drafted doesn't necessarily mean they'll sign instead of enrolling at Tennessee.
Here is how you can watch this year’s MLB Draft:
Day 1 - Saturday, July 11 (Rounds 1-4), Philadelphia
• 1:00-2:30 p.m. ET: Picks 1-10 - NBC / Peacock
• 4:30-7:45 p.m. ET: Picks 41-135 —
Day 2 — Sunday, July 12 (Rounds 5-20)
If you want to track Tennessee-specific picks as they happen, MLB.com's draft ticker and MLB Pipeline updates in real time. TPL will also post final selections on socials.
Ig - @tenn_athletics
X - @tpltennessee
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