As expected, Tennessee starting pitcher Zach Linginfelter has signed with the Los Angeles Angels in the MLB. The Angels selected Linginfelter with the 271st overall pick in the ninth round of the 2019 MLB Draft a couple weeks ago.
According to Jim Callis, Linginfelter signed for $150,800, which is slightly below the typical value of where Linginfelter was selected. The slot value for the pick was slated at $153,300.
9th-rder Zach Lingenfelter signs with @Angels for $150,800 (pick 271 value = $153,300). Tennessee RHP, can hit 97 mph with fastball & flash a plus slider but inconsistent, profiles more as RP than SP. @MLBDraft
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) June 16, 2019
Linginfelter had a very up-and-down year with the Vols in 2019. At times, Linginfelter looked like he could be the ace of Tennessee’s staff, but other times he struggled with command and gave up home runs.
The 6-foot-5, 220-pound right-hander from Sevierville earned SEC Pitcher of the Week after a dominating performance against Indiana in late February, pitching six shutout innings and striking out 13 Hoosiers while only allowing two hits.
But as good as he looked then, he looked just as bad in UT’s last game of the season.
Linginfelter was roughed up for four runs in the first inning against North Carolina in the NCAA Tournament, and he was replaced before he could even get out of the opening inning.
The talented but inconsistent righty finished this past season with a career-worst 5.64 ERA and a 6-6 record. Opponents hit just .239 against him, but he gave up a career-high 10 home runs this season, double the amount he allowed as a sophomore. He struck out 71 batters in 68.2 innings and had 27 walks.
Linginfelter entered the season as the No. 138 overall prospect in the 2019 draft class according to D1Baseball.com.
Fellow Vol pitcher Garrett Stallings was also drafted by the Angels in the 2019 MLB Draft. Stallings, the ace of UT’s pitching staff this season, was taken with the 151st overall pick in the fifth round. The slot value of the 151st pick according to MLB.com is $353,700.
