The 2024 MLB Draft begins on Sunday night with Tennessee baseball poised to have one of its busiest drafts in the program’s history.
Tennessee could have a number of current players selected early in the draft while they’re looking to survive the draft for a number of highly touted prep signees.
Here’s everything to know from Tennessee baseball’s perspective entering the MLB Draft.
Could Tennessee Break Its Program Record For Most Day One Draft Picks?
The first and second round of the MLB Draft is on Sunday night and Tony Vitello will be in attendance providing coverage for the MLB Network.
Tennessee’s program record for picks in the first two rounds is four back in 1971. While having five draft picks in the first two rounds is plausible but doubtful, the Vols could very well have four which would tie the program record and break the previous Vitello-era record back in 2022.
Christian Moore will almost certainly go in the first round while Billy Amick is projected as a fringe first round pick. After that is where things get interesting. First baseman Blake Burke, outfielder Dylan Dreiling and right-handed pitcher Drew Beam are all projected to go late in the second round or in the third round.
Two of them going on Sunday night would tie the program record while three of them going would break the program record.
Will Eric Rataczak Sign Professionally Or Make It To Campus?
Perhaps the biggest storyline for Tennessee baseball entering the MLB Draft is whether Niagara first baseman transfer Eric Rataczak will sign professionally or make it to campus.
In his redshirt junior season at Niagara, Rataczak hit .396 with 17 home runs, 32 extra-base hits and 71 RBIs. The left-handed hitting veteran isn’t listed as a top 500 prospect according to Baseball America. But Rataczak is already 23-years old and that makes his professional future cloudy.
There’s a real chance that Rataczak would start his professional career if he received a solid opportunity and he’s talented enough for someone to take a chance on him.
Rataczak broke down his thought process entering the draft with RTI earlier this week. Check it out here.
More From RTI: Tennessee Baseball Transfer Commits To Texas Tech
Will Tennessee Players Out Of Eligibility Receive Opportunities?
Outside of the potential first two round picks, outfielder Kavares Tears and right-handed pitchers AJ Causey and Aaron Combs will definitely be selected. Tears and Causey will likely go early on day two while Combs is projected to go later on day two.
After that group, no other current Tennessee players are guaranteed to be selected since Hunter Ensley already announced that he’s returning to Knoxville for his redshirt senior season.
But MLB teams could select outgoing seniors Zander Sechrist and Cal Stark in the final rounds of the 2024 MLB Draft. Sechrist finished his senior season with a 3.12 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 78 innings pitched and the left-handed pitcher was dominant in the final six starts of his career. That makes it possible that someone selects him during the final day of the draft.
Stark’s bat leaves something to be desired but he’s strong enough defensively to earn a professional chance. The question is whether someone will draft him or whether he’ll sign an undrafted free agent deal.
Which Tennessee Signees Will Sign Professionally?
Tennessee baseball’s 2024 signing class is the best of the Tony Vitello era. And with that comes a major risk factor of the Vols losing signees to the MLB Draft.
In ESPN’s final draft prospects rankings, seven Tennessee players landed in the top 200 including shortstop Manny Martin (128), shortstop Ty Southisene (132), right-handed pitcher Anson Seibert (164), catcher Levi Clark (173), Trey Snyder (175), shortstop Jay Abernathy (176) and right-handed pitcher Tegan Kuhns (186).
Other players that are risks for Tennessee to lose in the draft include outfielder Lucas Ramirez as well as right-handed pitchers Brayden Krenzel and Tate Strickland.
Each player’s demanded signing bonus is different so it will be interesting to see who opts to sign professionally and who decides to come to Tennessee. Much like recruiting, the Vols won’t keep or lose all of them.
