The Kansas City Royals selected Tennessee right-handed pitcher AJ Causey with the second pick in the fifth round (No. 138 overall) in the 2024 MLB Draft on Monday afternoon.
With Kansas City, Causey joins fellow Tennessee teammate Drew Beam. The Royals selected Causey two rounds after taking Beam. The Tennessee duo were travel ball teammates in high school before becoming teammates in Knoxville.
Causey spent just one season in Knoxville after transferring from Jacksonville State to Tennessee ahead of his junior season. The submarine pitcher earned a massive role in Tennessee’s pitching staff. He was the Vols’ Friday night starter after AJ Russell suffered an injury early in the season.
After having two bad starts against Georgia and Auburn in SEC play, Causey moved into a bullpen role where he pitched extensively on Friday night’s behind opener Chris Stamos. Causey thrived in that role and was one of Tennessee’s most effective pitchers the second half of the season after making the move to the bullpen.
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Over the course of his lone season at Tennessee, Causey posted a 13-3 record, 4.43 ERA and 1.26 WHIP in 91.1 innings pitched. Causey’s 125 strikeouts were the most on the Vols’ roster by 26 and he also ranked first on Tennessee’s roster in wins and second in innings pitched.
The Harvest, Alabama native emerging as a strong right-handed arm was critical in Tennessee piecing together its pitching staff last season as they went over major roster overhaul on the mound entering the 2024 season.
The junior right-handed pitcher is the seventh Tennessee baseball player off the board in the 2024 MLB Draft joining second baseman Christian Moore, third baseman Billy Amick, first baseman Blake Burke, outfielder Dylan Dreiling, right-handed pitcher Drew Beam and outfielder Kavares Tears.
Stay tuned to RockyTopInsider.com over the next two days for complete coverage of the Vols’ in the 2024 MLB Draft.
