How good has Tennessee left-handed pitcher Liam Doyle been in his first three starts of the 2025 season?
The Athletic’s Keith Law updated his list of the top 30 MLB Draft prospects earlier this week including Doyle as the No. 1 prospect in the 2025 draft.
Through three starts this season, Doyle has allowed just one run on six hits and three walks while striking out an incredible 34 batters in 14.1 innings pitched. The left hander has totaled 43 outs this season with 34 of them being strikeouts.
“He’s now sitting 96-98 with plus-plus life, so while he’s got a changeup and a hard slurve that are both above-average, he’s thrown about 75 percent fastballs through three starts because hitters can’t sniff it,” Law wrote. “The only real question is whether he can do it all spring: he had a 5.73 ERA for the Rebels last year in just 55 innings, missing plenty of bats (35 percent strikeout rate) but with too many walks and less velocity.”
Law’s top 30 list is riddled with Tennessee players and signees. Doyle is one of three current Vol players on the list along with middle infielder Gavin Kilen (No. 6) and infielder Dean Curley (No. 25).
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Kilen transferred to Tennessee from Louisville with great fanfare this offseason and is the Vols’ starting second baseman after playing shortstop for the Cardinals’ a season ago.
The left-handed bat came to Tennessee with the reputation of an elite contact hitter with some pop in the bat. Kilen has been that and more. Through 13 games, Kilen is hitting .511 with seven home runs, 14 extra-base hits and 14 walks. Kilen totaled just seven walks last season at Louisville.
Curley is the returning shortstop from Tennessee’s national championship team a season ago. The sophomore is stepping into a bigger role as the Vols’ leadoff hitter this season and is off a strong start to his season, hitting .356 with five home runs, 13 RBIs and 14 walks.
On top of their three current players on the top 30 list, the Vols have two signees listed as top 30 draft prospects including California shortstop Billy Carlson (No. 14) and Alabama shortstop Steele Hall (No. 27).
Tennessee baseball’s 2025 recruiting class is the top-ranked class in the entire country and it could be tough for Tony Vitello and his staff to stave off the MLB Draft and get players to campus.
