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Jared Dickey, signee Carson Rucker, ink MLB deals

On3 imageby:Eric Cain•07/19/23•

_Cainer

Jared Dickey
Credit: UT Athletic Communications

Tennessee outfielder/catcher Jared Dickey and 2023 baseball signee Carson Rucker have inked deals with the royals and Tigers after being selected last week in the 2023 Major League Baseball Draft.

Dickey was taken by Kansas City early on day three with the 319th overall pick in the 11th round. It was the fifth pick of day three as the versatile player was originally tabbed as the No. 115 draft prospect by MLB Pipeline. Because of his slide, the Royals made him a priority pick in round 11 and signed him for $572,500, according to Jim Callis of MLB.com.    

The amount checks in as a fourth-round slot-value, just under his initial ranking.

Rucker, the younger brother of former Vol Jake Rucker, was a 2023 Tennessee baseball signee out of Goodpasture Christian. The projected third baseman was drafted 25 spots over his MLB Pipeline ranking at 107thy overall in the fourth round by Detroit. Callis reports the Tigers signed him at $775,000 where his slot value was $627,000. Translation: Rucker had a payday.

Following an injury-plagued redshirt-freshman season in 2022, Dickey finally found consistent playing time in 2023 and was Tennessee’s lone All-SEC player. The left-handed hitter led the Vols with a .328 batting average and has some versatility to his game, playing the corner outfield spots or behind the plate. Defensively, it will be a work in progress as he’ll need repetitions to refine his game. His bat, however, is what put him on team’s radars and that will carry him through the minor leagues.

From MLB.com, “Rucker is a bigger and stronger version of his older brother, Jake, a seventh-round pick of the Twins in 2021, who played three seasons at Tennessee. Carson has had a decorated amateur career, playing on a Goodletsville (Tenn.) club that reached the U.S. championship game of the 2016 Little League World Series and winning Division II Class A Mr. Tennessee baseball honors in each of the last two seasons and a state championship with Goodpasture Christian (Madison) in 2022. If he doesn’t turn pro this summer, he’ll follow his brother’s path and play for the Volunteers.”

Vols in the 2023 MLB Draft

RHP Chase Dollander – Rockies – Round 1, 9th overall – Signed
3B Carson Rucker (commit) – Tigers – Round 4, 107th overall – Signed
SS Maui Ahuna – Giants – Round 4, 117th overall
RHP Andrew Lindsey – Marlins- Round 5, 146th overall pick – Signed
RHP Seth Halvorsen – Rockies – Round 7, 202nd overall pick
OF/C Jared Dickey – Royals – Round 11, 319th overall pick – Signed
INF Ryan Galanie (transfer portal commit) – White Sox – Round 13, 389th overall pick – Signed
RHP Zach Joyce – Angels – Round 14, 414th overall pick
LHP Jake Fitzgibbons – Diamondbacks – Round 14, 415th overall pick (transfer portal) – Signed
RHP Bryce Jenkins – Mets – Round 17, 516th overall pick – Signed

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