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Where Tennessee Baseball players are ranked in MLB.com's Top 100 for the '25 MLB Draft

On3 imageby:Eric Cain•12/11/24•

_Cainer

Dean Curley
Credit: UT Athletics

The Tennessee baseball program is well represented among some of the best 2025 MLB draft prospects as six Vols rank inside the top-100, according to MLB.com.    

Rising sophomore middle infielder Dean Curley leads the group of current players at No. 24 while incoming middle infield transfer Gavin Kilen checks in four spots behind at No. 28. Fellow transfer infielder Andrew Fischer was listed at No. 42 while right-handed hurler AJ Russell was next at No. 43. Flame-thrower Nate Snead checked in at No. 69 and southpaw transfer Liam Doyle rounded out the list for the Vols at No. 75.

Additionally, three current class of 2025 Tennessee commits appeared on the list. Middle infielder Billy Carlson was listed at No. 12 while pitcher Cameron Appenzeller was No. 22. Middle infielder Ethan Moore also appeared on the top-100 list at No. 58.  

Tennessee had the most current players (6) listed as top-100 prospects.

Dean Curley, INF, SO

The 6-foot-3, 212-pounder had a banner year as a freshman on rocky Top (literally) as Curley picked up Freshman All-American honors from D1 Baseball and Baseball America, was named to the SEC All-Freshmen Teram, was named to the College World series All-Tournament Team and was a 2024 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Participant. The true freshman starting shortstop for the Big Orange hit .285 with 12 home runs and 50 RBI in 67 games played. Curley tallied 63 hits, scored 51 runs and walked 31 times.  

Gavin Kilen, INF, Louisville Transfer: A 5-foot-11, 180-pound sophomore who is draft eligible in 2025, has two years of eligibility remaining and was one of the biggest names in the transfer portal. He finished the 2024 season with a .330 average, nine home runs, 41 runs batted in, 39 runs scored, 23 doubles and three triples. He led Louisville in hits, doubles and total bases while his 23 doubles were tied for fifth-most in program history while starting 54 of his 56 games at shortstop this past spring. As a freshman in 2023, Kilen played in 46 games with 38 starts across the middle infield – 30 at second base and eight at shortstop. He logged a .265 batting average with nine doubles, a triple and 18 RBI.

Andrew Fischer, INF (Ole Miss Transfer): A 6-foot-1, 205-pound sophomore who is draft eligible in 2025 will have two seasons of eligibility remaining in Knoxville. Fischer was named Second-Team All-SEC in 2024 following his first and only year in Oxford where he hit .285 with 20 homers and 57 runs batted in. The hot corner defender struck out 53 times and walked on 35 occasions over 207 at-bats while also logging 10 doubles with a pair of triples. Fischer led the squad in home runs, RBI, hits (59) and was second in runs scored (47).

AJ Russel, RHP, JR

The 6-foot-6, 207-pound righty is built for professional baseball while possessing a four-pitch mix on the mound. His 2024 season was cut short in what eventually resulted in Tommy John surgery, but he’s expected back midway through the 2025 season this spring. Russell was a three-time Freshman All-American and Third-Team All-American (NCBWA) in 2023 after going 2-0 over 24 appearances and 30.1 inning s pitched that featured 47 strikeouts to seven walks.

Nate Snead, RHP, JR

The 6-foot-2, 212-pound hard-throwing righty burst onto the scene in SEC play last season after transferring in from Wichita State. He was a USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Participant last summer after logging 75.1 innings, in a variety of roles, with a 10-2 record over 29 appearances and one start. Snead struck out 61, walked 26 and locked down six saves out of the bullpen.     

Liam Doyle, LHP (Ole Miss Transfer): A 6-foot-2, 220-pound sophomore who is draft eligible in 2025 with two years of eligibility remaining in Knoxville. Doyle tossed 55 innings over 16 appearances in 2024 with 11 starts, contributing a 3-4 record with an ERA of 5.73. The lefty struck out 84 batters, walked 21 and opponents hit .230 against him. The pitcher tossed a gem at Tennessee on March 23 this past season, throwing six-innings strong of three earned-run baseball with 10 strikeouts to only one walk. He allowed only three this in the victory and the 10 strikeouts tied for a season-high as he accomplished the feat just a week prior as well in a win over South Carolina at home.  

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