Two current Tennessee baseball players have landed as projected Top 30 draft picks in this year’s MLB Draft.
In Kiley McDaniel’s first mock draft round for the 2024 slate, the ESPN expert has a slew of SEC players in the Top 30 picks. Tennessee has two players on the list with second baseman Christian Moore as the higher-ranked of the two.
McDaniel has Moore going at No. 16 to the Miami Marlins in the first round. McDaniel did point out that Tennessee teammate Billy Amick had previously been the top-projected Vol in the draft but that Moore’s consistency and late-season explosion have propelled him forward.
“Moore was perceived to be behind teammate Billy Amick in the draft a month ago but has now overtaken him with a blazing-hot finish,” McDaniel wrote. “Miami is tied to ACC/SEC position players, which also is what the board is giving them at this point. This is also the first spot prep SS Carter Johnson and RF P.J. Morlando come up, though they likely land later.”
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Moore has been Tennessee’s go-to guy from the leadoff position this year with a team-high in at-bats leading to a .382 batting average, 94 hits, 16 doubles, 28 home runs, a .789 slugging percentage, and 63 RBIs – all being career-highs, too.
Next up is Tennessee third baseman Billy Amick, who lands as the No. 26 projected pick to the New York Yankees. After transferring to Tennessee from Clemson last season, Amick has put up strong numbers despite missing time throughout the season. Amick has been a key piece of Tennessee’s three-man nightmare top-of-the-order batting lineup, finding success to the tune of a .317 average, 65 hits, 12 doubles, 19 home runs, 53 RBIs, and a .663 slugging percentage.
“The Yankees have been tied to Amick, Cijntje, Doughty, Benge, Waldschmidt, Bateman and Jonathan Santucci,” McDaniel wrote. “Those last two may have a chance to get to New York’s next pick.”
The MLB Draft will begin on July 14 from Texas.
