Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello is set to join the MLB Network’s coverage of the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft in Atlanta on Sunday night. It’s the third time in four years that Vitello will be part of the draft coverage, doing the same in 2022 and 2024.
In 2022, Vitello made a passionate statement about the impact that Drew Gilbert had not only on the Tennessee baseball program but Vitello’s life. In 2024, Vitello shared a cool moment with Christian Moore after the Los Angeles Angels selected the Tennessee star with the eighth pick in the draft.
Time will tell what the first night of the 2025 draft has in store but it could be the most eventful yet for Tennessee baseball. LHP Liam Doyle, first baseman Andrew Fischer and middle infielder Gavin Kilen all project as first round picks while infielder Dean Curley could go in the second round later in the night.
The first night of the draft will also see multiple Tennessee baseball commits selected, making an interesting dynamic for Vitello on the draft set.
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“I think ahead of time you want to hedge your bets. And you know that a guy, if he has a good spring, this could happen,” Vitello said on Sports Talk Wednesday. “What you really like is when you kind of know one way or the other, what’s going to happen. Again, man, this guy, no one’s saying that they’re going to take him as high as he wants to go, or as much money as he’s asking for.
“Or in the case of a kid like Billy Carlson from California, like he’s supposed to be a top 10 pick, and you never know what’s going to happen on draft day, but you kind of know to write him off, and you’re going to be excited for him when it happens. But then there’s those ones that are a surprise and a punch in the gut, and it’s the cost of doing business.”
Carlson, Steele Hall, Kruz Schoolcraft and Cameron Appenzeller are all Tennessee signees who project as first round picks. Virginia transfer commit Henry Ford could also backdoor into the second round though he projects more as an early second day selection.
The 2025 MLB Draft begins 6 p.m. ET on Sunday night. ESPN is broadcasting the event but watch MLB Network to watch Vitello’s coverage.
