Former Tennessee baseball star Drew Gilbert’s hilarious antics were center stage during his time in Knoxville, and he hasn’t shied away from showing off his personality at all at the MLB level. Even before reuniting with his UT head coach, Tony Vitello, with the San Francisco Giants, he was going viral for his fiery nature.
This year, after being called back up to join the MLB ranks, Gilbert has been a key piece in a viral trend in the outfield. After wins, the trio of Giants outfielders got together and thrust their hips toward each other. However, apparently, the MLB cracked down and banned it.
In response, Gilbert and the outfielders have come up with new celebrations to skirt the rules. The most recent is a nod to a Key & Peele skit involving touchdown dances.
This is the one that needs to stay: pic.twitter.com/OmYQ5blXC6
— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) May 23, 2026
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Gilbert played at Tennessee from 2020-22. A two-way player to start his career, he settled in as a big bat in the heart of the Vols’ order and as the starting center fielder. In his final season, he hit at a .362 clip with 11 home runs. He was a First-Team All-American and SEC Tournament MVP that year.
Gilbert was selected 28th overall by the Houston Astros in the following MLB draft. However, he was traded to the Mets, then the Giants, before making his MLB debut with San Francisco in August of 2025. In that first season, he hit .190 with three home runs in 39 appearances and 100 at-bats.
This season, Gilbert is hitting for a .219 average in 33 games and 96 at-bats. He also has earned two home runs, a triple, three doubles, nine runs and nine RBI.
