One of Tennessee baseball’s top high school signees is headed to campus. On Sunday, after 10 rounds of the 2026 MLB Draft had expired, right-handed pitcher Gary Morse told Rocky Top Insider that he plans to withdraw from the draft and play for the Vols.
Morse ranks as the No. 94 overall recruit in the nation on Perfect Game. He is the No. 25 right-handed pitcher in the class, as well. A massive 6-foot-8 right-hander from California, Morse put on a show at last month’s MLB Combine, where his fastball touched 100 mph.
Morse is from Bellflower, California, where he plays for Orange Lutheran High School. He is the No. 17 player from the state and No. 4 right-handed pitcher.
‘26 RHP Gary Morse of Orange Lutheran HS (Tennessee Signee)
FB: 92-95 T:96 🔥
SL: 74-77
CH: 84-86
CB: 72After the first 2 innings, Morse would really settle in operating a 4-pitch mix of FB/CH/CB/SL, throwing each one of effectively, causing swings-and-misses and command of… pic.twitter.com/I07D5g9sC5
Advertisement— PREP BASEBALL CALIFORNIA (@PrepBaseballCA) May 23, 2026
More From RTI: Elite Tennessee Baseball Catcher Signee Withdraws From MLB Draft, Will Play for Vols
Morse is now the third right-handed pitcher to announce he’ll not be going pro and will play for Tennessee, instead. Also announcing after the 10th round were Gannon Grant and Shawn Sullivan.
Tennessee has also had a number of signees selected in the draft, though. This features outfielder/left-handed pitcher Jared Grindlinger (Angels – Pick 12), outfielder Trevor Condon (Cardinals – Pick 13), right-handed pitcher Kaiden McCarthy (Braves – Pick 48) and right-handed pitcher Ty Putnam (Rockies – Pick 136).
Through 10 rounds, a quartet of Vols has also heard their names called. In the first round, star right-handed pitcher Tegan Kuhns went No. 31 overall to the St. Louis Cardinals. Then, infielder Henry Ford went with pick No. 191 in the sixth round to the Seattle Mariners. Next was right-handed pitcher Bo Rhudy to the Philadelphia Phillies in the seventh round, and then utility man Garrett Wright to the Los Angeles Angels in the eighth.
