One of Tennessee baseball’s breakout stars from the 2026 season, freshman catcher Trent Grindlinger, is already seeing his name pop up high on way-too-early 2027 MLB mock drafts. In Perfect Game’s first of the year, he is slotted as the No. 15 overall pick to the Washington Nationals.
This makes Grindlinger projected as the second catcher off the board. Ahead of him, West Virginia catcher and infielder Gavin Kelly is at No. 7 overall. He’s also the 10th college player projected to be taken and the fifth from an SEC school.
Along with Grindlinger, a Tennessee commit is high up on the mock draft, as well. Shortstop Dylan Seward is projected to go No. 2 overall to the Kansas City Royals. Out of Norco High School in California, Seward is one of the top high school players in the 2027 recruiting class and committed to the Vols back in October.
Max Hemenway, Leo Nockley and Sebastian Wilson are all potential first-round picks who are committed to Tennessee, too, but Perfect Game doesn’t project any to go that early just yet.
‘Way Too Early’ 2027 MLB Mock Draft 🔮https://t.co/6IPKDEs6TW pic.twitter.com/RIdvBY1gIT
— Perfect Game USA (@PerfectGameUSA) July 13, 2026
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Grindlinger enters his sophomore year after breaking out as a freshman. Due to a fantastic season at the plate, he was named to the 2026 SEC All-Freshman Team and the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team this summer.
On the year, Grindlinger posted a .345 average in 43 appearances and 36 starts, typically as a designated hitter. He mashed eight home runs to help him record 29 RBI and 26 runs. As a catcher, he made no errors, assisted on two plays and was credited with 39 put-outs.
Grindlinger stands at 6-foot-3, 211 pounds. He is from Huntington Beach, California, where he played for Huntington Beach High School. His younger brother, Jared Grindlinger, was just drafted No. 12 overall in the 2026 MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Angels as a UT signee, as well.
