Tennessee baseball’s Andrew Fischer and AJ Russell each signed professionally Wednesday a week and a half after being selected in the 2025 MLB Draft.
Fischer signed with the Milwaukee Brewers well under slot value after they selected him with the 20th pick in the first round of the draft. The corner infielder signed for $3.5 million despite the slot value for the pick being $4.27 million.
Russell signed with the Texas Rangers after they selected him with the 11th pick in the second round of the MLB Draft. The right-handed pitcher signed for $2.6 million well over the $1.85 million slot value for the 55th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft.
Fischer transferred to Tennessee ahead of his junior season after playing his freshman season at Duke and his sophomore season at Ole Miss. He is one of the best college hitters in the 2025 draft after slashing .341/.497/.760 during the 2025 season.
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The left-handed slugger bashed 25 home runs, 16 doubles and 65 RBIs. Fischer’s 25 home runs mark the second most in a single-season in Tennessee history.
Russell pitched in 12 games and started six in his junior season after working back from offseason Tommy John surgery, posting a 3.55 ERA in 25.1 innings pitched. He added 36 strikeouts and 11 walks. Russell finished his college career with a 4-2 record, 2.70 ERA and 1.00 WHIP while striking out 104 batters in 70 innings pitched.
With Fischer and Russell both officially signing, eight of the nine Tennessee players who were selected in the 2025 MLB Draft have signed with the team that drafted them. Only Dean Curley, who the Cleveland Guardians selected in the second round has yet to sign professionally.
Tennessee commits Steele Hall, Billy Carlson and Matt Barr (JUCO) have all officially signed while the expectation is that Kruz Schoolcraft, Mason Estrada (MIT), Clay Edmondson (UNC Asheville) and DJ Newman (Bowling Green) will all sign as well.
