11: Jordan Beck, OF, Tennessee
Beck has moved up draft boards due to his athleticism and the potential for more future growth than most of the college position players in the draft can offer, including huge raw power that hasn’t shown up in games. He’s a 55 runner but plays right field because Tennessee has a better option, Drew Gilbert, in center. There’s some swing work to do here and he needs to cover the outer half better, but he’ll be a good fit for a team that believes in its hitter development.
22: Drew Gilbert, OF, Tennessee
Gilbert was a two-way player in high school in Minnesota but hasn’t pitched this year for the Vols, instead emerging as a high-contact hitter with plus defense in center. He plays the position very easily, with good reads and a plus arm; while at the plate he focuses on contact over power, without much weight transfer, and he rarely swings and misses. There’s a good floor here as an extra outfielder with some upside if someone can get him to make harder contact.
32: Blade Tidwell, RHP, Tennessee
Tidwell missed the beginning of the year with a shoulder injury that looked like it might cost him his season, but he’s been pitching, gradually building back up to a starter’s workload. He’s been 92-98 mph with a plus slider, but after he didn’t issue a walk in his first five outings (all two innings pitched or less), he walked four in his second start against Auburn, going just 2.2 innings. His arm is lightning-quick, and his compact delivery hides the ball well. His changeup lags well behind the other two pitches and every team is going to watch him carefully to see if any signs remain of the shoulder issue.
85: Trey Lipscomb, 3B, Tennessee
Lipscomb is one of the best true seniors in the draft, bouncing back from an injury-plagued 2021 to hit 18 homers so far for the Vols with just a 12 percent strikeout rate. He’s a solid defender at third with a plus arm. He’ll turn 22 in June, which will work against him in models, but he could be a good money-saver in the second or third round.
Beck has moved up draft boards due to his athleticism and the potential for more future growth than most of the college position players in the draft can offer, including huge raw power that hasn’t shown up in games. He’s a 55 runner but plays right field because Tennessee has a better option, Drew Gilbert, in center. There’s some swing work to do here and he needs to cover the outer half better, but he’ll be a good fit for a team that believes in its hitter development.
22: Drew Gilbert, OF, Tennessee
Gilbert was a two-way player in high school in Minnesota but hasn’t pitched this year for the Vols, instead emerging as a high-contact hitter with plus defense in center. He plays the position very easily, with good reads and a plus arm; while at the plate he focuses on contact over power, without much weight transfer, and he rarely swings and misses. There’s a good floor here as an extra outfielder with some upside if someone can get him to make harder contact.
32: Blade Tidwell, RHP, Tennessee
Tidwell missed the beginning of the year with a shoulder injury that looked like it might cost him his season, but he’s been pitching, gradually building back up to a starter’s workload. He’s been 92-98 mph with a plus slider, but after he didn’t issue a walk in his first five outings (all two innings pitched or less), he walked four in his second start against Auburn, going just 2.2 innings. His arm is lightning-quick, and his compact delivery hides the ball well. His changeup lags well behind the other two pitches and every team is going to watch him carefully to see if any signs remain of the shoulder issue.
85: Trey Lipscomb, 3B, Tennessee
Lipscomb is one of the best true seniors in the draft, bouncing back from an injury-plagued 2021 to hit 18 homers so far for the Vols with just a 12 percent strikeout rate. He’s a solid defender at third with a plus arm. He’ll turn 22 in June, which will work against him in models, but he could be a good money-saver in the second or third round.
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