FORT WORTH, Texas – Tennessee led all programs with four picks on day one of the 2024 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, representing the most players selected through the first two rounds of any draft in program history.
⚾️MOST DRAFT PICKS ON SUNDAY⚾️
Tennessee 4
LSU 3
Wake Forest 3
FSU 2
Kentucky 2
Mississippi State 2
Oregon State 2
Texas A&M 2
Vanderbilt 2
Virginia 2— Kendall Rogers (@KendallRogers) July 15, 2024
For the second time in the last three years, Tennessee had two players selected in the first round of the MLB Draft, as the Vols’ dynamic duo of Christian Moore (No. 8 overall – Los Angeles Angels) and Blake Burke (No. 34 overall – Milwaukee Brewers) joined the growing list of UT first rounders.
The Vols have had at least one player selected in the first round of the MLB Draft in four of the last five years, and with Moore’s selection, have now had players picked in the top-10 overall in back-to-back drafts for the first time in program history during the modern draft era after pitcher Chase Dollander went ninth overall to the Colorado Rockies last year.
Moore and Burke, who rank first and second in program history in career home runs, are the 20th and 21st first-round picks in program history and the fifth and sixth under head coach Tony Vitello and staff.
The Big Orange also boasted two second-round picks in third baseman Billy Amick (No. 60 overall – Minnesota Twins) and outfielder Dylan Dreiling (No. 65 overall – Texas Rangers), a duo that combined to drive in 140 runs this season while helping lead Tennessee to its first National Championship in program history.
DAY 1 (ROUNDS 1-2)
2B Christian Moore – Los Angeles Angels – First Round – No. 8 Overall
The latest Vol bound for 𝕋𝕚𝕟𝕤𝕖𝕝𝕥𝕠𝕨𝕟 😎#MLBDraft // #GBO pic.twitter.com/MWO0VRbZFS— Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) July 15, 2024
Moore is the highest drafted Tennessee player of the Vitello era (2018-pres.) and the highest selected Vol since Nick Senzel went No. 2 overall to the Cincinnati Reds in 2016. Moore is coming off a record-setting junior season for the National Champion Volunteers, receiving first-team All-America honors from D1Baseball.com, Baseball America and Perfect Game as well as first-team All-SEC acclaim.
The Brooklyn, New York, native became just the third player in Southeastern Conference history to win the Triple Crown with his stats in league play, leading the SEC with a .429 batting average, 20 home runs and 41 RBIs in conference play while also leading the league with 57 hits and 123 total bases.
Moore finished the year as the nation’s leader in hits (111) and total bases (236) while also ranking in the top-25 nationally in home runs (3rd – 34), runs (t-8th – 83) and slugging percentage (14th – .797).
Moore’s numbers from this season rank in the top 10 in UT single-season annals in multiple categories, including first in home runs (34), first in total bases (236), first in extra-base hits (55), second in hits (111), third in runs (83), seventh in slugging percentage (.797) and seventh in RBIs (74). Moore also finished his Tennessee career as the program’s all-time home run leader with 61 while ranking in the top-10 in slugging percentage (third – .697), extra base hits (third – 100), total bases (third – 438), runs (fourth – 179), walks (fifth – 115) and RBIs (sixth – 160).
Dollywood to Hollywood!
C-Mo is headed to LA.#GBO // #MLBDraft pic.twitter.com/Eu5c1SjUu9— Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) July 15, 2024
1B Blake Burke – Milwaukee Brewers – Competitive Balance Round A – No. 34 Overall
We foresee lots of trips down the slide in Bernie Brewer’s future!#GBO // #MLBDraft pic.twitter.com/ZtDWDwRN3Y— Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) July 15, 2024
Burke is coming off his best season at the collegiate level, leading the nation with 30 doubles and finishing second in the country with 108 hits. The junior slugger’s 30 doubles were tied for the most in program history while his 108 hits ranked fifth most in Tennessee single-season history. Burke also posted career highs in batting average (.379), runs (74), home runs (20), RBIs (61), walks (35), total bases (200) and stolen bases (11) in 2024. His 50 career home runs rank second all-time at UT.
The California native was a unanimous first-team All-American at first base, becoming the second UT player to do so in the Vitello era. Burke is now a member of an exclusive group of Volunteers to garner first-team acclaim from five or more outlets, joining the likes of program legends Todd Helton (1995), Jeff Pickler (1998), Chris Burke (2001), Luke Hochevar (2005) and Dollander (2022).
Blake to the Brew Crew!#GBO // #MLBDraft pic.twitter.com/20hmG4j0D7— Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) July 15, 2024
3B Billy Amick – Minnesota Twins – Second Round – No. 60 Overall
Hey @Twins, y’all got The Stroke on your playlist? #GBO // #MLBDraft pic.twitter.com/qy2y27dYZ0— Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) July 15, 2024
Amick made the most of his lone season on Rocky Top, ranking among the team leaders in a handful of offensive categories for the national champion Volunteers despite missing eight games due to injury. His 23 home runs were tied for second on the team while his 65 RBIs were third most for UT.
The Batesburg, South Carolina, native was tabbed a first-team midseason All-American by Perfect Game and was named the SEC Player of the Week on March 4. Amick played his first two years of college ball at Clemson where he was an All-American and All-SEC selection as a sophomore in 2023.
Billy Barrels is a Minnesota Twin!#GBO // #MLBDraft pic.twitter.com/U8QJtbz9Ku— Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) July 15, 2024
OF Dylan Dreiling – Texas Rangers – Second Round – No. 65 Overall
Mr. Clutch knows a thing or two about winning titles. Should fit right in with the reigning World Series Champs!#GBO // #MLBDraft pic.twitter.com/fwHb3qQCcu— Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) July 15, 2024
Dreiling was selected with the final pick of the second round after a breakout sophomore season for the Big Orange, hitting .341 with 19 doubles, 23 home runs and a team-leading 75 RBIs, which rank sixth most in program history.
The third-team D1Baseball.com All-American and first-team All-SEC outfielder also led the Vols with 53 walks and a .459 on-base percentage.
Dreiling saved his best performances for the biggest moments, earning Most Outstanding Player honors at the Men’s College World Series after leading the team with a .542 batting average, three home runs and 11 RBIs during the Vols’ championship run in Omaha. In the championship series, Dreiling went 7-for-12 with four runs and seven RBIs and became the first player in MCWS history to homer in all three games of the finals.
They say everything is bigger in Texas, well, you won’t find a player in this year’s draft with bigger swings than Dylan Dreiling!@Rangers, you got a good one!#GBO // #MLBDraft pic.twitter.com/Ib4LPLPRWE— Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) July 15, 2024
The 2024 MLB Draft will continue on Monday afternoon starting at 2 p.m. ET with rounds 3-10 while the final 10 rounds will take place on Tuesday afternoon. Coverage of the remaining rounds can be seen on MLB.com.
This story will be updated as more Tennessee players are selected throughout the draft.
