​Tennessee pitcher Tegan Kuhns was selected No. 32 overall by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2026 MLB Draft on July 11, marking a fifth consecutive year that a Tennessee player went in the first round. Kuhns was chosen in Competitive Balance Round A, with a slot value of $3,044,600. In addition to Kuhns, the Cardinals picked Vols signee Trevor Condon, an outfielder, at No. 13 overall in the first round.
Kuhns earned a spot on the All-SEC second team this season as a sophomore and established himself as Tennessee’s top starting pitcher. The right-hander posted a 3.56 ERA over 81 innings, fanning 106 and issuing 16 walks, cementing his reputation as the Vols’ premier professional prospect. He became the first Tennessee player drafted during the Josh Elander era, beginning his collegiate career under Tony Vitello and staying with the program after Elander took the reins before the 2026 season.
Kuhns is the fifth Tennessee pitcher drafted in the first round since 2020, joining Liam Doyle (No. 5 to St. Louis in 2025), Marcus Phillips (No. 36 to Boston in 2025), Chase Dollander (No. 9 to Colorado in 2023), and Garrett Crochet (No. 11 to the Chicago White Sox in 2020). Entering his sophomore campaign, Kuhns was regarded as one of the top pitching prospects in the SEC. He experienced some inconsistencies, including a slow start that briefly moved him down in Tennessee’s rotation, but he finished strong, solidifying his status as one of the top draft-eligible sophomores nationwide.
Kuhns’ two home starts at the season’s end were highlights of his career. He delivered an eight-inning complete-game shutout against Alabama on April 24 and then outdid himself May 8 against Texas, recording a career-high 15 strikeouts in seven shutout innings. His fastball sits in the mid-90s on most outings, peaking around 98 mph, and his curveball sits in the high 70s. Scouts often note his reliance on those two pitches, while pointing out that his slider and changeup are areas where he can improve his consistency and command. Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 189 pounds, Kuhns is expected to add more power to his repertoire as he matures.
Over two seasons at Tennessee, Kuhns appeared in 30 games and made 24 starts, posting a 4.13 ERA across 117.2 innings while striking out 146 and walking 32, with opponents hitting .264 against him. As a freshman in 2025, he posted a 5.40 ERA over 36.2 innings in 10 starts, serving as Tennessee’s third starter before ascending to the role of the team’s top starter in 2026. That season, he made 14 starts and pitched 81 innings, leading qualified Tennessee pitchers with a 3.56 ERA and 106 strikeouts, while walking only 16.
Emmett Siegel covers Tennessee baseball for Knox News. You can reach him at emmett.siegel@knoxnews.com or via X at @EmmettSiegel_. This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel and discusses the pros and cons of the Cardinals drafting Tennessee’s Tegan Kuhns for SEO purposes.