​Following a two-year stint with the Tennessee Volunteers, Tegan Kuhns was selected in the 2026 MLB Draft, going 32nd overall to the St. Louis Cardinals. The right-handed pitcher stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 193 pounds, hailing from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Born May 25, 2005, he is 21 years old. In the 2024 class, Kuhns was rated among the top high school prospects, landing in Perfect Game’s Top 50 overall and ranking as the No. 11 right-handed pitcher in his class.
Tennessee Career
Kuhns arrived on campus in 2025 as one of the nation’s premier freshman arms, drawing early opportunities as Tony Vitello increasingly trusted him in competitive action. He opened the season strong with impressive performances against Alabama, Florida, and South Carolina, recording ERA figures in the low ones during his initial outings. However, the transition to college baseball proved challenging at times. He settled into a Sunday starter role, but struggled to sustain momentum, logging just eight innings across his next four starts and facing a surge of hitters. While the flashes remained evident, consistency lagged behind expectations for a freshman pitcher. He finished his debut season at Tennessee with a 2-4 record and a 5.40 ERA, totaling 40 strikeouts and 16 walks over 36 innings.
Kuhns had an outstanding summer in the Cape Cod Baseball League, posting a 1.35 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 13.1 innings, a performance that helped propel him into the 2026 season as Tennessee’s top pitching option. His sophomore year saw a significant uptick in both depth and effectiveness. He routinely worked deeper into games and delivered several electrifying starts. Notably, he hurled eight strong innings against Alabama, fanning nine, and followed that with seven innings against Texas, striking out a remarkable 15. His season concluded less favorably, as he pitched poorly in an elimination game against VCU due to illness.
In 2026, Kuhns’ strikeout numbers surged while his control remained efficient. Across 81 innings spanning 14 starts, he recorded 106 strikeouts and only 16 walks, posting a 3.56 ERA and finishing 40th nationally in strikeouts. He also ranked ninth in the NCAA in strikeout-to-walk ratio at 6.62, underscoring his dominance when he found the plate.
The scouting report on Tegan Kuhns highlights a mid-90s fastball paired with a mid-70s curveball, a combination that gives him a potent pairing with excellent separation. The fastball plays with life, especially at the top of the zone, and the curveball offers a true knockout pitch when working in tandem with the heater. There is still room for growth as Kuhns continues to develop a slider and a change-up, which he has started to feature more sparingly during his time at Tennessee. As Tennessee head coach Josh Elander noted, Kuhns’ best pitches operate from distinct planes, creating a challenging mix for hitters who attempt to sit on one offering. If a hitter tries to cheat for the fastball or the curve, they can find themselves misreading the other, while the fastball remains lively enough to prevent absolute timing.
Kuhns is expected to join fellow Tennessee commit Trevor Condon and last year’s top-round pick as part of the Volunteers’ continued emphasis on developing elite pitching depth. His selection in the 2026 MLB Draft signals the culmination of a rapid rise from a standout high school prospect to a college ace and now a professional pitcher with the potential to impact the game at the highest level.