​All things considered, the 2026 MLB Draft proved to be a success for Tennessee baseball. While pitcher Tegan Kuhns was Tennessee’s lone first‑round selection, the Volunteers had four players chosen within the first eight rounds and managed to retain many of their top signees, addressing a concern that loomed over the two‑day event on July 11–12. In total, six Tennessee players were drafted, along with five signees and two incoming transfers. Here is how the 2026 MLB Draft unfolded for Tennessee.
Kuhns extended Tennessee’s streak of first‑round picks to five straight years and became the fifth Vols pitcher selected in the first round since 2020. He was the only Tennessee player taken on the draft’s opening day, which covered the first four rounds. On July 12, third baseman Henry Ford (No. 191 overall, Round 6, Seattle Mariners), reliever Bo Rhudy (No. 219 overall, Round 7, Philadelphia Phillies), and catcher/outfielder Garrett Wright (No. 229 overall, Round 8, Los Angeles Angels) were all selected in quick succession, marking the sixth consecutive year with at least four Tennessee players drafted in the first eight rounds.
Two Tennessee pitchers were drafted in later rounds: Brandon Arvidson went to the Chicago Cubs in the 12th round (No. 367 overall) and Evan Blanco was picked by the Oakland A’s in the 13th round (No. 381 overall). In addition, three former Vols pitchers were drafted: Derek Schaefer, who joined the Cardinals after transferring from Arizona State (No. 204 overall in Round 7), Matthew Dallas, who signed with the Nationals after leaving Tennessee for Wake Forest (No. 346 overall in Round 12), and Anson Seibert, who transferred to Johnson County Community College and was selected by the Nationals in the 20th round (No. 586 overall). Schaefer and Dallas had been members of Tennessee’s 2024 national championship squad before transferring out, while Seibert redshirted in 2025 and left the program ahead of the 2026 season.
There was real concern Tennessee might lose a sizable portion of its top signees to the draft. It was clear from the outset that two-way standout Jared Grindlinger, outfielder Trevor Condon, and right-handed pitcher Kaiden McCarthy were unlikely to reach campus due to their draft status, but the question of how many other signees would be affected remained. Those three ended up being the only Tennessee signees taken on the first day, with Grindlinger going No. 12 overall to the Los Angeles Angels, Condon going No. 13 overall to the St. Louis Cardinals, and McCarthy going in the second round to the Atlanta Braves (No. 48 overall). Pitcher Tyler Putnam was the lone other signee to go in the first 10 rounds, selected by the Colorado Rockies in the fifth round (No. 136 overall), and first baseman Cody Boshell was taken by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 11th round (No. 326 overall).
In an early interview with MLB Network shortly after being drafted, Condon—hailing from Woodstock, Georgia—expressed his excitement about joining the Cardinals. “I’m blessed,” Condon said. “I can’t be more grateful. I can’t be more excited. I am honored to have this opportunity.” The 2026 draft results reflect Tennessee’s continued strength in developing and preserving top talent, while also showcasing the program’s ability to navigate a draft cycle that can be unpredictable for signees.