Tennessee baseball continues to add to a strong lineup of professional talent in its history.
From National Baseball Hall of Fame member Todd Helton to recent first-round draft pick Liam Doyle, the Vols keep bolstering themselves as a top program for aspiring MLB hopefuls.
Some of the recent standouts have made their names known quickly at the professional level. While some of them hope to be future faces of a franchise, others are already impacting playoff-caliber teams at both the major and minor league levels.
Here’s a check-in on some of the former Vols in pro baseball.
Liam Doyle thrown into the fire
Doyle was selected fifth overall by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2025 MLB Draft this past summer. He made up one of four first-round selections in the draft from Tennessee, the first player drafted in the top five since 1971.
The Cardinals organization assigned Doyle to make a couple of starts with their FCL affiliate to get him acclimated to the realm of professional baseball.
The reigning SEC Pitcher of the Year made his Single-A debut on Sept. 6 for the Palm Beach Cardinals. In his first start, Doyle threw just 1.2 innings, allowing one run while walking two and punching out a trio of hitters.
The Boston native’s season seemed to be over as Palm Beach’s season ended following its game the next day, but the organization wanted to see more from him. Doyle packed his bags upon a promotion to Double-A Springfield.
He made his Springfield debut on Sept. 13, dazzling once again in limited innings. Over two frames, Doyle didn’t allow a single baserunner and struck out three.
Doyle is holding strong in his first reps at the pro level, but his season is not over yet. Springfield qualified for the playoffs and began a three-game series for the Texas North Division championship on Sept. 16.
Doyle could have another chance to pitch for his team in the playoffs and help his group claim a Texas League championship for the first time since 2012.
Garrett Crochet fighting for more
Garrett Crochet was drafted 11th overall by the Chicago White Sox in the 2020 MLB Draft.
Just a few months later, he made his professional and MLB debut out of the bullpen for the White Sox, becoming the first player to completely skip the minor leagues since Mike Leake with the Cincinnati Reds in 2010.
Crochet remained with the White Sox for four more seasons following his draft year, finally breaking out as a star for the club in 2024. Back on the mound in a starting role like he fulfilled with Tennessee, Crochet posted a 3.58 ERA over 146 innings, earning his first career All-Star appearance.
Following his breakout season, Crochet was dealt to the Boston Red Sox in a blockbuster trade that gave them an ace for the 2025 season.
Crochet instantly made his presence known in Boston.
In his first season with the Red Sox, Crochet earned a second All-Star appearance after posting a dominant 2.23 ERA over 129.1 innings in the first half of the season.
For the full campaign, the Ocean Springs, Mississippi, product sits at 191.1 innings pitched, nearly 50 more than he tossed a year ago.
Crochet’s stellar season enters him into conversation for the AL Cy Young Award, striving to beat out last year’s winner, Tarik Skubal.
While Crochet fights for a chance to bring home one of baseball’s most prestigious honors, he is also looking to continue a magical season for his new team in Boston.
