Tennessee Pitcher Liam Doyle Selected No. 5 Overall by St. Louis Cardinals in 2025 MLB Draft
Tennessee baseball pitcher Liam Doyle was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals with the No. 5 overall pick in the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft on Sunday night.
The No. 5 pick carries a slot value of $8.3 million, offering a projected signing range for Doyle in the coming days.
Doyle becomes the highest-drafted player of the Tony Vitello era and the most highly selected Volunteer since Nick Senzel went No. 2 overall to the Cincinnati Reds in 2016. He is Vitello’s seventh first-round pick and the third pitcher to be drafted in the opening round. Other Vol pitchers taken in the first round under Vitello include Chase Dollander (No. 9 to the Rockies in 2023) and Garrett Crochet (No. 11 to the White Sox in 2020).
Doyle’s selection continues a strong draft trend for the Vols, who have also seen Drew Gilbert, Jordan Beck, Christian Moore, and Blake Burke go in the first round after playing for Vitello. Moore, who went No. 8 to the Angels in 2024, previously held the title of highest-drafted Vol under Vitello.
In his lone season at Tennessee, Doyle made a major impact. The former Coastal Carolina and Ole Miss transfer was named SEC Pitcher of the Year and earned All-SEC First Team honors from the league’s coaches. He became the third Vol in program history to win SEC Pitcher of the Year and the second under Vitello, joining Luke Hochevar (2005) and Chase Dollander (2022).
A native of Derry, New Hampshire, Doyle finished his junior season with a 10–4 record and a 3.20 ERA over 19 appearances (17 starts). He led the nation with 164 strikeouts—setting a new Tennessee single-season record—and ranked among the SEC leaders in wins (10), WHIP (0.99), and strikeouts per nine innings (15.43), all of which placed in the top 20 nationally.
Doyle was also one of just three players in Tennessee history to be named a finalist for both the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy, joining program greats Todd Helton (1995) and Chris Burke (2001).
His selection marks the 44th Vol drafted since Vitello took over as head coach in 2018. Tennessee has averaged more than six draft picks per year during his tenure, including a program-record 10 selections in 2022 and eight in both 2023 and 2024.
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