3 reasons why 2024 MLB Draft can be Tony Vitello’s most successful one with Tennessee

Tony Vitello's life is certainly hectic right now, but it's nothing that the head coach of the University of Tennessee baseball can't handle. Between celebrating the program's first-ever national title, to actively recruiting in both the transfer portal and high school market, Vitello is almost certainly a busy man at the moment.

The 2024 MLB Draft begins this upcoming Sunday, and the Volunteers are sure to have a few players drafted throughout the three-day process. In fact, this year's draft could have the most Volunteers drafted in quite a while. It is safe to say that's one of a few reasons why this year's draft could be Vitello's most notable yet during his time in Knoxville.

3 Reasons Why Vitello and Vols Could Have Their Best Draft Yet

1. Vols, Vitello Could Have Historic First Round

It can be tough for a school to even have one first-round pick, as many programs still don't have a first-round selection in the entirety of the MLB draft's history. Based on multiple mock MLB drafts and insider reports, it looks as if Vitello and UT won't have that issue this season.

Star infielder Christian Moore is considered a near-consensus first-rounder in this year's class, and it's not exactly shocking news to hear that. He led the Volunteers in home runs with 34 and was second in batting average with a .375 mark and RBIs with 74. The second baseman was a big part of the prolific Tennessee offense that led the nation in home runs with 184.

Moore is projected to go anywhere from the top 10 in this year's draft to the late first round. With a host of talented players and only 30 slots, the first round is the most coveted place for potential major leaguers to be selected. If Moore is selected on Sunday, it will be yet another first-rounder for Vitello.

2. Several Volunteers Position Players Could Be Drafted

Moore is the star, but Tennessee could have several players taken in the first few rounds starting Sunday. First baseman Blake Burke, third baseman Billy Amick and outfielders Dylan Dreiling and Kavares Tears could all hear their names called in the first few rounds. There are many reasons why that could be the case.

All four hitters were a big part of the elite UT offense, and all four are also listed in MLB's Top 100 prospects in this year's class. Along with Moore, Burke is arguably the biggest star the Vols have. He led the team in batting average with a .379 clip (four points ahead of Moore) and hit 20 home runs to go along with 61 RBIs.

Both Moore and Burke played in and started all 72 games for Vitello, while Dreiling (71 games played, 70 started), Tears (69 out of 71) and Amick (65 out of 65) started in the majority, if not all, of their outings.

Furthermore, they were the top five batters for the Vols in addition to Moore. Dreiling and Amick were tied at second with 23 home runs each while both players hit over .300 (.341 for Dreiling and .306 for Amick). Tears also hit over .300 (.324) and was the fifth player of the quintet to notch 20-plus home runs.

3. Causey and Beam Also Possible Top Picks

Two pillars of the Volunteers' pitching staff, A.J Causey and Drew Beam, were big pieces of the puzzle for Vitello's program. The two pitchers led the program in innings pitched (102.1 for Beam, 91.1 for Causey), while Beam tied Zander Sechrist with the most starts at 19. Most of Causey's appearances came in relief, as 13 of them came from the bullpen.

Causey also led the team in wins with 13, and his ERA of 4.43 was solid as well. The 125 strikeouts over his 91.1 innings was an impressive number and showcases the fact that his arsenal is likely one of the best in the draft. The junior flourished after transferring from Jacksonville State, showing why Vitello's coaching staff is one of the best in college baseball.

Beam is also a junior, but he's been with the Volunteers all three years of his collegiate experience. He pitched two complete games this season, going 9-2 with a 4.22 ERA. He also averaged close to a strikeout per inning, punching out 99 batters during his 102.1 innings.