The 2026 Major League Baseball Draft arrives this weekend with several players connected to Tennessee programs on the national radar. Fans and coaches across the state will be watching July 11–12 as prospects tied to the University of Tennessee and recent Vols signees learn whether they’ll begin professional careers this summer.
Top Tennessee names are on national lists
Among the Tennessee-affiliated players flagged by MLB.com’s list of the top 250 prospects are right-handed starter Tegan Kuhns — projected as a possible first-round selection — and infielder Henry Ford. Catcher/outfielder Garrett Wright and reliever Bo Rhudy also appear on that top-250 list.
Looking ahead to the draft, Tennessee’s incoming recruiting class also drew attention. Potential high school top-20 selections Jared Grindlinger and Trevor Condon headline a class that produced 11 invitees to the MLB Draft Combine, a sign of national interest in the state’s talent pipeline. High-school draftees will face the standard decision: sign a professional contract or honor a college commitment.
Draft schedule and signing deadlines
The draft spans two days. Day one, covering rounds 1–4, begins at 1 p.m. ET; coverage of the first 10 overall picks will air on NBC and Peacock, with the remainder of day one on MLB Network and MLB.com. Day two, rounds 5–20, starts at 11:30 a.m. ET with coverage on MLB.com.
Players selected in the draft have until 5 p.m. ET on July 27 to sign contracts. Draft-eligible players who go unselected can sign as free agents up until the start of the fall semester.
- Draft dates: July 11–12, 2026
- Signing deadline for drafted players: July 27, 2026, 5 p.m. ET
- Undrafted free-agent window: Until fall-semester start
Players to watch
Below are the Tennessee-connected players identified in national prospect lists and recruiting previews. This table is a snapshot based on MLB.com’s top-250 list and recruiting notes released ahead of the draft.
| Player | Position | Draft note |
|---|---|---|
| Tegan Kuhns | Starting pitcher | Projected first-round pick (MLB.com prospect list) |
| Henry Ford | Infielder | Listed among MLB.com’s top 250 prospects |
| Garrett Wright | Catcher / outfielder | Included in MLB.com top-250 list |
| Bo Rhudy | Reliever | Included in MLB.com top-250 list |
| Jared Grindlinger | High-school recruit | Potential top-20 selection; part of Vols’ recruiting class |
| Trevor Condon | High-school recruit | Potential top-20 selection; part of Vols’ recruiting class |
The Vols’ staff and local scouts will also be tracking signees and transfers connected to Tennessee programs, as teams decide whether to sign professional contracts or continue their development in college. News Block will update this report as selections are announced and signings are confirmed.
Coverage of Tennessee baseball continues to attract regional interest — at least three players with Tennessee ties have been drafted each year since 2018 — and this year’s draft appears likely to sustain that streak.
Follow local coverage for reaction from coaches, players and the Knoxville-area baseball community as Tennessee names are called over the weekend.
