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Tennessee baseball's Garrett Wright was selected by the Los Angeles Angels in the eighth round of the 2026 MLB Draft on July 12 with the No. 229 overall pick.
Wright was the fourth Tennessee player selected in this year's draft. Pitcher Tegan Kuhns was picked in the first round by the St. Louis Cardinals, third baseman Henry Ford went to the Rockies in the sixth round and reliever Bo Rhudy was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the seventh round.
The Angels used the No. 12 overall selection on Vols signee Jared Grindlinger, the brother of current Tennessee player Trent Grindlinger.
Wright split time between catcher and center field for the Vols as a junior this season after transferring from Wright State. He was Tennessee's leadoff hitter and led the team in batting average (.348), OPS (1.033) and hit-by-pitches (19).
Wright entered the draft ranked by MLB Pipeline as the No. 190 prospect in the draft and was ESPN's No. 162 prospect.
The No. 229 overall pick has a slot value of $249,300.
Wright has elite bat-to-ball skills and gets on base at one of the highest clips of any player in this year's draft. He isn't particularly selective at the plate but does consistently make hard contact, especially against fastballs. He does, however, lack game-changing power.
That profile doesn't lead to many walks, with only 13 this past season, but he has a knack for getting hit by pitches with 68 in three college seasons.
One of Wright's most valuable traits is his defensive versatility. He is very strong at both catcher and outfield, making just one error in 2026 and having nine assists. He likely has more long-term value as a catcher.
Wright's first two college seasons were spent at Wright State, where he was one of the best players in the MAC. As a freshman, he hit .380 with six home runs and 28 RBIs, posting a .503 on-base percentage and 1.084 OPS. His sophomore season saw him hit .406 with eight home runs, 20 doubles, four triples and 48 RBIs. His on-base percentage was .513, aided by 28 hit-by-pitches that broke his own program record from the prior season.
Wright was a difference-maker in his one season at Tennessee despite missing the start of the season as he recovered from a broken hamate bone in his left hand. He became the team's leadoff hitter and posted a .348 batting average with nine home runs and 30 RBIs. He was particularly adept at getting on base with 13 walks and 19 hit-by-pitches, contributing to a 1.033 OPS.
In the field, Wright made just one error at Tennessee and had a fielding percentage of .994.
Emmett Siegel covers Tennessee baseball for Knox News. Email: [email protected]; X: @EmmettSiegel_
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Pros, cons of Angels picking Tennessee's Garrett Wright in eighth round of MLB draft
Continue reading...
Wright was the fourth Tennessee player selected in this year's draft. Pitcher Tegan Kuhns was picked in the first round by the St. Louis Cardinals, third baseman Henry Ford went to the Rockies in the sixth round and reliever Bo Rhudy was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the seventh round.
The Angels used the No. 12 overall selection on Vols signee Jared Grindlinger, the brother of current Tennessee player Trent Grindlinger.
Wright split time between catcher and center field for the Vols as a junior this season after transferring from Wright State. He was Tennessee's leadoff hitter and led the team in batting average (.348), OPS (1.033) and hit-by-pitches (19).
Wright entered the draft ranked by MLB Pipeline as the No. 190 prospect in the draft and was ESPN's No. 162 prospect.
The No. 229 overall pick has a slot value of $249,300.
Pros, cons of Angels picking Garrett Wright in MLB draft
Wright has elite bat-to-ball skills and gets on base at one of the highest clips of any player in this year's draft. He isn't particularly selective at the plate but does consistently make hard contact, especially against fastballs. He does, however, lack game-changing power.
That profile doesn't lead to many walks, with only 13 this past season, but he has a knack for getting hit by pitches with 68 in three college seasons.
One of Wright's most valuable traits is his defensive versatility. He is very strong at both catcher and outfield, making just one error in 2026 and having nine assists. He likely has more long-term value as a catcher.
Garrett Wright stats at Tennessee, Wright State
Wright's first two college seasons were spent at Wright State, where he was one of the best players in the MAC. As a freshman, he hit .380 with six home runs and 28 RBIs, posting a .503 on-base percentage and 1.084 OPS. His sophomore season saw him hit .406 with eight home runs, 20 doubles, four triples and 48 RBIs. His on-base percentage was .513, aided by 28 hit-by-pitches that broke his own program record from the prior season.
Wright was a difference-maker in his one season at Tennessee despite missing the start of the season as he recovered from a broken hamate bone in his left hand. He became the team's leadoff hitter and posted a .348 batting average with nine home runs and 30 RBIs. He was particularly adept at getting on base with 13 walks and 19 hit-by-pitches, contributing to a 1.033 OPS.
In the field, Wright made just one error at Tennessee and had a fielding percentage of .994.
Emmett Siegel covers Tennessee baseball for Knox News. Email: [email protected]; X: @EmmettSiegel_
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Pros, cons of Angels picking Tennessee's Garrett Wright in eighth round of MLB draft
Continue reading...
