Christian Moore bids adieu to Tennessee baseball career with heartfelt note for teammates and fans: "I will miss you guys"
Christian Moore played a large part in the Tennessee Volunteers finally capturing their first baseball national championship during this year's College World Series. Now, it appears that he is ready for the next step in his career: the 2024 MLB Draft.
The infielder, who has catapulted up draft boards due to his outstanding display this season, looks poised to be a first round selection in this year's draft. The annual process, which starts on Sunday, July 14th, is filled with a strong class of players that could make an impact in the majors sooner rather than later.
The 21-year-old was at his best for the Vols all season long, ultimately helping his team win the national title over SEC rival Texas A&M (who were also seeking their first baseball championship in school history). It was without a doubt a little sweeter than any other win over a non-conference rival. In the wake of their accomplishment, Moore posted the following on Instagram:
"I don’t really know where to begin," said Moore via Instagram. "These last 3 years have changed my life. Thank you to this amazing coaching staff for believing in me, taking a chance on a kid that should have never been in this situation. Trusting me to lead a team and allowing me to be me. I will forever be grateful for all the long talks, countless hours of work and most important the memories shared!"
Moore Looks to Make An Immediate Impact at MLB Level
After a season in which he led the team with 34 home runs, as well as finishing second in batting average with a .375 mark and 74 RBIs, the infielder has made a strong case to become a first round pick. This would be the cherry on top following the amazing season he had in Knoxville.
Leading a lineup that was the best home run-hitting team in college baseball (with 184 overall), along with teammates Blake Burke and Dylan Dreiling, Moore was one of five Volunteers with 20 or more home runs. Those stats on a major league team would be quite an accomplishment, so hitting those marks at the collegiate level makes it even more impressive.
Many teams could use his skillset at the major league level, including squads that select in the top ten like the Oakland Athletics (fourth pick), Chicago White Sox (fifth pick), and the Los Angeles Angels (eighth pick). These clubs, along with some others, can start reloading for the future, with the Tennessee standout being an ideal target for them to fast-track their rebuild.