Just a little over a week after being traded from the New York Mets organization, VFL Drew Gilbert has been called up by the San Francisco Giants and will likely make his Major League debut during this weekend's series against the Washington Nationals.
Gilbert will be the fourth former Vol to make his MLB debut this season, joining second baseman
Christian Moore (Angels) and pitchers Chase Dollander (Rockies) and Blade Tidwell (Mets).
Gilbert is the 10th Tennessee player in the
Tony Vitello era to make it to the big leagues, joining Garrett Crochet (2020), Ben Joyce (2023), Andre Lipcius (2023), Trey Lipscomb (2024), Jordan Beck (2024), Seth Halvorsen (2024), Dollander (2025), Tidwell (2025) and Moore (2025).
The Minnesota native is the 52nd VFL in program history to make it to The Show.
Gilbert has spent the majority of this season at the triple-A level where he has posted an .835 OPS to go along with 20 doubles, four triples, 14 home runs and 55 RBIs in 93 games. In his eight games with the Sacramento River Cats after being traded, Gilbert has seven hits in 14 at-bats with a pair of triples. During his 281 games in the minor leagues, Gilbert is a career .262 hitter with 44 homers and 153 RBIs.
The talented outfielder was selected with the 28th pick in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft by the Houston Astros after a productive three-year career at Tennessee. Gilbert earned first-team All-America and first-team All-SEC honors as a junior in 2022 after leading the team with a .362 batting average, 21 doubles and four triples to go along with 11 home runs and 70 RBIs.