Dynamic and fiery Tennessee Vols gunslinger Liam Doyle was taken 5th overall in the 2025 MLB draft by the St Louis Cardinals on Sunday night. The much-traveled ace finished his career at Tennessee with a 10-4 record, helping the Vols reach their 5th consecutive Super Regional appearance before losing to Arkansas.
The 2025 SEC Pitcher of the Year will bring his powerful arm and strikeout ability to a struggling pitching staff that is 3-7 in their last ten games. The slot value assigned to the pick is $8,134,800.
Doyle started his college career at Coastal Carolina in 2023. As a freshman, he posted a 4.15 ERA with an 11.0 strikeout per nine innings (K/9) ratio. He played in 23 games, 16 of which were in relief, and recorded one save.
When Doyle entered the transfer portal after his freshman season, Tennessee showed interest in him. They ultimately didn’t pursue him because they already had a left-handed ace in Matthew Dallas. Instead, he spent his sophomore season with Ole Miss, where he had a down year, finishing 3-4 in his 16 games with a 5.73 ERA. He did pitch against Tennessee in 2024, striking out 10 Vols on the way to an 8-5 win for Ole Miss.
At the end of 2024, Tennessee’s Dallas transferred to Wake Forest, opening the door for Doyle to join the program. He would quickly transform into a star, letting his emotions show while setting a school record with 164 strikeouts in 95 ⅔ innings. His NCAA D-1 leading 15.4 K/9 ratio earned him consensus first-team All-American honors, along with being a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy.
The 21-year-old Doyle will join the middling Cardinals organization, likely being assigned to the Peoria Chiefs for a stint. In his one year with Tennessee, he was able to improve the speed on his fastball, topping out between 95-100 mph. Some have described his fastball as “invisible” due to the vertical break, making it appear to rise at the top of the strike zone.
While Doyle’s fastball is the cornerstone of his arsenal, he brings three other elite pitches that add to his strikeout repertoire. He uses his splitter as his primary changeup with a significant late drop. He follows that up with his slider and cutter, both in the upper-80s speed range. The increased control and movement this year in his slider caused problems for opposing hitters, forcing them to adjust to multiple planes of movement. Lastly, his slider’s horizontal movement was a huge reason the lefty had eight double-digit strikeout games in 2025.
Doyle’s pitch selection is impressive, but his passion and fire are his trademark. Often branded as a “madman” or “psycho” on the mound, Doyle’s “all gas, no brakes” mentality can be intimidating to opposing hitters. He has a knack for delivering in big games, which is something the Cardinals can use in their bullpen after a disappointing few years.
Doyle has improved at each stop during his college career, but he still has areas for improvement. His unorthodox delivery has raised questions about his long-term durability. He’s also fastball reliant, choosing to throw his favored pitch nearly two-thirds of the time. This worked for him in college, but he’ll likely have to adjust against MLB hitters who can handle his velocity.
In just one year at Tennessee, Doyle became a fan favorite and cemented a legacy in college sports. The Boston-born New Hampshire boy has overcome adversity throughout his entire career. “I’ve always had that kind of underdog mentality, just being a kid from the North,” Doyle said. “Not a lot of baseball players come from where I’m from.”
Doyle has an opportunity to carve out a long and successful career in the majors. His enthusiasm and overpowering fastball, not to mention his fist-pumping celebrations, will endear him to the Cardinals faithful just as they did for Tennessee Vols fans. The doubters have spent long enough questioning this fire-breathing underdog; now it’s time for his never-quit attitude to make him a legend.
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