Tegan Kuhns, a hard-throwing pitcher at the University of Tennessee, went No. 32 to the Cardinals, while St. Louis also plucked 17-year-old shortstop Rocco Maniscalso with the No. 50 selection in the MLB Draft on Saturday.
Having culled two prized pitching prospects from the University of Tennessee in 2025, the Cardinals went back to that well on Saturday when they selected hard-throwing right-handed starter Tegan Kuhns with the No. 32 pick in the MLB Draft.
The Cards drafted their second high school player when they picked 17-year-old Alabama prep shortstop Rocco Maniscalso with the No. 50 overall pick. Maniscalso, who doesn’t turn 18 until May, reclassified to the Class of 2026 to make himself eligible for the MLB Draft. The 6-foot-2, 192-pound Maniscalso is a switch-hitter at the plate.
The Cardinals, who have an MLB-most seven Day 1 picks in the MLB Draft, selected Georgia high school outfielder Trevor Condon with the No. 13 pick of the first round. Condon, who is known for his speed and brimming confidence, was the Gatorade High School Player of the Year in Georgia in 2026 after winning a state title at Etowah High School in Woodstock, Ga.
The Cardinals also own picks 50, 68, 72, 86 and 114 on Day 1 of the MLB Draft. Picks 68 and 72 came to the Cardinals via the Mariners and Rays, respectively, as compensation in the trade that sent All-Star infielder Brendan Donovan to Seattle last February.
Kuhns struck out career-best 15 versus Texas in May
Kuhns, a 6-foot-3, 193-pounder, struck out 106 batters in 81 innings this past season while pitching for the Vols. He set career highs for wins (five), innings pitched (81) and strikeouts (106), while ranking eighth in the SEC in ERA (3.56).
Kuhns struck out 15 against Texas on May 8, an outing where he didn’t allow an earned run over seven innings of work. He also struck out 10 twice – against UCLA on Feb. 27 and versus Ole Miss on April 18. UCLA reached him for six hits, four earned runs and three homers in the early-season showdown of traditional college powerhouse programs. In 15 games (14 starts), he allowed 12 homers.
Kuhns, a native of Gettsyburg, Pa., joins former Tennessee pitchers Liam Doyle and Tanner Franklin, who were selected in Rounds 1 and 3 in 2025. Doyle is the No. 2 ranked prospect in the Cardinals system, while the fire-balling Franklin is ranked No. 9.
Kuhns had a 93-96 range on the majority of his fastballs at Tennessee, but he did top out at 99 mph. He throws his curveball in the upper 70s, but questions persist about his breaking ball arsenal.
Kuhns struggled in Tennessee's final game of the season and had to leave his outing because of stomach issues and cramps. In a loss to VCU, Kuhns allowed four hits and three earned runs, while striking out six and walking one over four innings of work.
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