Draft day always brings out the craziness and wild moments across all sports. However, a moment for Gavin Kilen may have gone under the radar, as he has just now shared the craziness he experienced last July before getting selected in the first round by San Francisco.
Manny Marin leaving Tennessee for an SEC rival is a major slap in the face
After a standout year in Knoxville in 2025, Kilen was slated to be picked in the middle of the first round. Just as his agent let him know that San Francisco was about to pick him, his internet connection cut out. Can you imagine almost missing that big moment?
He told FanSided's Adam Weinrib, "The internet went out two picks before, so the TV goes out, and I was trying to hold it in and hide it, and I actually remember at 12 the whole TV goes out and I'm like, Mom, we gotta get this thing rolling. We ended up getting it back on, so it worked out, but that was one of those crazy stories on draft day."
Thankfully, Kilen saw himself drafted by the Giants, who believed in his potential, with the 13th overall pick. Kilen signed for just over $5 million and has been off to a very good start to his minor league career.
Spoke with Gavin Kilen on the draft day snafu that made his first day as a Giant hectic plus his lingering childhood fandom pic.twitter.com/FC7ndorXjY
— Adam Weinrib (@AdamWeinrib) July 12, 2026
Gavin Kilen has been off to a hot start in the minor leagues
It may be becoming a trend to see former Tennessee players thrive in professional baseball. Andrew Fischer has been one of the hottest hitters in the Milwaukee Brewers organization, while Gavin Kilen has enjoyed an impressive 2026 campaign at the Advanced-A level.
Kilen is hitting .282 this season with the Eugene Emeralds while also posting a .462 slugging percentage, a very good number for a prospect who has never been known for his power. Coming out of Tennessee, he was known as one of the best pure contact hitters in the 2025 draft, and so far he's lived up to the billing.
Although Kilen may never be a middle infielder who completely rakes, he's on pace for 19 home runs over a 162-game season. That's not bad at all for a prospect whose game has never been built around power.
Not only has Kilen’s bat been good, but his plate discipline has been impressive as well. He has drawn 32 walks while striking out only 48 times, for an overall strikeout rate of 15.3% this year. He's been putting the ball in play consistently, and Kilen is also showing the ability to work counts and avoid strikeouts. If Kilen continues this production, he could quickly rise through the Giants' farm system.
Defensively, Kilen has made only three errors in 250 chances, which is an outstanding rate. While he is currently in Advanced-A, it is encouraging to see him perform so well. If he continues to play at this level, he could be in AA by the end of the year.
After a big draft day debacle, Vols fans have to be fired up to see Kilen tearing up the minor leagues. Sooner rather than later, hopefully, we will see a Kilen and Tony Vitello reunion in the majors.
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