Tennessee possesses a crop of exceptional baseball talents, a fact that often flies under the radar. Despite the Tennessee Volunteers and Vanderbilt Commodores showcasing remarkable prowess on the field in recent times, discussions about the state’s baseball prospects remain scant. Both universities boast some of the nation’s premier baseball teams, yet our focus today isn’t on them. Instead, we aim to identify the paramount Major League player hailing from Tennessee.
In this quest, we’ve compiled a roster of ten players, evaluating them based on their Wins Above Replacement (WAR) as per Baseball Reference. This diverse lineup comprises both pitchers and batters. While some selections are fairly predictable, others might come as surprises. Notably absent from the list are names like Bill Madlock, David Price, R.A. Dickey, and Tim McCarver—undoubtedly skilled players with ties to Tennessee. Nonetheless, our aim is to pinpoint Tennessee’s ultimate baseball luminary. Let’s delve into the contenders.