Jordan Beck, Drew Gilbert Sign First-Round Contracts

Former Tennessee Volunteer standouts Jordan Beck and Drew Gilbert have signed their respective first-round contractss, MLB Insider Jim Callis reports.

"Supplemental 1st-rder Jordan Beck signs with @Rockies for $2.2 million (slot 38 value = $2,052,300). @Vol_Baseball OF, lots of Hunter Renfroe comps, 6-3/225 athlete with well above-average raw power & solid speed," Callis wrote on his Twitter account on Wednesday.

Beck is coming off a stellar career at Tennessee, where he posted his best work this past season. Beck hit .298 with a .595% slugging percentage and a ..399 on base percentage.

Despite Tennessee's struggles in the season-ending Super Regional series against Notre Dame, Beck was stellar at the play with two home-runs during the weekend. Beck posted back-to-back massive seasons at the plate for the Vols. In 2021, he had 15 home runs and 64 RBIs, while following that up with 18 home runs and 61 RBIs in 2022. 

Gilbert, the first Vol selected in this year's draft, also signed his deal with the Astros earlier this week.

"1st-rder Drew Gilbert signs with @Astros for $2.5 million (slot 28 value = $2,621,700)," Callis wrote on his Twitter. @Vol_Baseball OF, aggressive hitter with excellent hand-eye coordination, solid to plus speed, very good instincts in center, fastball to 93 mph when he relieved in past." 

Gilbert enters the Astros farm system after a great three years at Tennessee, as the Stillwater, Minnesota, native being an instrumental part in the Vols' back-to-back 50-win seasons in 2021 and 2022.

Originally a two-way player on Rocky Top, Gilbert shifted to becoming an elite center fielder for the Vols while serving as the cleanup hitter the majority of the 2021 season and all of the 2022 season. 

Beck and Gilbert become the first Tennessee teammates to be selected in the first-round of the draft since 2007 when JP Arencibia, Julio Borbon and James Adkins were all selected in the first round.