ESPN MLB mock draft puts Liam Doyle on a team that would become a favorite for fans of the Tennessee Vols

The Los Angeles Angels are a team that should be getting a lot of attention from fans in Knoxville.  After Sunday, that could truly become the case. 

Tennessee Vols LHP Liam Doyle is going to be a very early draft pick in Sunday's Major League Baseball draft.  How early?  He could be the second player taken off the board by the Angels. 

In fact, that's exactly where ESPN MLB Insider Kiley McDaniel projects Doyle to land in his latest mock draft. This is what McDaniel has to say about the pick: 

"Doyle has been tied here for a while, and with good reason: He would probably take a below-slot deal and he is a strong candidate to be first player to the big leagues in this entire class. Given his dominating fastball, he could get big league hitters out right now, and the Angels may be aggressive and let him do just that, then see if they can make him a long-term starter.

Kade Anderson seems like the top guy on the Angels' board, though, and thus would probably be the pick here if he doesn't go No. 1. In this scenario, I think this decision will come down to Doyle, Jamie Arnold or bigger cut versus slot in Ike Irish. I give Doyle the slight edge.

The Angels love Daniel Pierce but likely can't land him. Keep an eye on Mason Pike and Sam Horn as the starter targets along with basically any college arm with reliever risk at later picks: Brian Curley, Cade Obermueller, Chase Shores, Tanner Franklin, A.J. Russell, Lucas Kelly and Mason Morris."

Hard to go wrong with a lefty with swing-and-miss stuff at the college level like Doyle had in 2025.  He led all of college baseball in strikeouts per nine innings with 15.43, led by that electric fastball with terrific placement. 

If the Angels do get Doyle at #2, he'd join a team that many Vol fans have a late-night eye on in the Angels.  Christian Moore, taken #8 overall by Los Angeles last year, made his debut last month for the Halos.  Ben Joyce is also a key reliever for the Angels, although he's out for the rest of the season and on the mend after shoulder surgery.  When he's on, he's one of the most intriguing relievers in the game to watch with his 103-mph fastball.  Doyle, Joyce, and Moore would indeed be an intriguing trio to watch for Vol fans. 

The 2025 MLB Draft gets underway Sunday at 6:00 pm ET from Atlanta, Georgia.