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Former Vol Christian Moore Nears MLB Debut with Los Angeles Angels
Rocket City infielder Christian Moore (7) celebrates hitting a homerun during a minor league baseball game between the Knoxville Smokies and Rocket City Trash Pandas at Covenant Health Park on April 29, 2025. The Knoxville Smokies won 9-6 against the Rocket City Trash Pandas. Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The former Tennessee Volunteer star and 2025 College World Series champion is off to a strong start to his professional career. After being selected No. 8 overall by the Los Angeles Angels in this summer’s MLB Draft, Moore has already surged to Double-A, where he's putting up some solid numbers with the Rocket City Trash Pandas.

Moore’s impact hasn’t been limited to the stat sheet. In a poetic moment on April 29, he launched his first professional home run in Knoxville—against the Tennessee Smokies—bringing his power display full circle in front of the fanbase that watched him become a collegiate superstar. Just months earlier, he helped lead the Volunteers to a national title, cementing his place in Tennessee baseball history.

The Angels clearly see it too.

Moore played with the Single-A Inland Empire 66ers before earning a promotion to Rocket City. If his torrid pace continues, a call-up to Triple-A—or even the Majors—isn’t just a possibility; it may be imminent.

Ranked as the No. 4 prospect in all of Minor League Baseball, Moore’s stock is soaring as fast as his bat speed. His walk-off home run only added to the buzz, showing not just power, but poise in clutch situations.

For a franchise like the Angels, in desperate need of young talent, Moore could arrive as more than just a spark—he could be a cornerstone.

From Brooklyn to Knoxville, and now from Madison, Alabama to possibly Anaheim, Christian Moore’s meteoric rise is becoming one of baseball’s most compelling stories of 2025. And with every swing, the former Volunteer is proving he’s more than ready for the next level.


This article first appeared on Tennessee Volunteers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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