San Francisco Giants select Tennessee 2B Gavin Kilen in 2025 MLB Draft

Fresh off a banner year at Tennessee, Gavin Kilen is now heading to the next level. He heard his name called in the 2025 MLB Draft.

The San Francisco Giants selected Kilen at No. 13 overall in the first round of the draft. He spent one year at Tennessee after transferring from Louisville and became one of the top prospects available on the board this year.

Kilen started 52 out of the 53 games in which he appeared. During that time, he hit .357 with 15 home runs and 46 RBI while also amassing a .671 slugging percentage. He also showcased his ability to make contact, striking out just 27 times in his 210 at-bats.

For his efforts, Kilen earned First Team All-SEC honors and was a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy. That came after he was a Third Team All-ACC selection at Louisville in 2024 as he hit .330 and had 41 RBI as a sophomore.

Kilen played high school football at Milton (WI) and the Boston Red Sox selected him in the 13th round of the 2022 MLB Draft. However, he opted to go the college route and became a top prospect on the board following his junior season in 2025.

What MLB Draft experts are saying about Gavin Kilen

Gavin Kilen’s ability to make contact and avoid striking out are part of what makes him jump out as a prospect. However, MLB.com’s evaluation also pointed out his chase rate and the need for him to draw more walks. Still, that will be part of his development as he works his way up to The Show considering the other tools he possesses.

“With outstanding hand-eye coordination, a quick left-handed swing and feel for the barrel, Kilen continues to excel as a contact hitter,” MLB.com’s scouting report reads. “He tends to swing too often and chase breaking pitches, sometimes putting pitches in play without much authority and rarely drawing walks. He has shown more power with the Volunteers but may not have more than average raw pop, and while his hitting ability should enable him to get to most of it, he has yet to prove he can drive balls in the air with wood bats.

“Kilen’s skills stand out more than his tools, with his speed and arm strength both grading as average. He has good actions and instincts but the game speeds up on him and his arm is a bit stretched at shortstop. He’s a solid defender at second base and could develop in a similar fashion to fellow Wisconsin prep product Gavin Lux.”