AJ Russell

AJ Russell

 Photo courtesy Tennessee Athletics/UTsports.com

The Williamson County to Major League Baseball pipeline could add a few more additions to the list in the coming years as a pair of local athletes were selected on the first day of the 2025 MLB Draft.

Franklin High School and University of Tennessee alum AJ Russell was taken 52nd overall in the second round on Sunday by the Texas Rangers. 

The right-handed pitcher burst onto the scene in 2023 for the Vols, earning freshman All-American and third-team NCBWA All-American honors in his first season in Knoxville while helping the program earn a College World Series bid.

Injuries stymied his sophomore and junior seasons, but Russell still compiled 104 strikeouts to just 26 walks and 21 earned runs allowed across 70 innings of work. He posted a 4-2 record in 11 starts, making 42 total appearances, with a 2.70 ERA. 

Despite being limited by injuries, Russell made two postseason appearances as Tennessee won its first-ever College World Series title in 2024. 

At Franklin, Russell compiled a 9-1 record with 161 strikeouts during his junior and senior seasons, helping lead the Admirals to the state playoffs in 2021. He earned all-mid-state honors both years. 

Russell was one of a whopping eight Vols taken in the first three rounds of the draft.

Former Brentwood High School two-sport star Aaron Walton was selected 66th overall by the Cleveland Guardians in the competitive balance round B. 

After two seasons at Samford — where the outfielder totaled a .269 batting average with 15 home runs, 57 RBI, 75 hits and 69 runs scored in 94 games — Walton joined Arizona's roster in the fall. 

Walton started all 65 games as the Wildcats advanced to the College World Series, compiling a .320 batting average with 14 home runs, 49 RBI, 81 hits and 71 runs scored. 

At Brentwood, Walton was an all-state honoree in both baseball and football. He batted .419 with 19 RBI in 36 games as a senior on the diamond and set a school single-season record with 16 receiving touchdowns as a senior on the gridiron.  

UPDATE:

Another WillCo alum was selected on day two of the 2025 MLB Draft as former Brentwood Academy star Tayler Montiel was taken with the 363rd pick in the 12th round by the Arizona Diamondbacks. 

Following a redshirt-freshman season spent at Mississippi State, Montiel transferred to Tulane, where he spent three years. The left-handed pitcher compiled a 6-3 record with 70 strikeouts and a 5.96 ERA across 68 innings in 51 appearances. 

Like Walton, Montiel was a dual baseball and football athlete while at BA. He was a quarterback and punter for the football team, while earning honorable mention All-American status on the mound, posting a 7-2 record with a 2.59 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 61 innings as a senior.