A little less than a year after cementing himself in college baseball history, Christian Moore will get his shot against the big leaguers.
On Thursday, June 12, it was announced that the 2024 eighth overall pick was receiving his promotion to the Los Angeles Angels.
Moore has spent this season splitting time between the Double-A Rocket City Trash Pandas and Triple-A Reno Aces. Across 54 games, he has posted a .279 batting average with five homers and 32 RBIs.
His call-up comes after slashing a .350 batting average, with a .424 on-base percentage and a .575 slugging percentage with three homers in 29 games in AAA. Moore spent 34 games with the Trash Pandas, hitting .234 with a lone homer — coming in Knoxville against the Smokies on April 29 at Covenant Health Park.
Moore’s 2024 national championship campaign was historic for Tennessee baseball. His junior year compiled a program-record 34 homers and set the career record with 61 blasts. He added a .375 batting average and 74 RBIs as a predominantly leadoff hitter. His 55 extra-base hits and 236 total bases in 2024 were the most-ever in a season for Tennessee baseball.
In the College World Series, Moore put himself in national prominence when he delivered the cycle in the Vols’ thrilling 12-11 come-from-behind win over the Florida State Seminoles in the opening game on June 14, 2024. He went 4-for-4, hitting a triple to open the game, followed by a double, single then homer to become the second-ever player to achieve the feat in CWS history.
“Through the whole game the only mindset I have is to win, get on base for my team, set the tone,” Moore said after the CWS win. “I have really good hitters behind me, so I just want to get on for them. Really, to be honest, I didn’t know I did it. I was just so hyper-focused on winning and just that next task.”
Moore becomes the ninth former Tennessee player under head coach Tony Vitello to earn a major-league promotion. He joins six teammates from the 2022 squad, including Chase Dollander, Blade Tidwell, Ben Joyce, Seth Halvorsen, Trey Lipscomb and Jordan Beck.
Professional ace Garrett Crochet and Andre Lipcius round out the Vitello-coached big leaguers.
Moore’s debut will be the first former Vol to do so since Tidwell earned a start on May 4 for the New York Mets.
The Angels, joined by newly promoted Moore, will take on the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards on Friday, June 13, where he will presumably make his Major League debut.
