Billy Carlson, Top 2025 MLB Draft Prospect, Flips Commit To Tennessee

Image credit: Billy Carlson (Photo by Tracy Proffitt/Four Seam Images)

Billy Carlson, a shortstop/righthander ranked No. 5 in the 2025 class, has flipped his commitment from Vanderbilt to Tennessee.

Carlson is a potential first-round pick and ranks No. 10 on our big board, so his college commitment might not ultimately matter if he signs with a major league team out of the draft next year, but if he gets to campus, Tennessee would land one of the most talented players in the country. Carlson is the best defensive shortstop in the 2025 class, a quick-twitch athlete who has smooth, crisp actions with nimble footwork, soft hands and the ability to make acrobatic plays that he can finish with a plus-plus arm. At the plate, Carlson is a high-contact hitter from the right side with good bat speed and more power projection remaining in his lean 6-foot-1, 180-pound frame.

Carlson’s professional future is likely to be at shortstop, but he’s an exciting pitching prospect as well. He has reached 97 mph and has tight rotation on his high-spin, 77-81 mph curveball to go with feel for a changeup.

Carlson attends Corona High in California, where he’s teammates with righthander Seth Hernandez (a Vanderbilt commit), shortstop Brady Ebel (LSU commit) and righthander/infielder Ethin Bingaman (Auburn commit) on one of the most loaded teams in the country. Carlson joins shortstop Ty Thompson and first baseman/lefthander Evan Hankins as top 100 commits in Tennessee’s 2025 recruiting class, which also outfielder Taylor Tracey as another big commit for the Volunteers.