Former Vols star Drew Gilbert goes viral for recreating memorable moment from his time at Tennessee during Mets spring training
New York Mets outfielder Drew Gilbert, a former Tennessee Vols standout, went viral over the weekend for inadvertently recreating a memorable moment from his time in Knoxville. Gilbert, who was traded from the Houston Astros to New York in 2023, was one of several Mets players taking live batting practice on Sunday morning off teammate […]
New York Mets outfielder Drew Gilbert, a former Tennessee Vols standout, went viral over the weekend for inadvertently recreating a memorable moment from his time in Knoxville.
Gilbert, who was traded from the Houston Astros to New York in 2023, was one of several Mets players taking live batting practice on Sunday morning off teammate Brandon Sproat, a right-handed pitcher who played for the Florida Gators in college.
The former Vol hit a home run off Sproat during their live batting practice showdown.
It's not the first time that Gilbert has hit a home run off Sproat.
Gilbert and Sproat are teammates now, but a few years ago, they were SEC rivals.
And in 2022, Gilbert took Sproat (who was All-SEC that season) deep in the Vols' series-clinching win against the Gators (H/T @DiamondVols).
Tennessee's 2022 team was certainly one of the most memorable teams in program history — even though the 2022 season ended in heartbreak for the Volunteers thanks to a loss to Notre Dame in the Knoxville Super Regional.
(The Vols went 49-7 during the regular season in 2022.)
Drew Gilbert isn't the only former Tennessee Vols star in spring training with the New York Mets
Right-handed pitcher Blade Tidwell was the starting pitcher for Tennessee when Gilbert homered off Sproat on April 23, 2022.
Tidwell is also currently in Port St. Lucie for spring training with the Mets (Tidwell was selected by the Mets in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft).
Who knew that three years ago, a few players from a heated series between Florida and Tennessee would be in spring training together with the same MLB team (the world continues to be smaller than we realize).
None of the three players, by the way, are expected to break camp with the Mets. Sproat, Tidwell, and Gilbert are all expected to start the season in Triple-A Syracuse. All three players, however, could be in play to make their MLB debuts at some point in 2025.