KSR's 2025 SEC Baseball Preview: Tennessee

With the 2025 College Baseball season just around the corner, KSR will be previewing all 15 SEC teams that will be competing with Kentucky for an SEC crown this season. Up next; the defending National Champion Tennessee Volunteers.

For the first time ever, the Tennessee Volunteers will open a season as reigning National Champions.

The 2024 Volunteers, led by head coach Tony Vitello, dominated College Baseball last season. The Vols compiled a 60-13 (22-8) record and went 9-1 in the NCAA Tournament en route to a National Championship. Tennessee shared the SEC Co-Regular Season Championship with Kentucky, earning its fifth in program history.

Although Tennessee lost a crop of major contributors from the greatest team in program history, the Volunteers return a solid group of players along with a big transfer portal haul and a stacked incoming freshman class. It is certainly a new era for this program, looking to become the seventh team ever and first since the 2010/11 South Carolina Gamecocks to win back-to-back National Championships.

Returning Players:

• R-Sr. OF Hunter Ensley (2024: 68 G, .296 AVG, 15 2B, 12 HR, 48 RBI, .532 SLG%, .390 OBP%)
• So. INF Dean Curley (2024: 67 G, .285 AVG, 10 2B, 12 HR, 50 RBI, .502 SLG%, .386 OBP%)
• Jr. C Cannon Peebles (2024: 54 G, .216 AVG, 7 2B, 2 HR, 24 RBI, .328 SLG%, .379 OBP%)
• Jr. UTIL Dalton Bargo (2024: 50 G, .280 AVG, 5 2B, 8 HR, 27 RBI, .551 SLG%, .373 OBP%)
• Jr. OF Reese Chapman (2024: 50 G, .274 AVG, 5 2B, 7 HR, 31 RBI, .519 SLG%, .398 OBP%)
• So. INF Ariel Antigua (2024: 40 G, .217 AVG, 2 2B, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .304 SLG%, .280 OBP%)
• R-Sr. OF Colby Backus (2024: 28 G, .387 AVG, 3 2B, 5 HR, 12 RBI, .968 SLG%, .500 OBP%)
• So. INF/OF Hunter High (2024: 11 G, .385 AVG, 3 2B, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .615 SLG%, .429 OBP%)
• R-Fr. OF Brayden Sharp (2024: 2 G, .000 AVG, 0 2B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .000 SLG%, .000 OBP%)

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• Jr. RHP Nate Snead (2024: 29 APP, 1 GS, 10-2, 3.11 ERA, 75 1/3 IP, 61 K, 26 BB, .251 B/AVG)
• So. LHP Dylan Loy (2024: 21 APP, 5 GS, 2-0, 2.37 ERA, 30 1/3 IP, 37 K, 10 BB, .194 B/AVG)
• Jr. LHP Andrew Behnke (2024: 23 APP, 0 GS, 3-1, 3.54 ERA, 28 IP, 39 K, 9 BB, .213 B/AVG)
• Jr. RHP Marcus Phillips (2024: 19 APP, 2 GS, 0-0, 4.95 ERA, 20 IP, 22 K, 15 BB, .208 B/AVG)
• Jr. RHP AJ Russell (2024: 6 APP, 4 GS, 0-1, 5.02 ERA, 14 1/3 IP, 21 K, 8 BB, .231 B/AVG)
• R-So. RHP Austin Hunley (2024: 8 APP, 0 GS, 1-0, 6.23 ERA, 8 2/3 IP, 5 K, 1 BB, .324 B/AVG)
• So. LHP Luke Payne (2024: 4 APP, 0 GS, 0-0, 4.91 ERA, 3 2/3 IP, 9 K, 3 BB, .167 B/AVG)

Departing Players:

• Jr. INF Blake Burke (2024: 72 G, .379 AVG, 30 2B, 20 HR, 61 RBI, .702 SLG%, .449 OBP% – Competitive Balance Round A in 2024 MLB Draft)
• Jr. INF Christian Moore (2024: 72 G, .375 AVG, 19 2B, 34 HR, 74 RBI, .797 SLG%, .451 OBP% – 1st Round of 2024 MLB Draft)
• So. OF Dylan Dreiling (2024: 71 G, .341 AVG, 19 2B, 23 HR, 75 RBI, .715 SLG%, .459 OBP% – 2nd Round of 2024 MLB Draft)
• R-So. OF Kavares Tears (2024: 71 G, .324 AVG, 16 2B, 20 HR, 62 RBI, .643 SLG%, .427 OBP% – 4th Round of 2024 MLB Draft)
• Jr. INF Billy Amick (2024: 65 G, .306 AVG, 14 2B, 23 HR, 65 RBI, .639 SLG%, .387 OBP% – 2nd Round of 2024 MLB Draft)
• Sr. C Cal Stark (2024: 53 G, .212 AVG, 6 2B, 11 HR, 30 RBI, .511 SLG%, .353 OBP% – Graduated)
• Jr. INF/OF Robin Villenueve (2024: 35 G, .288 AVG, 3 2B, 5 HR, 22 RBI, .513 SLG%, .447 OBP% – Transferred to Texas Tech)
• Jr. INF Bradke Lohry (2024: 27 G, .241 AVG, 3 2B, 0 HR, 8 RBI, .345 SLG%, .452 OBP%)
• Gr. UTIL Ethan Payne (2024: 22 G, .278 AVG, 0 2B, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .278 SLG%, .435 OBP%)
• R-Jr. C Charlie Taylor (2024: 20 G, .130 AVG, 0 2B, 1 HR, 6 RBI, .261 SLG%, .259 OBP%)
• Fr. INF Camden Bates (2024: 10 G, .250 AVG, 0 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .625 SLG%, .417 OBP% – Transferred to Arizona State)
• Jr. INF Alex Perry (2024: 7 G, .286 AVG, 0 2B, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .286 SLG%, .500 OBP%)

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• Jr. RHP Drew Beam (2024: 19 APP, 19 GS, 9-2, 4.22 ERA, 102 1/3 IP, 99 K, 27 BB, .259 B/AVG – 3rd Round of 2024 MLB Draft)
• Jr. RHP AJ Causey (2024: 19 APP, 6 GS, 13-3, 4.43 ERA, 91 1/3 IP, 125 K, 22 BB, .259 B/AVG – 5th Round of 2024 MLB Draft)
• Sr. LHP Zander Sechrist (2024: 20 APP, 19 GS, 6-1, 3.12 ERA, 78 IP, 76 K, 16 BB, .253 B/AVG – Graduated)
• Gr. LHP Kirby Connell (2024: 36 APP, 0 GS, 4-1, 3.67 ERA, 49 IP, 49 K, 13 BB, .262 B/AVG – Graduated)
• R-Jr. RHP Aaron Combs (2024: 24 APP, 2 GS, 3-1, 3.35 ERA, 45 2/3 IP, 66 K, 23 BB, .200 B/AVG – 8th Round of 2024 MLB Draft)
• Gr. LHP Chris Stamos (2024: 22 APP, 11 GS, 3-1, 4.50 ERA, 32 IP, 35 K, 16 BB, .209 B/AVG – Graduated)
• Fr. LHP Matthew Dallas (2024: 15 APP, 2 GS, 1-0, 4.76 ERA, 17 IP, 22 K, 10 BB, .180 B/AVG – Transferred to Wake Forest)
• So. RHP JJ Garcia (2024: 11 APP, 0 GS, 3-0, 3.97 ERA, 11 1/3 IP, 18 K, 2 BB, .190 B/AVG)
• Fr. RHP Derek Schaefer (2024: 10 APP, 2 GS, 2-0, 9.35 ERA, 8 2/3 IP, 10 K, 8 BB, .294 B/AVG – Transferred to Arizona State)
• R-Fr. RHP Brady Robertson (2024: 5 APP, 0 GS, 0-0, 2.70 ERA, 3 1/3 IP, 4 K, 1 BB, .182 B/AVG)

Incoming Transfers:

• Jr. INF Gavin Kilen (2024: 54 G, .330 AVG, 23 2B, 9 HR, 41 RBI, .591 SLG%, .361 OBP% – Transferred from Louisville)
• Jr. INF Andrew Fischer (2024: 49 G, .282 AVG, 7 2B, 7 HR, 44 RBI, .624 SLG%, .406 OBP% – Transferred from Ole Miss)

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• Jr. LHP Liam Doyle (2024: 14 APP, 9 GS, 2-4, 6.35 ERA, 45 1/3 IP, 72 K, 18 BB, .240 B/AVG – Transferred from Ole Miss)
• Jr. RHP Tanner Franklin (2024: 21 APP, 1 GS, 4-1, 5.60 ERA, 27 1/3 IP, 43 K, 27 BB, .212 B/AVG – Transferred from Kennesaw State)

When you win a National Championship, you’re due to lose a bunch of major contributors. In Tennessee’s case, it lost its top five batting average leaders in Blake Burke, Christian Moore, Dylan Dreiling, Kavares Tears, and Billy Amick. To put into perspective the amount of talent that is departing from this all-time team, Tennessee led the country with 184 home runs last season. Just 46 of those home runs return in 2025.

Major things are expected from its returning players however, as sophomore shortstop Dean Curley and redshirt sophomore outfielder Hunter Ensley were named Preseason All-SEC selections.

Along with its elite offensive players, two of the greatest pitchers in program history Drew Beam and AJ Causey turned pro. This new era will be led by junior right-hander Nate Snead, whose 75 1/3 innings pitched last season are 45 more than any other returning arm. Snead was also named a Preseason All-SEC selection.

Tony Vitello and his staff hit big in the Transfer Portal, stealing infielder Andrew Fischer and left-handed pitcher Liam Doyle from Ole Miss. Fischer and Doyle, who were both named Preseason All-SEC selections, were two of the Rebels’ best players from last season. They will both have immediate impacts for the Vols, along with former Louisville shortstop Gavin Kilen (who was also named Preseason All-SEC) and former Kennesaw State right-hander Tanner Franklin.

Three of Tennessee’s four transfer portal hauls were named Preseason All-SEC. Not bad.

Along with a solid returning core and some big name transfer hauls, the Volunteers’ incoming freshman class was ranked second best in all of College Baseball by D1Baseball. Catcher Levi Clark (No. 36 ranked player in C/O ’24), right-hander Tegan Kuhns (No. 45 ranked player in C/O ’24) and outfielder Jay Abnerathy (No. 61 ranked player in C/O ’24) could all make instant impacts in 2025.

Tennessee, who will open the 2025 season ranked at No. 4, is scheduled to face five SEC teams present in D1Baseball’s Preseason Top 25 Rankings this season (No. 1 Texas A&M, at No. 3 LSU, at No. 5 Arkansas, No. 10 Florida and No. 16 Vanderbilt). The Vols were projected to finish second in the SEC.

Kentucky fell in its home series against Tennessee last season, which was just its second loss in 10 SEC series. The Cats will travel to Knoxville the weekend of April 18-20. The Volunteers lead the all-time series against Kentucky 167-157.