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AJ Russell impresses in third start as he moves closer to SEC action

On3 imageby:Eric Cain•04/08/25•

_Cainer

Tennessee pitcher AJ Russell. Credit: UT Athletics
Tennessee pitcher AJ Russell. Credit: UT Athletics

Tennessee right-handed hurler AJ Russell made his third start of the season, and his second-straight in as many weeks, on Tuesday during Tennessee’s eventual 10-2 win over Alabama State from Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

It was the first time in three appearances this year – post Tommy John surgery last June – that Russell pitched more than one frame as the junior recorded two scoreless innings on the night while allowing one hit and strikeout out a pair. The righty totaled 21 pitches with 16 strikes on the night and sat 92-95 mph with the heater.

“It was just good to double up the pitch count, double up the amount of innings,” Tony Vitello said postgame on Russell. “I think he even went down again (to the bullpen). That was his request this go around, was to go down and even get some more pitches in the bullpen.”

The first inning was a breeze for Russell as he retired the Hornets in 1-2-3 fashion with two strikeouts and a flyout to right. Russell needed only 12 pitches in the first with nine pounding the strike zone – hitting 95 miles per hour with the fastball on a few occasions.

“After last week, I felt great. No soreness or anything like that. Felt good today,” Russell said in postgame. “Each time I’m out there, I’m getting more comfortable. It’s good.”

It was more solid work in the second inning. Russell got the leadoff man to lineout. The second out came via an unassisted out at first base on a chopper. The third was a loud flyout to right-center, but nothing Hunter Ensley couldn’t track down. There was a two-out single hit to right, but nothing doing for Alabama State in the second.   

“I know he’s hungry to do more. I think we want to do it in a proper progression,” Vitello continued. “So, what the next step is, I’m not sure, but for me, I’d like to involve some guys on base whether it’s against our hitters or another team. And then the ultimate question that you want to ask is, SEC play? I don’t think it’s too far away, but again, I think we want to keep making steps up rather than climb to the top of the ladder right away.”

Last week’s midweek start against Tennessee Tech outing was his first in 35 days. Russell continued throwing behind the scenes for the Vols in the last month, but was in ‘reconfiguration’ mode and readying for the back half of the campaign.

“I’ve just been kind of working up a pitch count and kind of the same thing from what it was before,” Russell said last week. “Live ABs [at-bats], bullpens. Just making sure everything was good.

“I want to be out there. I want to help this team win as much as humanly possible. It’s also, we have got to be smart about it. Not rush back and do anything that can hurt you in the long run too.”

He allowed a two-out single, but struck out a pair and delivered a groundout to second base in last week’s lone inning against the Golden Eagles. Russell hit as high as 95 miles per hour at least four times in the frame. He needed only 12 pitches (11 strikes) and went down to the Tennessee bullpen to throw some more in order to likely reach his pitch count for the day as it was a long bottom of the first inning with the Vols at the plate.

Russell was flawless in his return to the mound on February 25 against North Alabama, tossing a clean inning with three strikeouts while hitting 97 miles per hour on the radar gun. That was his only appearance of the year prior to last week, however, though there were no setbacks, according to Tennessee coach Tony Vitello.

“Zero. Not even close,” Vitello said in early March. “The opposite. No setbacks.

“It was a deal where AJ’s an abnormal kid and he got ahead of that program quicker than the average guy. So, I think it’s time for everybody that’s involved to take a deep breath, have a conversation and say, ‘he showed what he can do’. We feel good about the throwing program and the protocol, but let’s take a deep breath and look out for the long run of what we’re trying to do with our season and his career combined.”   

Russell was limited for the majority of his second year in the program after beginning the 2024 campaign as the club’s Opening Day starter. After some time off, rehab and a couple of returns to the mound following the initial injury, Russell needed Tommy John surgery in June.

Surgery was a success and proved a shorter recovery timeline as the repair was done with an internal brace. Russell now eagerly awaits his fourth trip back to the mound this season in what will likely be next next Tuesday. All this setting up to be a main factor on weekends down the line.

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