Baseball America tabs Vols at No. 2 in preseason poll
Another week and another top-five ranking for the Tennessee baseball team this preseason as Baseball American picked the Vols second to begin the 2023 campaign on Monday morning. Tennessee is just weeks away from the start of the new season with first pitch at the MLB Desert Invitational on the weekend of February 17.
The Vols are coming off a 57-9 campaign, going 25-5 in SEC play. The Vols led the nation in team ERA last spring, bolstered by reigning SEC Pitcher of the Year Chase Dollander, SEC Freshman of the Year Drew Beam and Freshman All-American Chase Burns. Tennessee, who earned the No. 1 ranking in the NCAA Tournament, fell to Notre Dame in the Super Regional final in Knoxville.
Vols have retooled lineup for 2023
Despite losing plenty of power in the lineup from outfielders Drew Gilbert and Jordan Beck, as well as catcher Evan Russell, third baseman Trey Lipscomb, first baseman Luc Lipcius, second baseman Jorel Ortega and short stop Cortland Lawson – the Vols bring back plenty strength in the form of Jared Dickey, Blake Burke, Christian Moore and transfer Zane Denton (Alabama). The Vols also welcomed in reigning AAC Player of the Year Griffin Merritt (Cincinnati) and MLB prospect Maui Ahuna (Kansas) to the roster this offseason.
Tennessee brings back its weekend rotation of Dollander, Burns and Beam – as well as swingman Camden Sewell and weekday starter Zander Sechrist. The bullpen will once again feature lefty specialist Kirby Connell and welcomes the likes of Andrew Lindsey, who last pitched for Charlotte in 2021. The Vols also have another flamethrower on roster this spring in Zach Joyce – brother of hard-thrower Ben Joyce – and hope to get something out of former Missouri Friday night starter Seth Halvorsen, who spent last season injured.
Plenty of accolades for Vols in preseason
Frank Anderson was recently named the Rawlings Pitching Coach of the Year for 2022. Tennessee pitchers Beam, Burns, Sewell and short stop Ahuna boast All-American preseason accolades from Collegiate Baseball and Perfect Game while Dollander was named the Perfect Game Preseason Pitcher of the Year.
Top 10
- 1
Elko pokes at Kiffin
A&M coach jokes over kick times
- 2
Dan Lanning
Oregon coach getting NFL buzz
- 3Trending
UK upsets Duke
Mark Pope leads Kentucky to first Champions Classic win since 2019
- 4Hot
5-star flip
Ole Miss flips Alabama WR commit Caleb Cunningham
- 5
Second CFP Top 25
Newest CFP rankings are out
The No. 2 preseason ranking by Baseball America on Monday goes in unison with D1 Baseball and Perfect Game, who also picked the Vols second this winter. Collegiate Baseball tabbed the Vols at No. 5 for the preseason.
The rest of the Baseball America preseason poll
LSU was picked just ahead of the Volunteers in the top-spot by Baseball America, coming off a regional final loss that ended 2022. The Tigers loaded up this offseason with top-ranked recruiting and transfer classes, according to the publication. They boast All-Americans Dylan Crews, Paul Skenes and Tommy White – the latter two coming by way of the portal from Air Force and NC State. The Vols take on LSU in Baton Rouge this season on the weekend of March 30-April 1.
Florida was position third with Stanford in fourth. Louisville rounded out the top-five in the preseason poll with Vanderbilt, Texas A&M, Miami, Wake Forest and Ole Miss placing 5-10. The SEC sported eight teams inside the Baseball America Top-25, the most of any conference, with the ACC claiming seven spots.
Other SEC teams spotted in the Baseball America preseason top-25 include Arkansas (11) and Auburn (22). Tennessee is set to take on Arizona on Friday, February 17, to kick off the season at the MLB Desert Invitational (MLB 4) in Scottsdale, Ariz. The Vols will also play Grand Canyon and UC San Diego while in the desert.
