Tennessee adds talented hurler Landon Mack from transfer portal

Tennessee added another right-handed pitcher from the transfer portal. This time, it’s a starting pitcher, however, as former Rutgers hurler Landon Mack has committed to Tony Vitello and the Vols.

Mack started 15 games for Rutgers this season (Saturday and Friday) where he compiled a 6-5 record and a 4.03 ERA. The righty pitched 80.1 innings, struck out 70 and walked 19 batters. Opponents tallied a .266 average against him as he allowed 20 extra-base hits (10 home runs) and 36 earned runs. Mack, who received a USA Baseball Collegiate National Training Camp invitation and made the team, received Big Ten All-Freshman Team honors following his rookie season and was named Second-Team Freshman All-American by Baseball America.

The pitcher made the commitment public Monday morning on his Instagram.

“After long conversations with family and prayers with our maker, I have decided to continue my academic and athletic career at the University of Tennessee,” Mack posted. “I’d like to thank the coaches at Rutgers and all the people who worked behind the scenes to give me a great experience and opportunity.”

He has three seasons of eligibility remaining and is not draft eligible. Mack was on campus the first week of June for an official visit. LSU was the main competition for Mack. The righty tossed two innings of scoreless relief for the Stripes on Sunday night against the Stars with Team USA. He struck out three, walked none and allowed one hit in the outing.

The righty was tabbed No. 392 overall by Perfect Game in the Class of 2024 rankings and the No. 122 right-handed pitcher overall. The Columbus, N.J. native was considered the No. 7 prospect in the state and the third at his position.  

Mack was named the Big Ten Pitcher and Big Ten Freshman of the Week after firing seven scoreless frames on the road at No. 9 Oregon, allowing just two hits with four strikeouts on March 22.

The pitcher tossed eight innings of two-earned run baseball against Minnesota on April 18 and also pitched seven innings at Purdue on April 11. He tallied a career-high 103 pitches in outings against Minnesota and Penn State.   

Mack will be a frontrunner for a weekend rotation spot next season for Tennessee.

Baseball Transfer Portal

The 2025 non-graduate transfer portal opened on June 2 and will remain open until July 1. Players must have their name entered in the transfer portal by July 1 if they want to move on, but new destinations do not have to be made by that time.

TENNESSEE BASEBALL 2025 TRANSFER PORTAL TRACKER

The Vols have benefited greatly from the transfer portal in recent cycles, reeling in the likes of Chase Dollander (2022), Griffin Merritt (2023), Maui Ahuna (2023), Zane Denton (2023), Billy Amick (2024), Cannon Peebles (2024), AJ Causey (2024), Chris Stamos (2024), Liam Doyle (2025), Andrew Fischer (2025) and Gavin Kilen (2025).

Tennessee now has nine additions via the transfer portal, a list that includes right-handed pitchers Clay Edmondson (UNC Asheville), Mason Estrada (MIT), Bo Rhudy (Kennesaw State), Brady Frederick (ETSU), utility Garrett Wright (Bowling Green), RHP/OF DJ Newman (Bowling Green), 1B/OF Henry Ford (Virginia) and LHP/OF Blaine Brown (Rice). Tennessee has also added junior college players such as RHP Matt Barr (SUNY Niagara) and Tyler Myatt (Walters State) and picked up catcher Trent Grindlinger as a late add to the 2025 class in recent weeks.

Tennessee has now lost 25 players to the transfer portal so far who were on the 2025 roster: INF Jack Jones, INF Robinson Martin, LHP Bryson Thacker, RHP Brayden Sharp, RHP Austin Hunley, RHP Thomas Crabtree, OF Colby Backus, LHP Ryler Smart, LHP Dylan Loy, LHP Andrew Behnke, RHP Austin Breedlove, RHP/OF Beau Revord, LHP Michael Sharman, LHP Brayden May, LHP Luke Payne, RHP Tanner Wiggins, LHP Dane Bjorn, RHP Stratton Scott, RHP Andrew DuMont, RHP Ben Martin, INF Dane Morrow, C Brooks Wright, RHP Aidan Hayse, RHP Tate Strickland and RHP Ryan Combs.