'The Stache is back': Tennessee baseball announces return of Kirby Connell
Kirby Connell is coming back for one more year with the Tennessee baseball program. The Vols confirmed the move on social media on Monday morning, after the senior left-hander announced his return Sunday night.
“Excited to announce I’ll be returning to The University of Tennessee to play my last year,” Connell announced on Instagram, “and further my education by pursuing my Master’s Degree!”
Over the last four seasons, Connell has pitched 101.1 innings in relief, with a 2.76 ERA and a 6-1 record while helping Tennessee advance to the College World Series twice. He had a 1.66 ERA in 38.0 innings over 30 appearances as a junior in 2022 and a 3.52 ERA last season, pitching 15.1 innings over 33 appearances.
Connell had a 3.00 ERA in 26 appearances in 2021, helping Tennessee reach with 42.0 innings out of the bullpen. He appeared in four games as a freshman before COVID cancelled the 2020 season, pitching 5.2 innings.
Zane Denton announced return to Tennessee baseball on Saturday
It’s the second addition for Tennessee baseball over the last three days, following third baseman Zane Denton announcing his return over the weekend.
Denton drove in a team-high 59 runs with 16 home runs while batting .269 on the year in Knoxville. He homered twice against Clemson in regional play, including the three-run shot with two outs in the top of the ninth inning that handed the Vols a lead.
He had another three-run home run to extend Tennessee’s lead in a Super Regional-clinching win at Southern Miss to advance to the College World Series. Denton had a pair of hits and scored a run against Stanford in a College World Series elimination victory.
Vols added multiple players from NCAA Transfer Portal
Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello landed multiple big names out of the NCAA Transfer Portal for the 2024 season, including Clemson infielder Billy Amick and North Carolina State catcher Cannon Peebles.
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Amick had a breakout sophomore season in 2023, Amick was an All-American after leading Clemson with a .413 batting average. He had 17 doubles, a .464 on-base percentage and a .772 slugging percentage. He had 13 home runs and 63 RBI and committed just three errors defensively.
Peebles led NC State with a .352 batting average, .697 slugging percentage and .456 on-base percentage. He had a team-high 50 RBI and was second on the team with 12 home runs in 142 at-bats. He had 13 multi-hit games and 11 games with one or more RBI. Peebles made 30 starts at NC State as the Wolfpack’s designated hitter and nine more at catcher.
Tennessee also added Jacksonville State pitcher AJ Causey, Wichita State pitcher Nate Snead and Missouri’s Dalton Bargo.
Snead, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound right-hander, who has a fastball that has reached 100 mph, made 24 appearances out of the bullpen for Wichita State this season, striking out 53 and walking 17 over 42.2 innings pitched.
The right-handed Causey was Jacksonville State’s Friday night starter last season, going 5-2 with 5.07 ERA over 76.1 innings pitched. He had 89 strikeouts against just 23 walks.
Bargo hit .279 as a freshman at Missouri last season. He had five home runs and 23 RBI. The lefty had 46 hits, including six doubles, and scored 25 runs.
