Four Tennessee Vols named Preseason All-Americans by the NCBWA

As Opening Day continues to creep ahead, more and more preseason accolades are rolling in for the Tennessee baseball team ahead of the 2024 campaign. On Tuesday, four more Vols were projected All-Americans by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.  

Leading the way once again is starting pitcher Drew Beam, who picks up his second first-team preseason All-American honor and his fourth overall. Transfer third baseman Billy Amick added his fourth preseason All-American nod with a second-team selection from the NCBWA while starting pitcher AJ Russell picks up his first – also named to the second-team. Second baseman Christian Moore, who was named to the third-team, now has four preseason All-American honors.  

Last week, Tennessee was named the No. 5 team in the country, per the preseason rankings from the NCBWA.

The preseason All-America honors are starting to pile up!

📰 https://t.co/yZ88GE3st4#GBO // #OTH pic.twitter.com/fr33JRMhuy

— Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) February 6, 2024

Beam made every weekly start in 2023 (17), going 9-4 over 84.1 innings pitched with an ERA of 3.63. The right-hander struck out 88 batters, walked 23 and threw one seven inning complete game. His three postseason starts were stellar, combining for 17.2 inning pitched of four-run baseball where he allowed 17 hits with 26 strikeouts and only three walks. He was also named the SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week on May 23.

The former Blackman quarterback was also named to the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, becoming the first player in program history to be invited to the showcase multiple times since VFL J.P. Arencibia back in 2005 and 2006. Beam was also listed at second for ‘Best Changeup’ and ‘Best Command’ amongst Baseball America pitching superlatives earlier this week.

Russell, who is slated to join the starting rotation this season, was named a third-team All-American by the NCBWA after his true freshman season in 2023. The right-handed relief pitcher from Franklin, Tenn., lead all Tennessee pitchers (minimum 25 innings pitched) with a 0.89 ERA, a 0.53 WHIP and a .095 opponent batting average. He was 2-0 this season and had 47 strikeouts against seven walks in 30.1 innings pitched.

He appeared in 24 games this season and allowed only one run on five hits in 10 innings dog SEC play.

Over the course of a breakout sophomore campaign in 2023 with Clemson, Amick racked up All-American honors from Collegiate Baseball, NCBWA and Perfect Game after leading the Tigers with a .413 batting average, 17 doubles, .464 on-base percentage and a .772 slugging percentage. He was second on the squad with 13 home runs and 63 RBI and committed only three errors defensively.

Aside from the All-American honors, Amick was named first-Team All-ACC for his efforts this past season and was 1-for-3 against the Volunteers in the thrilling 6-5 Tennessee win in 14 innings over Clemson in regional play. Tennessee made the slugger a priority when he entered the transfer portal on June 16.

Moore, who was also named to the Stars & Stripes Collegiate National Team this past summer, hit .304 as a sophomore for Tennessee in 2023, finishing second on the team with 17 home runs and 50 RBI. The second baseman led the squad with a .444 on-base percentage, 16 stolen bases and 66 runs scored. He was Tennessee’s best hitter against left-handed pitching with an average well north of .320 and his postseason production was solid as he delivered a key two-run single in a [historic] win over Stanford in the College World Series and registered a 7-for-10 clip in the Clemson Regional.

Tennessee begins the 2024 campaign at the Shriners Children’s College Showdown at Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX on the weekend of Feb. 16-18. The Vols are slated to play Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Baylor over that weekend.

Vols in the Preseason Polls

NCBWA – No. 5

Baseball America – No. 8

D1 Baseball – No. 9

Perfect Game – No. 11

Preseason accolades for Vols

RHP Drew Beam: 1st Team All-American (Baseball America, NCBWA), 2nd Team All-American (D1 Baseball, Perfect Game), Top-100 MLB Draft Prospects (D1 Baseball)

INF Billy Amick: 2nd Team All-American (D1 Baseball, Perfect Game, NCBWA), 3rd Team All-American (Baseball America), No. 7 Transfer (D1 Baseball), Top-100 MLB Draft Prospects (D1 Baseball)

INF Christian Moore: 3rd Team All-American (D1 Baseball, Perfect Game, Baseball America, NCBWA), Top-100 MLB Draft Prospects (D1 Baseball)

1B Blake Burke: 2nd Team All-American (Baseball America)

RHP AJ Russell: 2nd Team All-American (NCBWA)

Tennessee named the No. 3 Transfer Portal Class (D1 Baseball)

Tennessee named the No. 11 Freshmen Class (D1 Baseball)