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Billy Amick, Drew Beam give recruiting pitch for Tennessee, Tony Vitello

On3 imageby:Eric Cain•06/26/24•

_Cainer

Tennessee is just a day removed from winning the first baseball national championship in program history, holding off Texas A&M 6-5 in Game 3 of the College World Series Finals on Monday night.

The season ended in 60 wins for the Volunteers – the most ever by a team from the Southeastern Conference. It’s also the first time a No. 1 overall seed won the College World Series since Miami accomplished the feat back in 1999.

Things are good on Rocky Top right now, but business moves on and fans are already clamoring for any bits of news out of the transfer portal as the Vols look to reload for the 2025 run. The transfer portal opened June 3 and remains open until July 3 (next Wednesday). Four players have already entered the transfer portal from Tennessee, a list that includes pitchers Matthew Dallas, Wyatt Evans, Danie Parris and 2023 third baseman Zane Denton.

But a couple of soon-to-be Tennessee baseball stars have already shared glowing endorsements of the program and head coach Tony Vitello since winning the national championship on Monday.

“This is why you come to a program like Tennessee and play under a coach like coach Vitello,” Billy Amick told Volquest during the celebration from Charles Schwab Field. “That’s the mindset over the fall and even during winter break – to win, be around your boys every day and go to war with them. That’s what it is all about and that’s what we did.

“Their vision speaks for itself. They want to win every day. That’s their culture – winning. That’s something that drew me in and a lot of other players. I don’t know why you wouldn’t want to come and play for Coach V and be in a winning culture like this.”

Amick also reiterated how he wished he’d played for the Vols his entire collegiate career.

“Yeah, I wish I could have been here for all three. I’m so glad to be a part of a team like this and the friendships I have on this team, I know I’ll have for a lifetime,” the third baseman continued. “It’s a highly-recommended experience, I would say.”

Amick is currently projected as a late first round pick or early second round pick in this summer’s MLB Draft. Starting pitcher Drew Beam, who will also be selected in the top-three rounds this summer, took to social media on Tuesday to let every prospective student-athlete know that Tennessee is the place to be.

“If you are a high school player or guy in the transfer portal, there is no other man in the world you should want to play for,” Beam posted on X. “This man gives his all for his guys and would go to war for us. Ask anyone who has ever played for him. Go Vols baby!”

Even star pitcher Zander Sechrist joined the fun after winning it all on Monday night.

“I see Danny White back there,” Sechrist said, referencing the Tennessee athletic director in the back of the room while the Vols held their postgame press conference, “so I’m going to put it out there: I hope there’s a lifetime contract coming soon for Coach Vitello.”

Tennessee picked up a commitment from Junior College pitcher Thomas Crabtree before heading off to Omaha and played host to former Louisville infielder Gavin Kilen and former Wichita State hurler Tommy LaPour during the Knoxville Super Regional weekend. Both players remain very much in the fold for the Volunteers, who returned from Omaha on Tuesday evening to a celebration parade on Gay Steet.

The Vols won it all in the College World Series during their seventh trip to Omaha and the third in the past four seasons under Vitello.

Tennessee’s 60 wins are the most of any team since Florida State in 2002 and the most of any national champion since Wichita State in 1989. Vitello has rewritten the Tennessee Baseball record books, leading the country the last four seasons in wins (211), win percentage (.773), NCAA Tournament wins (25) and home runs (566).

The Vols won everything they could this season, winning the SEC’s regular-season championship, the SEC Tournament championship, Knoxville Regional and Knoxville Super Regional. 

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