Where Tennessee Baseball's NCAA Transfer Portal commitments are ranked
Tennessee Baseball so far has added commitments from two of the top-four players in the NCAA Transfer Portal and three of the top 15, according to 64Analytics. The Vols have added the No. 2 player in Ole Miss third baseman Andrew Fischer, the No. 4 player in Louisville infielder Gavin Kilen and No. 14 player in Ole Miss left-handed pitcher Liam Doyle.
64Analytics provides college baseball statistics, analysis and rankings, including a ranking of the top 100 players who entered the portal. Florida pitcher Cade Fisher is ranked No. 1 according to 64Analytics, ahead of Andrew Fischer, LSU pitcher Thatcher Hurd, Kilen and former East Carolina pitcher Zach Root, an Arkansas commit, in the top five.
Here’s a closer look at Tennessee’s top additions in the portal:
No. 2 Andrew Fischer (Ole Miss Infielder): A 6-foot-1, 205-pound sophomore who is draft eligible in 2025 will have two seasons of eligibility remaining in Knoxville. Fischer was named Second-Team All-SEC in 2024 following his first and only year in Oxford where he hit .285 with 20 homers and 57 runs batted in. The hot corner defender struck out 53 times and walked on 35 occasions over 207 at-bats while also logging 10 doubles with a pair of triples. Fischer led the squad in home runs, RBI, hits (59) and was second in runs scored (47).
No. 4 Gavin Kilen (Louisville Infielder): A 5-foot-11, 180-pound sophomore who is draft eligible in 2025, has two years of eligibility remaining and was one of the biggest names in the transfer portal. He finished the 2024 season with a .330 average, nine home runs, 41 runs batted in, 39 runs scored, 23 doubles and three triples. He led Louisville in hits, doubles and total bases while his 23 doubles were tied for fifth-most in program history while starting 54 of his 56 games at shortstop this past spring. As a freshman in 2023, Kilen played in 46 games with 38 starts across the middle infield – 30 at second base and eight at shortstop. He logged a .265 batting average with nine doubles, a triple and 18 RBI.
No. 14 Liam Doyle (Ole Miss Pitcher): A 6-foot-2, 220-pound sophomore who is draft eligible in 2025 with two years of eligibility remaining in Knoxville. Doyle tossed 55 innings over 16 appearances in 2024 with 11 starts, contributing a 3-4 record with an ERA of 5.73. The lefty struck out 84 batters, walked 21 and opponents hit .230 against him. The pitcher tossed a gem at Tennessee on March 23 this past season, throwing six-innings strong of three earned-run baseball with 10 strikeouts to only one walk. He allowed only three this in the victory and the 10 strikeouts tied for a season-high as he accomplished the feat just a week prior as well in a win over South Carolina at home.
NR Eric Rataczak (Niagara First Baseman): A 6-foot-3, 215-pound redshirt junior who is draft eligible this summer and has one year of eligibility remaining. He will be one to watch over the course of the Major League Baseball Draft, which starts on Sunday. Named the league’s Player of the Year, Rataczak put forth one of the best seasons in Niagara baseball history, leading the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in batting average (.396), OPS, RBI (71) and on-base percentage (.485). He became the program record holder for single-season runs (59), hits (88), home runs (17) and 71 RBI to go along with 27 multi-hit games – including 13 three-hit contests.
NR Tanner Franklin (Kennesaw State Pitcher): A 6-foot-5, 240-pound Jefferson County native, pitched the last two seasons at Kennesaw State and has two years of eligibility remaining. Franklin went 4-1 with a 5.60 ERA over 21 appearances with one start this season. The sophomore threw 27.1 innings with 43 strikeouts and 27 walks. He had five saves and held opposing batters to a .212 average. In 2023 as a true freshman, Franklin had an 8.18 ERA in 13 appearances with two starts and 11.0 innings pitched.
