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Thursday's Tennessee baseball availability report ahead of Ole Miss series

On3 imageby:Eric Cain•04/10/25•

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Gavin Kilen. Credit: Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Gavin Kilen. Credit: Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tennessee baseball listed just one player as OUT on the Thursday student-athlete availability report ahead of the Vols’ weekend series at Ole Miss, that begins on Friday evening at 7:30 ET on the SEC Network+.

Transfer Alberto Osuna, who is still fighting for his eligibility this season, is listed as OUT and will not be available this weekend. Pitcher AJ Russell is not listed on the availability report following Tuesday’s midweek start, but is not expected to pitch at this time.

Starting second baseman Gavin Kilen, who has recorded just one at-bat for the Vols over the past 12 games, is working to recover from a hamstring injury and is not listed on the availability report either. Kilen could be in line to get some at-bats in Oxford but playing the field is expected to be at a later date.

“He had a little bit of soreness creep in again. So, against [Texas] A&M, it would have been nice to have him,” Vitello said of Kilen on Tuesday. It would have only been in one game. It would have been nice to start him against [Justin] Lampkin, but he had a little bit of a setback. So, going into this weekend, I feel like we’re back to where we were against South Carolina.

“Yeah, he’ll be able to do something.”

The junior made a brief return to the batter’s box a few weekends ago during the second for a three-game series on the road at South Carolina’s Founders Park. He came on as a pinch hitter in the top of the eighth, in place of designated hitter Levi Clark. The at-bat ended with a groundout to shortstop as he swung at the first pitch he saw.

Kilen led Tennessee in average (.431), hits (31), home runs (10, RBI (25), runs (32) and slugging percentage (.986) at the time of his injury. Manny Marin has been the primary option at second base during Kilen’s absence.

Russell’s midweek start on Tuesday was the first time in three appearances this year – post Tommy John surgery where an internal brace was used last June – that Russell pitched more than one frame as the junior recorded two scoreless innings on the night while allowing one hit and strikeout out a pair. The righty totaled 21 pitches with 16 strikes on the night and sat 92-95 mph with the heater.

“So, I know he’s hungry to do more. I think we want to do it in a proper progression. So what the next step is, I’m not sure,” Vitello said of Russell n Tuesday. “But for me, I’d like to involve some guys on base whether it’s against our hitters or another team. And then the ultimate question that you want to ask is, SEC play? I don’t think it’s too far away, but again, I think we want to keep making steps up rather than climb to the top of the ladder right away.”

Last week’s midweek start against Tennessee Tech outing was his first in 35 days. Russell continued throwing behind the scenes for the Vols in the last month, but was in ‘reconfiguration’ mode and readying for the back half of the campaign.

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