Tony Vitello says Alberto Osuna still waiting on eligibility word from NCAA

With Opening Day just three days away, Tennessee baseball is still awaiting word on the eligibility status of slugger Alberto Osuna, who committed to the Vols last week.

“As of now, I think he’s waiting for clearance to be eligible. I don’t even know of the specific terms,” coach Tony Vitello said Tuesday morning. “The rest is logistics and lawyer stuff. I’m not a lawyer and I have no idea. I think the only difference in his case from the one that took place in the winter [Diego Pavia] is that he plays baseball and the other guy plays football.”

Osuna, who spent three seasons at North Carolina and was a part of the Tar Heel College World Series squad in 2024, was set to play for Division II power Tampa this season as his Division I eligibility had expired. He spent the fall with Tampa in preparations for this spring. Instead, thanks to Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia’s lawsuit where the NCAA has granted waivers to former junior college transfers, he was expected to regain eligibility and decided to transfer and play for the Vols in 2025.

“We’ll see what happens on Friday,” Vitello continued. “You win or lose – obviously I like winning more than I like losing. At the very least, especially for a kid that’s as good as that, I hope whether it is this case or someone else’s, you’d like to see guys use their last year of eligibility.”

Osuna arrived on campus two Saturdays ago and began the official onboarding process early in the week before hitting the practice field. The first baseman and designated hitter spent two seasons at nearby Walters Sate Community College in 2020 and 2021 before transferring up to North Carolina.

Osuna played in 63 games with 61 starts in 2022, slugging 20 home runs and 57 runs batted in with 86 strikeouts and 27 walks while registering a .265 batting average. The 6-foot-1, 245-pound athlete hit for a .223 average across 52 games (48 starts) with 11 home runs and 27 RBI in 2023. This past season for North Carlina, Osuna recorded a .259 average across 62 games (62 starts) with 14 home runs and 56 RBI.

“I think that was a decision based on what his ambitions are. Most kids talk pro ball or individual first, [but] if you’ve ever visited with him once the portal situation started with him, every comment seems to center as it relates to his future or his last year of eligibility seems to center around winning and team. And where his team made it,” Vitello said on Osuna wanting to come to Tennessee. “He was in North Carolina last year. Those guys took really good care of ’em. They’ve got like a family relationship coach [Scott] Forbes and him, they went to Omaha and you know, they were there trying to win a national championship like everyone else.

“So, I think all the kids’ ambitions kind of revolve around those team goals and winning and trying to be near the end where you can win the last game.”

While at Walters State, Osuna was named the 2021 NJCAA D1 Player of the Year, a first team All-American and the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association Player of the Year while batting .459 with 25 home runs and 107 RBI (led the country) in 68 games. Prior to Walters State, Osuna attended Mauldin High School in South Carolina where he was an All-State player.

The slugger was primarily used as the designated hitter while at North Carolina, but he’s expected to be an option at first base as well for the Vols in the 2025 season.  

Tennessee enters the season with Dalton Bargo as the leader in the clubhouse for the first base job. Osuna, if eligible, will be an option at first base as well as designated hitter for the Vols. Other options at first base include freshman Levi Clark and redshirt-freshman Stone Lawless. Alex Perry is not with the club this spring after spending the 2024 season in Knoxville. The move prompted Tennessee to seek help at the position this winter.