This spring, the Vols will return to Lindsey Nelson Stadium to reawaken the hope that was lost during the Fayetteville Super Regional in June of 2025.
Ahead of the 2026 season, the Vols are viewed as a top-15 program, with certain polls, such as D1Baseball, ranking them in the top five. After losing a substantial amount of their roster to the MLB Draft and transfer portal in the offseason, the Vols are looking to bounce back with significant additions to the team via the transfer portal and the freshman class.
These new additions, along with a brand new coaching staff led by head coach Josh Elander, will mark a new era of Vols baseball.
Here’s a look at the 2026 slate as the season begins to take shape.
Returning Vols have unfinished business
The strong core of veterans is led by senior Reese Chapman, who is the only player entering his fourth consecutive season with the Vols. The talented outfielder recorded a perfect fielding percentage with 89 putouts in right field while being an extra-base threat, with 40% of his hits being extra-base hits.
Versatile sophomores Manny Marin and Chris Newstrom will also return for their second season. Marin hit .283 in his freshman season, notably coming up clutch in high-pressure situations like his walk-off grand slam against St. Bonaventure in March. Marin also recorded a .949 fielding percentage across the infield, providing the Vols with defensive reliability. Similarly, Newstrom produced a .351 average in the batter’s box, while splitting his fielding between the infield and outfield, with his throwing velocity reaching 92 mph.
Ariel Antigua and Jay Abernathy will help maintain a strong core in the Vols’ ever-changing program. While Antigua struggled at the plate in 2025, hitting just .192, he had a breakout summer in the Appalachian League with an average of .442. Abernathy, largely a utility player in 2025, is known for his speed, swiping four bases in a single game against UNC Asheville.
“I think on the position side, we have more versatility than we have in the past, where traditionally we’ve had kind of some bombers, and we’d work around and be a little bit more stationary,” Elander said. “But with this group, I think we have a lot more confidence going into mix and match.”
Sophomore pitchers Tegan Kuhns and Brayden Krenzel find themselves as two of five key returning pitchers this season due to a significant offseason overhaul. A current top-50 prospect for the 2026 MLB Draft, Kuhns is known for his 98 mph fastball and fast-spin curveball in 2025. Kuhns went on to play with the Cape Cod Baseball League last summer, where he recorded a 1.35 ERA with 21 strikeouts in his limited 13.1 innings pitched.
Likewise, Krenzel was also a strikeout machine in 2025, striking out 41 batters over 32.2 innings as a core member of the bullpen.
Incoming transfers to bolster the roster
This offseason, the Vols drew in talent from various programs across the country, adding depth to their roster and ranking them as the No. 6 transfer class ahead of the 2026 season by D1Baseball.
This talented group includes sluggers Blaine Brown, Garrett Wright and Tyler Myatt.
Rice two-way player Brown led the Owls in all major batting statistics as a freshman. While his fastball tops out around 98 to 99 mph, Brown’s initial focus with the Vols is expected to be hitting.
“I think he’s got a chance to hit 20 homers in this league for a couple years, and then he can get up on the mound and run up to 95 to 98 from the left side,” Elander said. “And again, we’ve been kind of blending the two in the fall. When Frank (Anderson) was here, we were kind of stretching him out a little bit. We’ve kind of condensed that a little bit because I think he’s going to be that special offensively, but it’s a premier talent, and we’re thankful he’s wearing the orange this year.”
Coming to the Vols from Bowling Green, Wright started 54 out of 55 games for the Falcons, reaching base safely in 52 out of the 54. He recorded the highest average in the MAC at .406 while claiming a BGSU program record with 20 doubles on the season. Wright will miss the start of the season due to a lingering hand injury, but is expected to return in three to six weeks and be a significant contributor during conference play.
Myatt picked up the junior college triple crown with a .484 average, 31 home runs and 110 RBIs at Walters State. He is expected to take on the designated hitter role should he not find a starting spot in the field.
A pair of transfers from Virginia are also looking to make a difference for the Vols at the plate and on the mound. With time split between the dirt and the grass, position player Henry Ford started all 50 games for Virginia, batting .362 with 11 home runs and 48 RBI’s. On the rubber, left-handed pitcher Evan Blanco posted an 8-3 record and 3.62 ERA across 18 starts for the Cavaliers. With his low walk rate of 4.8%, the Vols are likely to place Blanco in a consistent weekend starting role.
Also providing depth on the mound for the Vols will be right-handed pitchers Brady Frederick and Landon Mack.
While at ETSU, Frederick posted a .183 opponent average with 76 strikeouts over 77.2 innings, earning him the Southern Conference Pitcher of the Year award. He is expected to be an essential part of the Vols’ bullpen.
Coming from Rutgers, Mack projects to be a starter for the Vols this season because of his exceptional command and low walk rate of just 17 batters over 80.1 innings of work.
Load of freshmen looking to make their mark
For the second consecutive year, the Vols have signed the top recruiting class in the nation, according to Perfect Game, comprising eight pitchers and six top-100 prospects.
This group of six is composed of position players Hutson Chance, Taylor Tracey, Trent Grindlinger and Ethan Moore, along with pitchers Ethan Baiotto and the highly-touted lefty Cam Appenzeller.
Hailing from Chatham, Illinois, Appenzeller was drafted in the 19th round of the 2025 MLB Draft by the Seattle Mariners before opting to play for Tennessee instead. Tennessee has previously started the likes of Kuhns, Drew Beam and Blade Tidwell as true freshmen, and Appenzeller could be the next to take a weekend slot.
Other key signees include Jackson Estes, Evan Hankins and Cash Williams.
With a stacked freshman class, especially by way of pitchers, it wouldn’t be surprising to see new names appear as the season unfolds.
