Another big year coming?
Tennessee baseball will begin the year ranked inside of the top ten, according to D1Baseball. The publication debuted their preseason top 25 on Tuesday morning, placing Tennessee at No. 9 to start the year.
2024 D1Baseball Preseason Top 25
(Presented by @NettingPros)@WakeBaseball almost played for the national title last season. Now, the Deacs headline the 2024 D1Baseball Preseason Top 25 rankings.https://t.co/sHTJN7H5re pic.twitter.com/LpqhAmNxDS
— D1Baseball (@d1baseball) January 16, 2024
The Volunteers are coming off of another appearance in the College World Series. Tony Vitello has this program rolling, even after several departures to the pros. Tennessee hit the portal hard to replace production, landing catcher Cannon Peebles, third baseman Billy Amick, right-handed pitcher Nate Snead, catcher Dalton Bargo and right-handed pitcher AJ Causey.
That transfer class will help Vitello replace the departing Chase Dollander, Maui Ahuna, Chase Burns, Andrew Lindsey and Griffin Merritt. Tennessee will return names like Christian Moore, Hunter Ensley, Blake Burke, Drew Beam, Zane Denton, Dylan Dreiling and Kavares Tears.
Tennessee will open the season a month from today, playing in the Shriners Children’s College Baseball Showdown. The Volunteers will face Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Baylor in Arlington, Texas over a three-day span.
The Vols will play UNC Asheville in their home opener on February 20th at Lindsey Nelson.
D1 Baseball Top 25 Preseason Poll
- Wake Forest
- Florida
- Arkansas
- LSU
- TCU
- Vanderbilt
- Oregon State
- Texas A&M
- Tennessee
- Clemson
- East Carolina
- Duke
- NC State
- Virginia
- North Carolina
- Texas
- UC Santa Barbara
- Coastal Carolina
- Alabama
- Iowa
- Texas Tech
- UCLA
- Northeastern
- Kansas State
- South Carolina