Tennessee baseball players are participating in college summer leagues across the country since the Vols historic 2021 season ended in Omaha.
The Vols started with 20 players playing in leagues and are down to 14 in the middle of June.
Take a look at how Tennessee’s players are performing here.
Pitchers
Tennessee weekend starter and Freshman All American Blade Tidwell is playing for the Team USA Collegiate Team in their summer intrasquad scrimmages.
Tidwell has made two starts and one bullpen appearance, posting a 7.71 ERA in seven innings pitched. The freshman struggled in his first start and bullpen appearance, but dominated his second start, retiring all nine batters he faced.
The Loretto, Tennessee native will likely be the Vols’ Friday night starter in 2022.
Sophomore LHP Kirby Connell has made one appearance for the Forest City Owls, striking out one batter in a scoreless inning.
Sophomore Christian Delashmit threw just 4.2 innings for Tennessee last season but is off to a strong start in the California Collegiate League.
Playing for the Santa Barbara Foresters 3.00 ERA and 2-1 record in 20 innings pitched. Delashmit has 25 strikeouts and just 10 walks.
LHP Shawn Scott made just three appearances for Tennessee in his freshman season and has struggled in seven appearances for the Forest City Owls. The Clarkesville native has posted a 11.09 ERA in 24.1 innings pitched.
Hollis Fanning has a 3-1 record and a 5.23 ERA in 22.1 innings for the Charlotte Mustangs in the Southern Collegiate Baseball League. The right-hander made four appearances in his freshman season in Knoxville.
Tennessee used LHP Zander Sechrist more than any other freshman pitcher besides Tidwell in 2021. The Buford, Georgia native posted a 2.89 ERA in 9.1 innings pitched.
Sechrist has a 3.46 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 13 innings pitched for the Gainesville Braves.
Former Farragut High School standout Drew Patterson has a 4.30 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 16 appearances. Patterson didn’t pitch for Tennessee as a freshman.
Outfielders
Drew Gilbert is playing in Team USA’s collegiate baseball scrimmages with Tidwell this summer and has impressed in 11 games. Hitting mostly in the leadoff spot, Gilbert has recorded a .294 batting average with three RBIs. The freshman center fielder has four runs and a .382 slugging percentage.
Jordan Beck is playing for the Harwich Mariners in the Cape Cod League. Tennessee’s 2021 RBI leader has posted a .256 batting average, three doubles and five RBIs in 13 games.
Beck has struggled with strikeouts, however, posting a 51% strikeout rate in the best collegiate summer baseball league.
Southhaven, Mississippi native Kyle Booker has dominated the California Collegiate League. Playing for the Orange County Riptide, Booker has hit .415 with four doubles, four RBIs and a .980 OPS.
As a freshman this season, Booker hit .310 starting 12 games and appearing in 27. The outfielder recorded six extra-base hits and 10 RBIs in 2020 and is in line to be a breakout star in 2022.
Junior Christian Scott was a reliable backup for Tennessee in 2021, hitting .286 in 42 at-bats. This summer in the Prospects League, Scott is hitting .242 with seven RBIs and 11 walks in 10 games.
Infielders
Due to Tennessee’s turnover on the infield this offseason only a few Vol infielders are playing in summer leagues.
Catcher Charlie Taylor is also impressing for the Orange County Riptides this summer. The freshman didn’t make an appearance in 2021 before hitting .409 with seven RBIs and seven alks in six games played.
In a short sample size, Taylor is posting a .976 OPS.
Like Taylor, first baseman and outfielder Jared Dickey didn’t play in his freshman season in 2021.
Playing for the Charlotte Mustangs, Dickey is hitting .387 with seven RBIs, nine walks and only four strikeouts in 17 games.
Junior Trey Lipscomb spent the last two seasons backing up Jake Rucker and impressing in his midweek starts. The Maryland native hit .310 with one homer and nine RBIs in 29 games.
Lipscomb has dominated the Prospects League playing for the Johnstown Mill Rats. The third baseman is hitting .415 with 16 RBIs and six stolen bases in nine games.
Lipscomb is looking to earn a starting spot in his senior season in a transitioning Tennessee infield.
One Response
Shumpert you are the man!You wear so many hat’s contributing on many different levels to the game of baseball with the Vols & the Smokies.I have enjoyed your knowledge of baseball as well as the hard work you’ve put in everywhere you’ve been this year which hasn’t gone unnoticed.I wish you the best of luck moving forward & hope your around for many years to come covering the Vols!You look like your 10 so hopefully we atleast get you 10 more years till you turn 20.Right???Lol!??????