The college baseball season is nine days away and the SEC released its Preseason Coaches Poll as well as its Preseason Coaches All-SEC teams on Wednesday morning.
The league’s defending champions, Tennessee baseball put six players on the two Preseason Coaches All-SEC teams including a trio of incoming transfers.
Shortstop Dean Curley, left-handed starting pitcher Liam Doyle and right-handed relief pitcher Nate Snead landed on the first team while second baseman Gavin Kilen, third baseman Andrew Fischer and centerfielder Hunter Ensley landed on the second team.
Tennessee is tied with Texas A&M for the most selections on the two teams. LSU landed four players on the two teams while no other school landed more than three.
Curley was a co-First Team selection alongside Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron. As a freshman a season ago, Curley won Tennessee’s stating shortstop job where he hit .285 with 12 home runs, 10 doubles and 50 RBIs. After hitting a slump in SEC play, Curley was money for the Vols in the NCAA Tournament.
Doyle transferred to Tennessee from Ole Miss over the offseason after being the Rebels’ Saturday starter during the 2024 season. As a sophomore, Doyle posted a 3-4 record, 5.73 ERA and 1.25 WHIP. After a dominant fall, Doyle is poised to be Tennessee’s Friday night starter this season.
Snead was one of Tennessee’s most valuable pitchers last season, coming out of the bullpen to post a 10-2 record, 3.11 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in 75.1 innings pitched. The right hander’s role could change this season but he’ll once again be a top arm for Tennessee.
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Kilen transferred to Tennessee from Louisville this offseason after a season where he hit .330 with nine home runs, 35 extra-base hits and 41 RBIs for the Cardinals. The junior will likely start at second base for the Vols and was one of three second basemen that split the second team honors.
Fischer came to Tennessee with Doyle this offseason after raking in the SEC last season at Ole Miss. The left-handed slugger hit .285 with 20 home runs and 57 RBIs last season.
Ensley changed the landscape of Tennessee’s 2025 season when he began a tear in mid April that continued all the way through the College World Series. The center fielder hit .296 with 12 home runs, 15 doubles and 48 RBIs during his redshirt junior season.
The SEC’s coaches picked Tennessee to finish second in the conference this season coming in behind only Texas A&M.
Tennessee opens up its 2025 season on Friday, Feb. 14 in a three-game series against Hofstra at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.