Tennessee baseball is just two days away from opening up its 2025 season against Hofstra in a three-game series at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. Each day this week we’ll release a new season preview to get you ready for the season.
We hit the infield on Monday and the outfield on Tuesday so now it’s time to move on to a pitching staff full of newcomers and plenty of talent.
Let’s dive in.
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What We Know
Liam Doyle Is A Top-End Friday Night Starter
Tennessee doesn’t return a single pitcher with weekend starting experience but they did add a pitcher with weekend starting experience in LHP Liam Doyle.
The Ole Miss transfer was the Rebels’ Saturday starter a season ago as a sophomore, posting a 5.73 ERA and 1.25 WHIP. After a solid first year starting, Doyle looked dominant this offseason for Tennessee.
My expectations are sky high for Doyle. I think he’s a top-end Friday night starter and one of the SEC’s best arms.
Marcus Phillips Will Get the First Crack As The Saturday Starter
Tony Vitello announced Tuesday that Marcus Phillips would start for Tennessee on Saturday in its opening weekend series against Hofstra.
The ultra talented right hander struggled with command and consistency last season. Tennessee giving him the ball the opening weekend of the season speaks highly of his offseason.
Multiple Pitchers Will Get Starting Opportunities
Doyle was all but set as Tennessee’s Friday night starter entering the preseason but the other two spots were largely wide open.
Phillips is getting the first shot on Saturday with the Sunday spot open entering the weekend. Tennessee plays 17 games before they open SEC play against Florida. It would not surprise me if up to six Vols pitchers start before then.
Tennessee has competition for spots in its weekend rotation and the start of the season is a continuation of that competition.
Tennessee Has A Number Of Capable Arms
This preview may seem a bit broad and that’s because Tennessee has so many pitchers that have shown promise and could earn meaningful weekend roles this season.
Doing some quick tallying before the season and here are pitchers that would not surprise me if they have weekend roles: Doyle, Phillips, Nate Snead, Tanner Franklin, Dylan Loy, Brandon Arvidson, Tegan Kuhns, Ryan Combs, Michael Sharman, Thomas Crabtree, Andrew Behnke and Austin Hunley.
That’s a list of 12 guys. Tennessee will likely whittle it down to around eight guys with roles every single weekend and maybe a couple additional guys with situational roles. But that’s a deep group to start with.
Questions Entering The Season
How Do The Left-Handed Arms Differentiate Themselves?
There are six left-handed arms and six right-handed arms in the group above. The right-handed arms I have a decent feel for which could separate themselves with Phillips, Snead and Kuhns appearing as the top dogs.
But the left-handed arms are less clear behind Doyle. I’m a major believer in Dylan Loy after a strong freshman year and I think he’s a top candidate for the Sunday starting job or as a high stress reliever.
Arvidson, a junior college transfer, has the talent but has been a bit up-and-down when I’ve seen him this offseason. Then there’s another junior college transfer in Sharman and the junior Behnke who had a fringe role in Tennessee’s bullpen last season.
To me, it’s unlikely that all five have consistent roles. Which ends up with the smallest role? I’m unsure.
How Will Tennessee Use Nate Snead And Freshman Tegan Kuhns?
Two of Tennessee’s best right-handed arms are Nate Snead and freshman Tegan Kuhns. Snead is the Vols’ top returning pitcher from last season’s National Championship team. Kuhns was one of Tennessee’s top signees and a guy that Vitello compared to Blade Tidwell earlier this preseason.
But where do they fit for Tennessee? If Phillips holds down the reigns of the Saturday starting job then I have a hard time seeing Snead being a weekend starter. That might be a good thing for Tennessee. Snead was so valuable as a Swiss Army knife out of the bullpen last season and he can certainly do that again.
Kuhns stuff plays more in a starter role and he will almost certainly get a crack at it during non conference play. The freshman being good enough to lock down a weekend starter spot maximizes Tennessee’s ceiling.
Do Either Ryan Combs Or Brayden Krenzel Become High Leverage Guys?
As Tennessee wrapped up game three of its pizza series on Sunday afternoon, right-handers Ryan Combs and Brayden Krenzel were on the mound. Combs, the younger brother of Aaron Combs, is a junior college transfer while Krenzel is a true freshman.
Both right-handers have unique arm angles and give Tennessee a different look. Will either take advantage and earn a consistent late inning role? It’s a real possibility for Combs who’s been good all offseason and Tennessee used twice as a closer last weekend.
It’s a little harder to see Krenzel grabbing a role. He’s a true freshman and missed the bulk of the fall due to injury. But the Vols’ staff is high on him and it wouldn’t be shocking if he emerges as a legit option.
