Tennessee baseball has hosted a pair of two-way players on visits each of the last two days. Rice’s Blaine Brown visited Tennessee Thursday before Bowling Green’s DJ Newman visited Friday, a source told RTI.
Newman was highly productive on both the mound and at the plate in the first three years of his college career. The 6-foot right-hander hit .419 with nine doubles, four home runs and 16 RBIs in 25 games played as a junior. In his sophomore season, Newman hit .371 with 10 home runs, six doubles and 37 RBIs. Newman plays in the outfield when he’s not on the mound.
The Ohio native has also been strong on the mound, posting a 3.77 ERA in 14.1 innings pitched in 2025. As a sophomore, Newman posted a 4-2 record and 3.61 ERA while striking out 42 batters in 42.1 innings pitched. Newman was Bowling Green’s Friday night starter before suffering an injury this past season.
Newman was a Second Team All-MAC selection during the 2024 season. Tennessee already has a tie to Newman after landing fellow Bowling Green transfer Garrett Wright last weekend.
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Brown is coming off a strong freshman season at Rice where he hit .292 with 10 home runs, 12 doubles and 38 RBIs. The left-handed hitter was an All-AAC designated hitter selection and an unanimous Freshman All-American during the 2025 season. When in the field, Brown played outfield and primarily right field.
The Texas native was less effective on the mound, allowing 10 earned runs in 4.1 innings pitched. A good deal of the damage came against Tennessee in the Astros College Classic. Brown was the starting pitcher against Tennessee, allowing two earned runs while recording just one out. He plans on visiting both Georgia and Oklahoma before making a decision.
Tennessee has landed five players in the transfer portal to this point but most have been pitchers including Big South Pitcher of the Year Clay Edmondson, SoCon Pitcher of the Year Brady Frederick, Kennesaw State’s RHP Bo Rhudy and MIT’s RHP Mason Estrada. Bowling Green utility man Garrett Wright is currently the Vols’ lone position player commit in the portal.
The Vols have hosted a small handful of other visitors in the portal including Rutgers RHP Landon Mack and Cal infielder Jarren Advincula.
