Rutgers transfer Landon Mack had no shortage of suitors after entering the transfer portal earlier this offseason. Ranked as one of the top players in the portal, Mack visited Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, LSU and Tennessee before eventually committing to the Vols late last month.
Tony Vitello took the lead for the Vols in Mack’s recruitment and the right-handed pitcher decided Tennessee was the spot for him in large part because of how like-minded he and Vitello are.
“Personality. Tony, he’s just an amazing human being,” Mack told RTI Monday on why he chose Tennessee. “The way we look at things together— there’s no one I’d rather go to war with. He’s just an amazing, genuine guy off the field. And he’s a killer on the field, and he wants to win, and I love that. I want to be a part of that.”
Mack particularly agreed with one Vitello philosophy— that starting jobs are not going to be guaranteed. There’s opportunity available at Tennessee with the Vols losing two of their three weekend starters from a season ago. The right-handed pitcher is aware of that opportunity to Mack liked that Tennessee didn’t promise him anything.
“We want to be at a place where opportunity is realistic, but that’s something you have to go and earn, right?” Mack said. “Like nothing will be given to you, and I don’t have any expectation of just being given a spot. I know that I have a lot to work on.
“I can’t get better without it (competition). And I’m not just saying these things because I think they’re the right things. I’ve lived it in this past year. I wasn’t even close to being our top guy in the offseason last year. And, I mean, I just love the fact that I’m not really the best guy right now. And I’ll tell you for sure, I’m going to work for it.”
Mack estimated that he was ninth on Rutgers’ pitching depth chart when he arrived in Piscataway last summer. He ended the season as the Scarlett Knights’ Friday night ace. The Columbus, New Jersey native posted a 4.03 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 80.1 innings pitched while recording a 20% strikeout rate and a fantastic 4.9% walk rate on his way to earning Big 10 All-Freshman honors.
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The right-handed pitcher easily could have gone to an ACC or SEC school with a guaranteed starting job. Tennessee has lost rostered players to the transfer portal and missed out on portal targets over the years because of Vitello not guaranteeing starting jobs. But Mack embraces the challenge.
“I like to say you don’t deserve anything,” Mack said. “You got to work for it.”
Mack brings a five-pitch mix to Tennessee. His four-seam fastball sits 94-95 mph but touched 97 mph last season. The right hander compliments his fastball with a sinker, changeup, curveball and cutter— which Mack says is his best pitch. He’s excited to work with veteran Tennessee pitching coach Frank Anderson with the two already talking about small mechanics they can work on and some level of collaboration when it comes to calling pitches.
“I think another thing that’s a little different is we’re going— of course they’re the first ones call pitches and stuff like that, but you have a little bit of leeway with that,” Mack said. “So to be able to kind of collaborate with them on some of that stuff will be pretty nice as well.”
Mack is one of five Tennessee pitchers who could realistically earn weekend starting jobs next season. Tegan Kuhns was Tennessee’s Sunday starter as a true freshman a season ago. Transfer LHP Evan Blanco brings starting experience with hime from Virginia. Brandon Arvidson was dominant as a long reliever late last season and Brayden Krenzel flashed starter characteristics as a long reliever in his freshman season at Tennessee.
For now, the 6-foot-1, 200-pound pitcher is coming off a summer experience with the USA Collegiate Team that he described as the ‘most fun I’ve ever had playing baseball’ and is focused on competing when he gets to Tennessee this fall.
“Man, I’m going to pour my heart out for them,” Mack said. “In and out, every day. I just, I can’t wait. This is a little kid dream come true for me, and I can’t wait to rep the Tennessee orange.”
