With the MLB Draft in the rearview mirror and transfer portal movement starting to die down, college baseball rosters are starting to come into view. Now with a clearer picture on what each team will look like next season, Baseball America released its way-too-early top 25 rankings on Wednesday.
Tennessee baseball landed at No. 7 in the rankings despite an offseason of major roster turnover. The Vols are the sixth highest rated SEC team in the rankings, coming in behind No. 2 LSU, No. 3 Texas, No. 4 Mississippi State, No. 5 Auburn and No. 6 Georgia. UCLA came in at No. 1 in the way-too-early rankings.
The Vols also came in ahead of a number of SEC foes in the rankings including No. 11 Arkansas, No. 15 Vanderbilt, No. 19 Alabama, No. 21 Florida, No. 24 Ole Miss and No. 25 Texas A&M.
Tennessee is coming off a 46-19 (16-14 SEC) season where they advanced to the super regionals for the fifth straight year. The Vols season came to a close in Fayetteville as Arkansas swept Tennessee in the super regional series.
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Nine Tennessee players were drafted in MLB Draft earlier this month including a program-record four in the first round of the draft. In the field, Tennessee returns talented underclassmen Levi Clark, Jay Abernathy, Chris Newstrom and Manny Marin. The Vols also added a number of potential contributors in the portal including Bowling Green C/OF Garrett Wright, Rice OF Blaine Brown, Virginia OF Henry Ford and San Diego State infielder Finley Bates.
The overhaul on Tennessee’s pitching staff was even more dramatic. Twenty Tennessee pitchers entered the portal this offseason though LHP Dylan Loy was the only pitcher who seriously contributed during the 2025 season. Tennessee returns just five pitchers from last season’s team: RHP Tegan Kuhns, LHP Brandon Arvidson, RHP Brayden Krenzel, RHP Anson Seibert and RHP Nic Abraham.
Kuhns, Arvidson, Krenzel all had key roles last season and will compete for a weekend starting position this offseason. Seibert missed the entirety of the 2025 season with an injury and Abraham had a minimal role. Tony Vitello also bolstered the Vols’ pitching staff through the portal landing Rutgers RHP Landon Mack, Virginia LHP Evan Blanco, Duke LHP Mark Hindy, Kennesaw State RHP Bo Rhudy and ETSU RHP Brady Frederick.
Tennessee has been one of the nation’s very best programs in recent seasons and once again projects as a national contender entering 2026.
