Tennessee baseball’s starting pitching plan for the opening weekend of the 2026 season, head coach Josh Elander revealed during his Monday press conference.
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Tegan Kuhns will start on Friday night, Rutgers transfer right-handed pitcher Landon Mack will start on Saturday and Virginia transfer left-handed pitcher Evan Blanco will start on Sunday.
The right-handed Kuhns was Tennessee’s Sunday starter as a true freshman a season ago, posting a 2-4 record, 5.40 ERA and 1.61 WHIP in 36.2 innings pitched. It was an up-and-down season for Kuhns.
Illness early in the season slowed his progression. Kuhns then flashed while winning the Sunday job in the middle of the season before struggling down the stretch and not pitching for Tennessee in the NCAA Tournament. Despite the shaky ending to his freshman season, Kuhns is stepping into a major role in his draft eligible sophomore season.
“The theme when I was talking with Tegan and even his dad over the course of the summer, nobody was happy with how the season ended,” Elander said. “Because he throws in Hoover, and that was kind of it, right? So I think that’s kind of springboarded him into the summer. He goes to the Cape and dominates, for lack of a better term. And again, I think that has really driven him throughout the offseason.”
Mack was one of the biggest wins for Tennessee baseball in the portal last summer, committing to the Vols over LSU after a standout freshman season at Rutgers.
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The 6-foot-1, 200-pound pitcher was a weekend starter for the Scarlett Knights a season ago, posting a 6-5 record, 4.03 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 80.1 innings pitched. He totaled 70 strikeouts for a 20% strikeout rate while posting a fantastic 4.9% walk rate. Mack began the season as Rutgers’ Saturday starter before moving into the Friday role to end the season.
“The stuff is, it’s just gross to be honest,” Elander said of Mack. “It’s really good stuff. It’s a real heater. Two breaking balls, a change that he’s made some adjustments with. Kick change or this, or whatever it may be. But again, a guy that’s thrown on Friday nights. I think he gives you stability in the middle of the rotation. And I know our guys are going to have complete confidence to play defense behind him, just by the way he attacks the strike zone and the pace of the game.
Blanco posted a 3-5 record, 6.23 ERA and 1.72 WHIP in 39 innings pitched while dealing with an injury during his junior season at Virginia. Blanco was much more effective during his sophomore season when he posted an 8-3 record, 3.62 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in 99.1 innings pitched. During the 2024 season, Blanco was the Friday night starter on a Cavalier team that made the College World series.
The small left-handed pitcher was perhaps Tennessee’s most effective pitcher over the course of the fall. He doesn’t have overwhelming stuff but is a fierce competitor and veteran pitcher.
“Just maturity,” Elander said of Blanco. “It’s just again, you know what you’re going to get. It’s a very comforting feeling as a coach. He had, arguably, numbers wise, the best fall of any pitcher we had on the staff. But again, can really ride the heater, good separation on the change up. Has thrown in Omaha, has been in a lot of different roles, and had some really good times, and some not so good. But we’re excited about what he brings to the table there too.”
