Tennessee baseball lost seven players to the transfer portal on Monday with its season over and the portal officially opening. Three more Tennessee players jumped in the portal Monday including Jay Abernathy— the first player to enter the portal after having a sizable role last season.
But Tuesday was undoubtedly a good day for Tennessee with four players deciding to return to Vol baseball for a second season in the program. Left-handed pitcher Cam Appenzeller, left-handed pitcher Will Haas, right-handed pitcher Landon Mack and catcher Trent Grindlinger all intend to return in 2027 which gives the Vols a solid young core to build around in the portal.
Here’s a look at all four players and what their decision to return means.
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Cam Appenzeller
Appenzeller is back for his sophomore season after posting a 6-1 record, 4.76 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 56.2 innings pitched in his freshman season.
The left-handed pitcher was stellar the first half of SEC play before struggling to close the regular season. However, Appenzeller regained his footing with solid postseason outings to end his freshman year.
Josh Elander said multiple times this past season that Appenzeller would be a starting pitcher for Tennessee in time. It would be a major upset if Appenzeller does’t ascend into that role next season.
Landon Mack
Mack is back for his junior season after posting a 4-4 record, 4.67 ERA, 1.49 WHIP in 12 starts and 61.2 innings pitched during his first year in Knoxville. However, Mack did not pitch the final month of the season due to arm soreness with Elander calling him “day-to-day” during that stretch.
Extended arm soreness is always a scary thing for a pitcher which will make Mack’s offseason very interesting to track.
But if healthy, Mack will likely slide back into a weekend starting spot in his draft eligible junior season. Pairing Mack with Appenzeller gives Tennessee a strong starting foundation for a weekend rotation next season.
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Trent Grindlinger
Grindlinger earned Freshman All-SEC honors this season, slashing .345/.414/.572 with eight home runs, seven doubles and 29 RBIs. The California native played in 43 games and started 36. He helped Tennessee’s offense turn the corner midway through SEC play after earning the starting designated hitter spot.
The star freshman was one of Tennessee’s best hitters in SEC play, slashing .322/.398/.517 with four homers, five doubles and 18 RBIs.
After spending his freshman season at designated hitter, it will be interesting to see where Grindlinger plays next season. He’s a catcher but the Vols’ depth behind the plate remains very strong.
Will Haas
Haas didn’t make his debut until March 6 after missing the entirety of his first offseason in Knoxville recovering from arm surgery. The left-handed pitcher didn’t hit the ground crazy fast but slowly earned a bigger role in a poor Tennessee bullpen over the course of the season.
The Minnesota native finished his freshman season with a 6.43 ERA in 15 innings pitched. He turned in strong outings last in the season against Oklahoma and South Carolina before struggling against East Carolina in the NCAA Tournament.
While his return is not super flashy, Haas will have a great chance to earn a role in Tennessee’s bullpen next season.
