College Baseball: 2026 SEC Conference Preview

Team	Conference	Winning %	Overall	Winning %
Texas	22-8	.733	44-14	.759
Arkansas	20-10	.667	50-15	.769
LSU	19-11	.633	53-15	.779
Vanderbilt	19-11	.633	43-18	.705
Georgia	18-12	.600	43-17	.717
Auburn	17-13	.567	41-20	.672
Ole Miss	16-14	.533	43-21	.672
Tennessee	16-14	.533	46-19	.708
Alabama	16-14	.533	41-18	.695
Florida	15-15	.500	39-22	.639
Mississippi State	15-15	.500	36-23	.610
Oklahoma	14-16	.467	38-22	.633
Kentucky	13-17	.433	31-26	.544
Texas A&M	11-19	.367	30-26	.536
South Carolina	6-24	.200	28-29	.491
Missouri	3-27	.100	16-39	.291

Preseason Award Winners

• Player of the Year: OF Derek Curiel — LSU
• Pitcher of the Year: RHP Liam Peterson — Florida
• Freshman of the Year: SS Carson Brumbaugh — Arkansas
• Transfer of the Year: INF Chris Hacopian — Texas A&M

Preseason All-Conference Team

Position	Name	School	2025 Notable Stats
SP	Liam Peterson	Florida	8-4, 4.28 ERA, 69.1 IP, 96 SO
SP	Hunter Elliott	Ole Miss	10-3, 2.94 ERA, 85.2 IP, 102 SO
SP	Dylan Volantis	Texas	4-1, 1.94 ERA, 51 IP, 74 SO
RP	Zac Cowan	LSU	3-3, 2.94 ERA, 52 IP, 60 SO
C	Carson Tinney	Texas	.348/.498/.753, 13 2B, 17 HR, 53 RBI (Notre Dame)
1B	Zach Yorke	LSU	.339/.447/.632, 10 2B, 13 HR, 46 RBI (Grand Canyon)
2B	Chris Rembert	Auburn	.344/.467/.555, 14 2B, 10 HR, 46 RBI
3B	Ace Reese	Mississippi State	.352/.422/.718, 18 2B, 21 HR, 66 RBI
SS	Justin Lebron	Alabama	.316/.421/.636, 18 2B, 18 HR, 72 RBI
INF	Tyler Bell	Kentucky	.296/.385/.522, 17 2B, 10 HR, 46 RBI
OF	Derek Curiel	LSU	.345/.470/.519, 20 2B, 7 HR, 55 RBI
OF	Caden Sorrell	Texas A&M	.337/.430/.789, 5 2B, 12 HR, 32 RBI
OF	Aiden Robbins	Texas	.422/.537/.652, 19 2B, 6 HR, 38 RBI (Seton Hall)
DH	Henry Ford	Tennessee	.362/.420/.575, 9 2B, 11 HR, 46 RBI (Virginia)
UTL	Chris Hacopian	Texas A&M	.375/.502/.656, 12 2B, 14 HR, 61 RBI (Maryland)

Projected Conference Champion

LSU Tigers

Head coach Jay Johnson now has a pair of national titles under his belt in Baton Rouge, and there’s plenty of optimism that another could be en route to The Boot. South Carolina was the last program to go back-to-back (2010-11), but it won’t be a surprise if LSU pulls it off and wins a third College World Series in four seasons.

What separates the Tigers’ 2026 outlook from their repeat bid in 2024 is the returning star power that’s set to be back in action after winning it all last summer. Two seasons ago, Dylan Crews and Paul Skenes left shoes that could only be filled by André the Giant — good luck getting that bat BBCOR certified.

Yes, this LSU squad had plenty to replace, too, primarily all but 12 of its starts from a season ago. Star left-hander and No. 3 overall pick Kade Anderson, as well as right-handers Anthony Eyanson and Chase Shores, are off to the pros. Slugger Jared Jones was the perennial force in the heart of the order. Jones, outfielder Ethan Frey and second baseman Daniel Dickinson all hit over .300.

Those departures all require plenty of restoration, but look at who’s back in the Bayou.

The outfield arrangement may be a touch different, but LSU returns superstar sophomore Derek Curiel, senior Chris Stanfield and junior Jake Brown. Those three tallied 66 extra-base hits and 134 RBI a year ago.

Curiel edged out Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron for our Preseason SEC Player of the Year award as he gears up for his second campaign — which will see him move from left field to center, swapping places with the veteran Stanfield, who brings value and leadership in just about everything he does. Brown is someone that would star for a good chunk of programs, but instead quietly crushes as a part of a monster lineup.

Speaking of monsters, junior Steven Milam and his ridiculous glove are back at shortstop with two .900-plus OPS seasons under the belt. The position is unfathomably deep in the SEC, but Milam could make his case as the best in the conference in 2026.

At catcher, sophomore Cade Arrambide is a prime candidate to make some major strides in year two after making 19 starts a year ago. He’ll catch plenty of new faces this spring, but some key returning arms are also slated to take on big roles.

In 19 appearances as a freshman, right-hander Casan Evans won five games and saved seven more for the Tigers, doing most of his work late in games. He now transitions into the rotation and will lead the way, with righty William Schmidt also back and likely in the mix. In the bullpen, senior RHP and Just Baseball Preseason All-American Zac Cowan highlights what’s sure to be a deep group.

That’s a rock-solid returning core. LSU paired it with a staunch transfer portal class. You’ll find the biggest additions around the infield.

Over at third, Trent Caraway makes the move from Oregon State after driving in 47 runs for the Beavers last season. He totes plenty of star potential. Grand Canyon transfer Zach Yorke will be across the diamond at first. The 6-foot-2, 295-pound senior raked across his three-year career for the Antelopes (32 HR, 157 RBI) and will be a surefire fan-favorite at Alex Box Stadium.

Look for RHP Cooper Moore to make a splash as the new arm in the rotation. The Kansas transfer threw 88.2 innings as a sophomore and owned a 3.96 ERA, striking out 85 and walking just 19. He’s got the experience necessary to make the transition to the SEC look seamless.

It’s hard to poke a hole in this roster, on paper. It boasts an excellent mix of youth, maturity, star power and depth. There are around 10 Tigers that could claim All-SEC status at the end of the season and it wouldn’t be a surprise.

Getting back to Omaha is much easier said than done, but pegging LSU as a national title contender once more doesn’t take much convincing.

Teams To Watch

Mississippi State Bulldogs

Dudy Noble Field is sure to be a madhouse all season long as new head coach Brian O’Connor ushers in a level of eagerness that’ll feel new, even for a fanbase as maniacal as the one in Starkville.

Now four seasons removed from its College World Series triumph in 2021, Mississippi State has missed the tournament twice and has now crashed out of a regional two seasons in a row. If preseason nominations are any indication, the Bulldogs are primed for something greater in 2026.

MSU’s loaded transfer portal class was ranked No. 3 nationally by 64Analytics. Five Virginia transfers followed O’Connor to MSU, most notably left-hander Tomas Valincius and outfielders Aidan Teel and James Nunnallee.

Teel, ranked as the No. 17 player in the portal, hit .317 with 20 doubles, seven homers and drove in 40 runs for the Cavaliers in 2025. The redshirt junior and younger brother of big-leaguer Kyle Teel is set to man center field for MSU and will be flanked by Nunnallee, another lefty bat that looks armed for a big sophomore season.

Valincius, the No. 8 overall transfer, struck out 70 across 64.2 IP for UVA as a freshman. Point blank, he’s capable of becoming the top arm in the SEC. He’s joined by his older brother, Vytas, a 6-foot-4 grad transfer outfielder who hit .348 and drove in 58 runs for Illinois last season.

The Virginia transplants will garner most of the shine, but there are more transfers that are slated to start for the Bulldogs this spring, too.

Senior first baseman Blake Bevis hit 41 homers across three seasons for Ball State and was a First Team All-MAC selection in 2025. Behind the dish, junior catcher Kevin Milewski hit 16 bombs and had a .421 OBP in a breakout season for Seton Hall.

Over at shortstop, sophomore NC State transfer Ryder Woodson (.333/.412/.733 in 23 games) and senior Bryant transfer Drew Wyers (.407/.521/.710 in 45 games) will both be viable options.

As for the players that are bridging the gap from the Chris Lemonis era to the O’Connor era, look no further than star junior third baseman Ace Reese.

A Just Baseball Preseason First Team All-American, Reese made quite the introduction to the SEC after transferring in from Houston last season, hitting .352 with a 1.140 OPS, clubbing 18 doubles and 21 homers. Not many drive the ball like Reese, and he could find himself in Golden Spikes conversations this year.

Not many were more valuable than graduate two-way utility man Noah Sullivan last season. After dominating for three seasons at USC Upstate, he joined the Bulldogs in 2025 and delivered. Manning the DH spot, he swatted 16 doubles, 15 homers and nearly matched Reese with a 1.120 OPS. He also made seven starts on the mound and allowed just four runs in 18.1 IP. His pitching services may not be needed much this time around, but the bat certainly will.

Senior Bryce Chance likely shifts over to a corner outfield spot with Teel in center. He’s got 155 games in Starkville under his belt and has shown improvement with age. He quietly hit .332 and drove in 43 runs as a junior. Second baseman Gatlin Sanders is also back for his senior season after hitting .317 and making 42 starts a year ago.

Two more utility grads, Gehrig Frei and Reed Stallman, provide some top-notch depth. Frei fits best at second but could fill in just about anywhere, while Stallman can play first or corner outfield. Frei made 33 starts last season and hit .345 across 161 plate appearances.

There are, rightfully, some questions about how the pieces on the MSU pitching staff will fit, but the talent is clear. Sophomore right-hander Ryan McPherson will look to headline the weekend rotation alongside Valincius after holding down a relief role in his freshman season. The same can be said about lefty Charlie Foster.

There’s a slew of sophomore arms to choose from — righty Duke Stone and lefty Dane Burns could both pitch their way into big roles. A pair of veteran South Carolina RHP transfers in junior Tyler Pitzer and senior Brendan Sweeney also figure to be in the mix. And what about incoming freshman LHP Jack Bauer? One of a few elite freshmen to make it to a college campus, the sky is truly the limit for the 6-foot-4 flamethrower.

Expect senior righty Ben Davis to lead the bullpen. He was the Bulldogs’ most-used arm in 2025, logging 57.1 IP across 23 outings, four of which were starts. He struck out 61 and allowed just eight extra-base hits.

The transition to the SEC is oft-discussed, but O’Connor isn’t your average head coach. He knows what it takes, and he’s got a roster that’s capable of getting to Omaha.

Georgia Bulldogs

Year three of the Wes Johnson era in Athens feels like a big one. Each of the first two saw Georgia win 43 games and host a regional. It advanced to supers in 2024, but its season has ended at Foley Field — not Charles Schwab Field — two years in a row.

Pitching was the bugaboo last year, and the nation’s No. 1 transfer portal class is hoping to remedy that in a big way. UGA returns just 15.4 percent of its innings pitched from 2025. Four potential frontline arms from the West Coast are now in the Peach State.

Stanford transfer right-handers Joey Volchko and Matt Scott ranked as the No. 2 and 5 players in the portal. The numbers from their time in Palo Alto aren’t exactly inspiring – Volchko had a 6.01 ERA across 70.1 IP in 2025, Scott sat at 6.02 in 52.1 — but both boast elite stuff and it’s easy to imagine Johnson having the keys to unlock their potential.

After a year at Notre Dame and three at USC, grad righty Caden Aoki enters the fold as a strike-throwing machine. His 6.43 K-BB ratio was in the 99th percentile of all pitchers in 2025 as he fanned 90 and walked just 14. He tallied 97 innings as a senior for the Trojans and finished with a 3.99 ERA.

Seattle transfer Kenny Ishikawa is a two-way phenom that could be a key arm for the Bulldogs in 2026. The left-hander dazzled as a freshman, making nine starts and 19 total appearances. He can touch high-90s and struck out 73 in 66.1 innings. More on what he can do as a position player in a bit.

Junior Michigan transfer Dylan Vigue is cut from a similar cloth to Volchko and Scott. Control has been an issue in the past, but he has the arsenal to compete against SEC lineups, and a tweak or two from the UGA staff could make all the difference.

Offensively, Georgia lived by the long ball, leading the nation in home runs with 144. Playing at Foley Field will always encourage homer-heavy lineups, and that could be the Dawgs’ identity again in 2026.

Plenty of firepower departed for the pros, but three double-digit home run bats from 2025 do return. Senior Kolby Branch is back for a third season as the UGA shortstop after ripping 13 home runs and driving in 41 runs last year. Junior Tre Phelps can play all over, but he’s set to primarily man third base now that Slate Alford is gone. Phelps hit .318 with 44 RBI in 2025 and brings a great glove to the hot corner.

Junior catcher Daniel Jackson is also back in the mix after a 14-homer campaign in his first season in Athens. He can also play outfield and is a great runner, offering some versatility that could make him hard to take out of the lineup. UGA also brought in Richmond transfer backstop Jack Arcamone — he hit .355 with 13 homers and 62 RBI for the Spiders last year and can also play elsewhere.

Senior infielder Ryan Black is also looking to make his presence felt more often in 2026. He’s a frontrunner to start at second base this spring after making 30 starts around the diamond last year. He hit .276 with an .890 OPS and brings more pop to the lineup.

Dayton transfer Rylan Lujo is eyeing his fair share of time at second, too. He shined for the Flyers as a freshman, slashing .361/.415/.556 with 27 XBH and a 1.19 K-BB ratio. Over at first, a pair of transfers could share time.

Fifth-year senior two-way dynamo Bryce Calloway hit 18 bombs and drove in 63 runs for New Orleans while also making 20 relief appearances, allowing 12 earned in 25.1 innings. Senior Jordy Oriach led the Mountain West in a slew of stats for New Mexico. He bashed 16 homers, drove in 63 runs and didn’t strike out much.

Back to Ishikawa, he could bat leadoff for UGA and will play center field when he’s not on the mound. He slashed .318/.420/.562 with 23 doubles and eight home runs for Seattle as a freshman and provides a disciplined lefty bat.

Redshirt junior Scott Newman is one of many impressive USC Upstate transfers that’s made the jump to SEC play after hitting 19 homers in 2025. He’s also got an elite glove and swiped 11 bases for the Spartans.

It feels like pitching will once again tell the tale for Georgia in 2026. If the touted incoming arms do live up to their billing, then we could see the Bulldogs in Omaha for the first time since 2008.

Texas Longhorns

Year one of the Jim Schlossnagle era brought Texas a regular-season title in its inaugural season in the SEC. An unfortunate draw in the Austin regional led to the Longhorns falling to UTSA, ending the year on a sour note.

It’s fair to say that 2025 still exceeded expectations. That’s set the table for a massive 2026 campaign.

Perhaps the biggest edge on paper for Texas entering this spring is the pitching staff. No SEC team returns more innings from last season than the Longhorns, who bring back 392 IP (76.2 percent). There’s an embarrassment of riches for pitching coach Max Weiner to work with, and that’s really accentuated by the names that likely won’t even be in the weekend rotation.

Due to injuries, senior right-hander Ruger Riojas ended up making 10 starts and 18 total appearances in his first year on The Forty Acres last season. The ERA read 5.61 at the end of the year, but he proved to be uber-reliable thanks to great command and a bulldog mentality. He could absolutely return to a starting role this season, but it’s more likely that he plays a big relief role this time around.

Senior righty Max Grubbs has nearly 140 innings in burnt orange under his belt, and he’ll potentially headline the high-leverage arms coming out of the pen at Disch-Falk Field if he doesn’t end up a starter. He pitched to a 2.84 ERA across 57 innings last season, striking out 61 and walking 14. Junior RHP Thomas Burns is in line for a bigger role after allowing 11 earned in 26.2 IP last year.

Three lefties that’ll make an impact are junior Wake Forest transfer Haiden Leffew, Western Kentucky grad transfer Cal Higgins and returning junior Kade Bing. Leffew was 64Analytics’ No. 13 player in the portal and struck out 59 in 34.1 IP for the Deacs as a sophomore.

If you’ll recall, Texas did have the SEC Freshman of the Year in Dylan Volantis coming out of its bullpen last season. The lefty is back and has transitioned to a starting role to begin his sophomore season.

Volantis pitched to a 1.94 ERA in 51 innings, striking out 74 while allowing just 11 earned all year. He faded a touch down the stretch as Texas ran thin on the mound, so it’ll be interesting to see how he handles the workload of a Friday night starter in the SEC. Expectations are high, but it also won’t be surprising if the high-leverage relief role ultimately suits him better as the season treks on.

Fifth-year senior Luke Harrison made 15 starts a year ago and will look to be the rotation’s stalwart in 2026. He was a workhorse last season, tallying 70.2 innings while keeping a 3.06 ERA. He’s yet another arm with solid command and wicked stuff. Righty Jason Flores has also seen his stock rise ahead of his sophomore campaign and could round out the rotation.

That’s a lot of virility on the bump. The lineup has a lot to replace, but it could also be one of the top groups in the conference. Two transfers look poised to lead the way.

Junior catcher Carson Tinney (.348/.498/.753) is coming off an All-American year for Notre Dame, while junior outfielder Aiden Robbins (.422/.537/.652) finished with the sixth-best batting average in the nation for Seton Hall. Both are Just Baseball Preseason All-Americans and are set to mash in the heart of the order.

It wouldn’t be a surprise to see sophomore Adrian Rodriguez emerge as the best bat of the bunch, either. He hit .313 with 14 doubles, seven homers and a .926 OPS as a freshman third baseman and has now made the move to shortstop. Look for Stanford transfer Temo Becerra (.330/.384/.427) to fill that gap at third.

It was second baseman Ethan Mendoza that somewhat quietly led Texas with a .333 average last year. He’s back for his junior year, as is Casey Borba, who likely takes the reins at first base after a 12-homer, 47-RBI season in 2025.

Outfielder Jonah Williams is perhaps the biggest X-factor for Texas. A blue-chip defensive back on the football field, he showed glimpses in 20 games as a freshman and will man one of the corner outfield spots next to Robbins, who should roam center.

If Texas stays healthy, it will be a force and could make it two SEC titles in two tries. The pitching stands out, but there’ll be no shortage of beef in the batter’s box, either. This team could be the whole package.

Arkansas Razorbacks

The finish to Arkansas’ 2025 season was heartbreaking, even for the especially jaded Hogs fans. A 50-15 season led to another trip to Omaha, but once again, Dave Van Horn’s crew came up short. Somehow, this program remains without a College World Series title.

Another offseason of grief has now turned to hope that 2026 — say the line, Bart! — could be the year. And you know what? It could!

Arkansas, to no surprise, boasts a damn good roster that’ll likely win a boatload of games this spring. Multiple All-American-level bats will be featured, but junior catcher Ryder Helfrick is the first name to know.

Helfrick does it all at a premium position. He slashed .305/.420/.616 in 2025, clubbing 15 homers. He’s also a fantastic defensive weapon and can do damage on all fronts. He enters 2026 as one of the best catchers in the nation.

2025 Golden Spikes winner Wehiwa Aloy may be gone, but his brother Kuhio (.317/.404/.539) is back after putting together an All-SEC season himself. One of the best bats in the nation, Aloy drove in 70 runs as a full-time DH and now looks to play more corner outfield as a junior.

There are two elite options at second base. Junior Cam Kozeal is back after hitting .333 with 15 homers and 62 RBI, while junior Nolan Souza is itching to make his mark after injury limited him to 32 games last year. Both bats will be tough to keep out of the lineup.

Speaking of breakout candidates, redshirt junior first baseman Reese Robinett made 18 starts last season and now looks to be a permanent fixture. Junior Texas Tech transfer infielder TJ Pompey enters after a 1.020 OPS crusade in Lubbock and figures to stick at third base in Fayetteville. Don’t be surprised if freshman shortstop Carson Brumbaugh makes an immediate splash, either.

By the way, the Cape Cod League MVP is also now in the fold. Senior Marshall transfer outfielder Maika Niu (.276/.343/.560) already seemed like a good get based on his numbers with the Thundering Herd, but his standout summer makes one think that he could be en route to an All-SEC season. Look for him in center, while redshirt junior Lamar transfer Damian Ruiz (.388/.511/.607) brings another wave of hype to one of the corners.

It doesn’t get more cliché than this, but it rings true for this Arkansas roster: pitching likely makes or breaks this team.

Right-hander Gabe Gaeckle’s first attempt at starting last season did not go according to plan. He still threw 71.1 innings in 19 appearances (nine starts) and kept a 4.42 ERA, racking up 92 strikeouts, but things looked bleak at times before moving back to relief.

He’ll now make a second foray into the rotation, and expectations are as high as ever. When Gaeckle is on, he’s dominant and one of the best arms in the nation. Does he find that level on a consistent basis in 2026?

Gaeckle will be surrounded by tons of lefty funk. Sophomore Cole Gibler, redshirt sophomore Hunter Dietz, junior Collin Fisher and senior Parker Coil all return, while junior Vanderbilt transfer Ethan McElvain is another intriguing addition.

Any of those five could start an SEC game and Arkansas would feel confident. Don’t be surprised if the Hogs don’t roll out a consistent starting trio every weekend. Dietz was plagued by injuries last season and has garnered plenty of hype heading into 2026. Gibler struck out 57 in 29.1 IP as a freshman and looks primed to vault into stardom.

McElvain struggled at Vandy but has electric stuff and could manage a high-leverage role if he figures things out. Whoever doesn’t start will be a big factor in relief, alongside redshirt sophomore Oregon State RHP transfer James DeCremer and others.

Van Horn enters year No. 24 at the helm. If this group clicks, it could easily be one of his best. There’s a wealth of arms, heaps of athleticism and a healthy mix of vets and young blood.

Tennessee Volunteers

Just an average offseason in Knoxville, eh?

After eight seasons in charge, head coach Tony Vitello decided to leave the Tennessee baseball program in October. He headed out West to try and rebuild a little upstart program called the…San Francisco Giants.

That, as you can imagine, put the Vols in an interesting and unprecedented spot. Ultimately, Tennessee AD Danny White opted not to waste much time and named assistant Josh Elander, Vitello’s right-hand man, the new head coach on Rocky Top.

Elander then had to replace longtime pitching coach Frank Anderson and director of sports performance Quentin Eberhardt, the Vols’ unsung hero behind the scenes. Replacement hires were made, while Elander also replaced his old spot with Florida’s Chuck Jeroloman, another one of the top assistants in the SEC.

All that change leads to an interesting first season after the Vitello era. Elander may not be the grandiose figure in the dugout like Vitello, but he’s been an integral piece to the program and has played a consequential role for a long time. He was a part of the 2024 College World Series title, and no one is doubting that he can’t get Tennessee back to Omaha as the lead man.

That first season in charge always comes with a learning curve, though. Thankfully for Elander, he’s got a fantastic roster to work with.

Four everyday Tennessee bats finished with an average above .300 in 2025. Gavin Kilen, Andrew Fischer, Hunter Ensley and Dean Curley are all gone. There are a slew of returnees that’ll attempt to fill those gaps, including multiple breakout sophomore candidates.

In the infield, Levi Clark is set to man first base. He’s one of the many bats that will take advantage of Lindsey Nelson Stadium. Clark hit 10 homers and finished with a 1.053 OPS as a freshman. Next to Clark at second base will be Manny Marin, a slick defender who will be more of an accoutrement than a focal point in the lineup.

Two sophomore outfielders figure to have much larger roles this time around, too. Jay Abernathy is one of the more versatile players on the roster. He made 27 starts as a freshman and finished with a .409 OBP. Chris Newstrom, meanwhile, showed a lot in 13 starts and just 68 plate appearances last season, hitting .351 with four doubles and five home runs.

Elander has plenty of options in the outfield. Senior Reese Chapman will be the veteran presence out in right after making 64 starts a season ago, when he clubbed 13 homers and drove in 53 runs. Redshirt sophomore Blake Grimmer can play all over, and he also impressed in a smaller sample size last season, notching 14 hits and 10 walks in 56 PAs.

On the left side of the infield, junior Virginia transfer Henry Ford was the biggest addition this offseason. Ranking as the No. 6 player in the portal, Ford (.362/.420/.575) is a monster bat who looks to stick at third base. In 108 games for the Cavaliers, the Just Baseball Preseason All-American drove in 112 runs and hit 28 homers. He’ll be one of the toughest outs in the nation this spring.

Junior shortstop Ariel Antigua, like Marin, is a glove-first player who’s looking to take the next step in the box this year. He slashed .192/.302/.205 in 91 PAs last season, so some kind of improvement with the bat will be necessary.

There are a few viable catching options, too. It looks like redshirt sophomore Stone Lawless will lead the pack at the beginning of the year after making 21 starts in 2025. He could be in line for a big jump offensively after hitting .288 with 19 walks and just 14 strikeouts in a smaller sample size.

Junior Bowling Green transfer Garrett Wright is a two-time All-MAC selection and will also be in the mix. He slashed .396/.506/.644 with 48 RBI for the Falcons last year and can also play corner outfield.

There are questions to be asked on the mound with this group, but there’s loads of breakout potential. Right-hander Tegan Kuhns got knocked around at times as a freshman, but he enters his second season with 10 starts and 36.2 innings under his belt. He’s got great command and strikeout stuff.

Two more top-40 players in the portal arrive on Rocky Top with big expectations. Senior Virginia LHP transfer Evan Blanco battled through injury in 2025, but he tallied 92.2 IP for a stellar UVA club the year prior. He has experience leading a staff and has struck out 157 batters across the last three seasons while walking just 44.

Sophomore Rutgers righty transfer Landon Mack is coming off an 80.1-inning, 4.03-ERA first go-round in college ball. If the jump to the SEC is cooperative, he could easily be the No. 1 arm on the staff.

Redshirt junior left-hander Brandon Arvidson may not start, but he’ll be a high-leverage weapon regardless. He made 30 appearances in 2025, racking up 70 strikeouts in 38.2 IP. The Vols also bring in one of the nation’s most-touted freshmen in LHP Cam Appenzeller.

The absence of the boisterous Vitello will no doubt make games at LNS feel a touch different, but Tennessee isn’t planning on 2026 being a transition year in any sense. The Vols will be in the mix for the SEC crown.

2026 MLB Draft Prospects

Player	Position	School
Tyler Bell	SS	Kentucky
Chris Hacopian	INF	Texas A&M
Justin Lebron	SS	Alabama
Liam Peterson	RHP	Florida
Ace Reese	3B	Mississippi State
Derek Curiel	OF	LSU
Gabe Gaeckle	RHP	Arkansas
Caden Sorrell	OF	Texas A&M
Ryder Helfrick	C	Arkansas
Joey Volchko	RHP	Georgia
Aiden Robbins	OF	Texas
Chris Rembert	2B	Auburn
Tegan Kuhns	RHP	Tennessee
Carson Tinney	C	Texas
Jake McCoy	LHP	South Carolina
Hunter Dietz	LHP	Arkansas
Henry Ford	UTL	Tennessee
Steven Milam	INF	LSU
Gavin Grahovac	INF	Texas A&M
Jaxon Willits	SS	Oklahoma
Russell Sandefer	RHP	Florida
TJ Pompey	INF	Arkansas
Jake Brown	OF	LSU
Cade Belyeu	OF	Auburn
Cam Kozeal	2B	Arkansas
Shane Sdao	LHP	Texas A&M
Clayton Freshcorn	RHP	Texas A&M
Cade Townsend	RHP	Ole Miss
Kyle Jones	OF	Florida
Alex Philpott	RHP	South Carolina
Luke McNeillie	RHP	Florida
Kyle Branch	INF	Oklahoma