Tennessee
Tennessee Baseball 2024 Season Outfield Preview | Rocky Top Insider
Happy game week. Tennessee baseball opens up its 2024 season in just three days and we’re continuing our season preview. After looking at Tennessee baseball’s infield yesterday, today we move on to the outfield.
The Vols return just one starter from last season’s outfield but they have a number of returning players poised for breakout seasons and another transfer who’s firmly in the mix for a starting spot.
Let’s dive into the 2024 group.
What We Know
The Man In The Middle
Center fielder Hunter Ensley is the lone returning starter in Tennessee’s outfield. A season ago, Ensley wasn’t a favorite to win the center field competition, but he did just that.
Ensley was the steady man for the Vols. He didn’t have much prior center field experience, at least in college, but he was a solid defender and provided consistency at the plate.
The Tennessee native hit .280 with seven doubles, seven home runs and 31 RBIs over the course of the season but he was more productive in conference play where his .318 average was second best on the team and he totaled over half his doubles (four) and home runs (four).
Ensley is Tennessee’s starting center fielder without a doubt this season. The question is how big of a jump can he make from his redshirt sophomore to redshirt junior season. If he takes another step forward at the plate then the Vols’ offense could become extremely dangerous.
The Starting DH Likely Comes From The Outfield
This point ties directly into the incoming discussion about right field so I won’t discuss this too much here
But entering the season, Kavares Tears (.304/.379/.518 in 56 at-bats) and Missouri transfer Dalton Bargo (.279/.379/.442 in 165 at-bats) are the two most likely players to start at designated hitter for Tennessee.
It’s hard not to really like the two bats and they’re both going to have a great chance to be a big part of Tennessee’s lineup. My bet is that one ends up starting in right field and the other ends up getting the most starts at designated hitter.
The potential exceptions here are when Cannon Peebles isn’t starting at catcher and if Zane Denton ends up playing this season.
This Group Is The X-Factor For The Offense
In fairness, this is more of a prediction than something we know.
But four of the five starters in Tennessee’s infield have already been a full time starter either in the ACC or SEC, and while they can improve their production we have a decent feel for what the Vols are going to get from them.
But the outfield includes one returning starter and a number of players who have been effective bench bats but haven’t stepped into major roles yet. That makes it hard to predict how productive they’ll be.
More on that in a bit.
More From RTI: Tennessee Baseball 2024 Infield Preview
Questions Entering The Season
Who Starts In Right Field?
More on the right field debate. Bargo and Tears seem the two most likely candidates here but I’m not ruling out sophomore Reese Chapman either.
Chapman was a highly touted prep recruit and has more range in the outfield than either Bargo or Tears. He struggled a bit at the plate in the fall but is still a talented hitter and has a high ceiling.
But Bargo and Tears both seem ahead in the competition, in my opinion. After redshirting his freshman season and being a reserve bat last year, Tears is poised for a breakout season. Bargo showed his hitting prowess as a freshman at Missouri last year and has more growing room.
One big question is how good the two can be defensively. Tears came to Tennessee position-less and has worked extremely hard to improve as an outfielder. His arm is as strong as any outfielder Tennessee has had under Vitello. His range is the question but that isn’t as big of a concern at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
My prediction is for Tears to win the starting right field job but I think he and Bargo are both going to have serious roles.
How Good Can The Returning Players Stepping Into New Roles Be?
Apologies for being this far into the article before mentioning Dylan Dreiling. The left-handed outfielder hit .295 with seven home runs, 15 extra-base hits and 20 RBIs in just 95 at-bats during his freshman season.
Dreiling is going to be Tennessee’s starting left fielder this season and as a draft eligible sophomore, this could be his last season in Knoxville. The Kansas native is extremely talented and was incredibly impressive as a pinch hitter last season.
He has an extremely high ceiling and could be a real difference maker for the Vols this season.
Tears is another highly-talented outfielder who has been in the program for multiple years and could now step into an even bigger role.
How effective these two guys can be at the plate is a major question for this Tennessee team. It’s why the outfield could be the X-factor for the Vols’ offense this season.
Who Provides Meaningful Depth?
Behind Ensley, Dreiling, Bargo, Tears and Chapman there’s a decent sized gap. So who provides depth for Tennessee in the outfield.
In the corner spots it’s likely Chapman if he doesn’t end up in the starting lineup. Bargo is also fully capable of playing left field.
Centerfield is where I’m truly not sure who the backup is. Christian Moore has worked at center field some this offseason but the junior moving to the outfield would leave some real questions in the middle infield.
Former junior college transfer Colby Backus redshirted last season but impressed me more in the fall and in the preseason, particularly with his ability to play center field.
Freshman Holden Brauner did some impressive things defensively in the fall but Brauner as well as fellow freshman Jeremy Comer are more likely to be midweek guys in their debut college seasons.
Tennessee
Answering Tennessee Football’s Burning Questions Less Than 100 Days Until Kickoff | Rocky Top Insider
We’re less than 100 days until Tennessee football meets Furman to open the 2026 season inside Neyland Stadium. As the team meets for summer workouts in Knoxville, there are some serious questions with strong implications still unanswered, though.
Here’s the latest on the answer to each burning question revolving around the Vols.
Who leads Tennessee’s quarterback battle?
Josh Heupel won’t name a starting quarterback until much closer to the start of the season, if not into the season itself, with an FCS game to open the year. The reason is he wants to see how each player develops over the summer and into training camp after receiving hands-on instruction from the coaching staff during the spring.
However, all the buzz is currently around five-star true freshman Faizon Brandon. Multiple college football insiders have given him the leg up entering the summer after he showed up to campus with a college-ready frame and strong understanding of Heupel’s offense.
The battle is far from over, though. Redshirt-freshman George MacIntyre will have a say as he pushes to take the reins of the offense after sitting behind Joey Aguilar and Jake Merklinger last season. Colorado transfer Ryan Staub will also get reps as he looks to emerge.
I think if you asked Heupel who the quarterback will be next season, he’d truthfully say he doesn’t know, though. It’s still a completely open competition as we gear up for fall camp at the beginning of August.
More From RTI: Tennessee Football’s First Three Games Officially Have Set Kickoff Times. Here’s What They are.
Will Chaz Coleman play for the Vols?
As spring camp progressed, Tennessee was without one of its key transfer portal pickups. Chaz Coleman, a highly-touted edge rusher from Penn State, began to miss practices and ultimately did not play in the annual Orange and White Game.
Now, it’s being reported that Coleman is not on campus for the start of voluntary workouts. We’ve seen missing practices and workouts be the end of tenures at UT in the past, as well. It was the final straw for Nico Iamaleava before he entered the portal in the spring of 2024, and Boo Carter missing workouts led to punishment before he transferred during the 2025 season.
It’s not a cut-and-clear case with Coleman, though. There’s still a chance he can work his way back into the fold for Tennessee this upcoming season, but there is plenty of work to be done. We’ll ultimately have to wait and see, but confidence is beginning to dwindle.
Either way, this now means Tulane transfer Jordan Norman is going to have to play a significant role this upcoming season and is a name to watch during fall camp.
How has the team adapted to the new big-name coaches?
This offseason, Tennessee added two significant coaches to its staff. To replace Tim Banks at defensive coordinator, Josh Heupel went out and got Jim Knowles. To revamp his strength program, he hired Indiana’s Derek Owings.
So far, it seems like both additions have gone very well. Knowles has a tough job in front of him, but he retooled the defense at multiple positions through the transfer portal. The linebacker room seems very strong, and he added talent to the secondary, but the defensive line will be interesting to watch.
Overall, it seems like the team has responded well to what Knowles and his staff are trying to implement on that side of the ball, though.
In the weight room, Owings has seemingly turned things around. Players don’t only look bigger, but plenty have talked to the media about how they feel faster and stronger already during spring camp. That impact could be one that goes under the radar but is felt in a big way this year.
Fingerprints of enslaved person found in brick at Blount Mansion
Fingerprints of enslaved person found in brick at Blount Mansion
Knoxville News Sentinel
Much to-do is being made of America’s 250th birthday, as well it should.
But did you know June 1 is Tennessee’s 230th birthday?
It was on June 1, 1796, that President George Washington signed a bill granting Tennessee immediate admission as the 16th state. Gov. John Sevier was chosen to lead the new state, and Knoxville was picked as its first capital.
A decade before, settlers west of the Appalachian mountains had sought admission to the union for the state of Franklin. But despite four years of existence, Franklin never gained federal approval.
Tennessee’s first official state constitution – drafted by 55 delegates in Knoxville in 1796 – is on display at the Tennessee State Library and Archives.
It was drafted in the home of William Blount, which still stands on West Hill Avenue in downtown Knoxville.
Tennessee actually has three state constitutions: the first, adopted in 1796, a revision adopted in 1834 to update the taxation and court systems, and the 1870 constitution, adopted after the Civil War.
The 1870 constitution permanently abolished slavery in Tennessee and remains the state’s fundamental charter.
Celebrate Tennessee’s birthday in Knoxville
Marble Springs State Historic Site, home of Gov. John Sevier, will have a two-day free party for Tennessee’s Statehood Day.
Tennessee Field Day for kids (or kids at heart) is noon-5 p.m. May 29 and Statehood Day is 10 a.m.-4 p.m. May 30. Field Day explores history through many aspects and activities, and Statehood Day focuses more on lectures, demonstrations, music, line dancing and food.
The historic buildings and learning center are at 1200 W. Gov. John Sevier Highway in Knoxville.
Look back at how Tennessee was founded
1785-1789: Settlers establish independent systems of government and petition to become a state, but they fail to gain recognition for the state of Franklin. The territory is again under the control of North Carolina.
1789: North Carolina ratifies the United States Constitution and cedes its Tennessee lands to the federal government. It is designated as the “Territory of the United States, South of the River Ohio,” more commonly known as the “Southwest Territory.” William Blount is appointed by George Washington to be governor. Early governance of the territory is focused on making treaties with Native Americans, securing settlers from attacks and encouraging settlement. Warfare with Native American tribes increases through the 1790s.
1792: Knoxville is selected as the capital of the Southwest Territory.
January 1796: Gov. William Blount calls for a constitutional convention in Knoxville to begin the process of joining the Union. The delegates form an organized government and constitution before applying to Congress for admission to the Union. The delegates select John Sevier as governor, William Blount and William Cocke as senators and Andrew Jackson as representative.
June 1, 1796: Tennessee becomes the 16th state in America. Knoxville remains the capital until 1812.
1812: Tennessee earns its nickname “The Volunteer State” during the War of 1812 because it sends 1,500 volunteer soldiers.
1812-1816: Nashville is Tennessee’s capital.
1817-1818: Knoxville is Tennessee’s capital again.
1818-1826: Murfreesboro is the capital of Tennessee.
1826-present day: Nashville becomes – and remains – the capital of Tennessee.
The Tennessee Volunteers are constantly getting players in the MLB and the MILB farm system, which is the developmental program that all rookies and young players (a.k.a. prospects) start off in. One of the players who has been in the farm system since being drafted is Nate Snead, who was with the Tennessee Vols just last season as a pitcher, and one of the better pitchers on the Tennessee roster.
Nate Snead is one of the better players to come through the Tennessee program as a reliever, and he is one of the better pitchers when it comes to his fastball, as he throws what many would confirm to be “gas.”
Nate Snead Gets Called Up
Snead was in Single-A to start his career, but he is now on his way up, as he is moving up to Double-A after a great start to his career. He is heading to the Rocket City Trash Pandas, which is an affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels. This would mean he is in the same farm system that both Christian Moore and Ben Joyce recently had to come through, and is one of the better players in the farm system for the Angels, anyway.
He currently holds an ERA of 2.80, which is great considering he has pitched 35.1 innings. He holds a win-loss record of 3-3, and also has a total of 39 strikeouts, which would mean he is averaging more than a strikeout every inning he pitches. He is also giving up less than a hit an inning, which is where he should be in order to get called up.
This decision doesn’t seem rushed, and it doesn’t seem that this is going to backfire. He will likely finish his season in Double-A, although a great stretch could lead to him being fast-tracked to Triple-A, the final team before the majors.
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