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Fall Report: Tennessee
By Frankie Piliere - Nov 11, 2016
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. After posting a 9-21 record in conference play in 2016, there was a lot to improve upon as the Tennessee Vols headed into their fall practice season. A banner recruiting class, however, as well as the maturation of a number of key players, has put Tennessee in what they believe to be the driver seat toward a resurgence in Knoxville. While theres a raw nature to much of the talent on this roster, head coach Dave Serrano and his staff are coming away from this fall extremely pleased with the teams strides toward the future.
Recent history tells us that Tennessee hasnt had major issues when it comes to cultivating impact bats in the middle of their lineup, but many of their issues stemmed from not having enough pitching to stack up against elite SEC competition. If this fall is any indication, however, the pitching has finally arrived in Knoxville. Not all of it is ready for the spotlight, but we are going to see this team pitch at a much higher level in 2017 and theyve re-tooled the staff to a point where they are well set up for the next three years.
I feel so confident about the direction of this program, said Serrano. We finally have SEC type arms in this program. Ive got a great problem to be honest with you when it comes to pitching, and its the best problem Ive had here in all my years. Weve got some tough choices to make. And its not just older guys. Its some of the younger guys that are ready to contribute too. We have some great options on the pitching side.
One of those pitching options for Serrano is junior lefthander Zach Warren, who was outstanding this fall and looked like nothing short of one of the best true Friday aces in the conference. The solid track record is there, and given his growth with Team USA this summer and the superb fall, he looks poised to give the Vols a legitimate matchup on Fridays against any team they come up against.
I think part of the maturity process for Warren was being around that Team USA team for about a month, said Serrano. His work ethic has always been there. But now he really feels like he has a chance to be one of those elite guys. The way he goes about it each day, the way his stuff has matured. He had a good fall for us. So yeah we need him to take that step. And obviously hes going to be one of the fixtures in the weekend for us.
Warren showed stuff this fall that was often electric this fall, and most importantly he was much sharper with his fastball command than we saw over the course of last spring. The 6-foot-5, long limbed southpaw showed off a hopping, late tailing 89-93 mph fastball, averaging right around 91 most of the time. He showed an easy, repeatable arm action and the type of delivery to go with his frame that should make him a durable weapon in 2017. Warrens 81-84 mph dead fish changeup also showed major progress, looking like a true above average offering on scout day.
One of the biggest surprises of the fall, however, has come in the form of freshman righty, Garrett Stallings. The 6-foot-2 righty came to campus as a prized recruit but his performance this fall has pushed him immediately into the running for a spot in the weekend rotation, something that would have been hard to project out of the gate. Working at 90-92 mph with his fastball, he commanded extremely well this fall and had an aggressive, up tempo approach. Hes an excellent athlete that also showed good feel for an 83-85 mph changeup. This is a freshman with a very advanced approach to pitching and it showed up in a big way this fall.
One of the freshmen for me that put themself into that [rotation] mix was Garrett Stallings, said Serrano. In our Orange & White series, he was our number one pick by the players in the draft. Hes one of those guys who just does everything right. His stuff is better than I thought it was. He throws a strike with every pitch. His velocity has come up. Hes like a Greg Maddux type in the college world. Ive heard some guys say he reminds them of a Logan Shore type. Theres nothing that jumps out at you. Hes gonna hover around 90-92, but he throws strikes with four pitches and hes going to be that guy does nothing but wins games. I think hes that type.
Also coming off a superb fall and looking like one of the strongest front runners for a rotation spot is 5-foot-11 sophomore righty Will Neely. Neely, while not overpowering, showed the ability to spot and mix speeds like few pitchers on the roster, working at 89-91 with his fastball with big, late movement. He relies heavily on that movement and working down in the zone, but he also sharpened up his short slider and continued to show off an impressive 81-84 mph changeup.
Will Neely who was really good for us last year, said Serrano. He was probably was our most consistent starter toward the end of last year. He has really had a great fall for us. I call him our little Pedro Martinez. Hes got the good fastball for his size, and hell go up to 92 mph. Hes got a great changeup. Then youve got Hunter Martin, who did not throw a ball in the a game in the fall. He had a very good summer in the Cape. And hes back to throwing now and Im excited to see him as a possibility as a weekend starter too.
Let us not forget, however, about fascinating redshirt junior righty Kyle Serrano, who missed essentially the entire 2016 season, did not throw this fall, but just recently began to throw again. The plan is to bring him along very slowly and limit his workload, so do not expect him to start in 2017. But, given his plus stuff when healthy, there are still big plans for how hell be utilized. At his best, Serrano has shown a 90-94 mph fastball and consistently above average slider.
I got see Kyle throw off flat ground on [Monday] for the first time in eight months, said Serrano. And it was pretty electrifying to be honest with you. My plan with him is because Im gonna be cautious with the timing, hell be a closer with us this year. Hell come in and hell go one inning stints. Thats a good arm to have at the back end of a very deep pitching rotation.
Aside from Kyle Serrano at the end of the game, the Vols head coach pointed to Jacob Westphal, Jon Lipinski, and flame throwing freshman righty, Andrew Schultz as other crucial components to their bullpen attack. Schultz is particularly interesting as he showed signs of harnessing his often electric stuff this fall and he can hit 96 mph consistently with his fastball. All of these pitchers have shown at least flashes of power stuff in the past.
One of the biggest x-factors for this pitching staff, though, could be the teams number one pitching recruit, Zach Linginfelter. The powerhouse 6-foot-5 righty showed this fall that he does have some command work to do, but Serrano believes he showed plenty to be very much in the center of the mix for a job on the starting staff. He worked steadily at 91-93 mph, topping at 94 with his usual heavy fastball life. Hell need to continue working on his changeup, but there is potential for a full three pitch mix.
The Vols are a team that had some nice cornerstone players on display this fall, of course highlighted by a potential true ace in Zach Warren. But they will also likely have a dynamic cornerstone position player in blossoming junior outfielder, Brodie Leftridge as well. Leftridge will be joined by multi-talented senior infielder Jordan Rodgers as one of the leaders of the lineup, as Rodgers has continued to show off impressive power and athleticism following up on a strong summer. But, Leftridge is viewed as the type of player that could be a changer in the conference. A true plus runner with outstanding defensive skills in center field, Leftridge appears to have taken the next step when it comes to power this fall. Now much stronger physically, Leftridge showed he could yank a mistake out of the park to his pull side and punish the ball to the gaps.
I think Leftridge has taken a big step, said Serrano. He still has to improve on the swing and miss but I think the more he can handle the bat, the better it is for us. I think the biggest step hes probably taken has been in strength. His body has gotten a lot stronger. He came on late for us last year. When we got him in the lineup about three-quarters of the way through the season, he was our catalyst as we made our run into the tournament. He was a big part of that and got some big hits. Theres no doubt about what he does patrolling in center field. Ive been around a lot of center fielders and he ranks up there with some of the best if not the best. But now what Im seeing offensively, its really exciting to see him maturing as a baseball player and thats good not only for him, but for us as well.
While Leftridges continued emergence as a star was a key development this fall, perhaps the biggest game changer for this lineup to burst onto the scene was freshman slugger Pete Derkay. A switch hitting all fields masher, Derkay has a stocky 5-foot-11 frame and used his lower half extremely well this fall to show off prodigious game ready power. Hes compact, very quick inside and shows a very mature approach for such a young hitter. And he looks particularly dangerous from the left side. If this fall was any indication, the Vols may have one of the best, ready hit freshman bats in the country on their hands.
Pete Derkay has done one thing since he got here and thats hit, said Serrano. What hes done leadership wise as a freshmen he will be the leader of this program eventually. Hes just got that skill and the personality. He attracts people and he does things right. Im really happy hes on board. Hell probably play mostly first base for us, but he hasnt disappointed us behind the plate. His future could be behind the plate after his freshman year. Ive said this within our organization, and its probably unfair to the young man to say this, but Id like to see what Kyle Schwarber looked like his freshman year at Indiana. Petes got a short, compact swing. Hes got power. Hes gonna go through his trials and tribulations as a freshman, but he will hit for this program. Hell be a middle of the order hitter for at least three years here.
The catching job may one day belong to Derkay, but for now it belongs to Benito Santiago. Santiago is a player that scouts have long praised for his defensive skills but also impatiently waited for his bat to come around. This fall we saw more power out of lefty swinging junior backstop, and it appears that offensive development may be at least starting to happen.
Benito Santiago has really turned himself into an offensive player, Serrano said. What hes done with his offensive approach since his freshman year is a huge change. He had a great fall offensively.
Also coming away with a strong fall practice season for the Vols was freshman infielder Jay Charleston, who likely will not play the infield in 2017, but will get most of his at-bats at DH or in the outfield. Given his strong fall, expect those at-bats to be plentiful. And, according to the coaching staff, he may be the teams best base stealer. Brandon Chinea and Justin Ammons were also eye opening as freshmen this fall. Ammons extra sweet lefty swing and good speed could allow him to carve out a role in the spring as well.
What is particularly interesting about the Vols is that even with their strong fall, we have yet to see their roster at its best. There appears to be more talent on the way for this team, more raw talent waiting to get better, and more talent returning from injury that will help this team in 2017.
I like what we have, said Serrano. We have a lot of growing up to do, but when Kyle Serrano, Hunter Martin and Jeff Moberg dont play one inning in the fall and then you can add those guys back in the mix in January, those are three big pieces to this puzzle. Those are three bona fide older guys. Jeff Moberg is as good a player that not many people know about. He finally came out last year then he tore his ACL. Hes a great second baseman and a good hitter.
Tennessee has a lot to prove in 2017, and it seems like they know it. Their competition in the SEC will be typically steep, and they arent the only team in the conference to bring in a powerhouse class of newcomers. But when Serrano says he finally has SEC type arms, hes correct. This is a team that does have the upside to pitch with any team in the conference. Those arms came along faster than most expected they would this fall, and as a result this could be more a now contender than some expected. Couple that pitching with a lineup that saw a few of its key components blossom this fall and you have a team that will need to be monitored very closely headed into 2017.
The pieces are in place, and the question now is how do we put the puzzle together, said Serrano. We have a good mix. Its going to be hard to make a lineup because we have some really good moving parts. I feel like this is finally the point where we have some hard decisions to make on our roster and thats a good thing for me.
By Frankie Piliere - Nov 11, 2016
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. After posting a 9-21 record in conference play in 2016, there was a lot to improve upon as the Tennessee Vols headed into their fall practice season. A banner recruiting class, however, as well as the maturation of a number of key players, has put Tennessee in what they believe to be the driver seat toward a resurgence in Knoxville. While theres a raw nature to much of the talent on this roster, head coach Dave Serrano and his staff are coming away from this fall extremely pleased with the teams strides toward the future.
Recent history tells us that Tennessee hasnt had major issues when it comes to cultivating impact bats in the middle of their lineup, but many of their issues stemmed from not having enough pitching to stack up against elite SEC competition. If this fall is any indication, however, the pitching has finally arrived in Knoxville. Not all of it is ready for the spotlight, but we are going to see this team pitch at a much higher level in 2017 and theyve re-tooled the staff to a point where they are well set up for the next three years.
I feel so confident about the direction of this program, said Serrano. We finally have SEC type arms in this program. Ive got a great problem to be honest with you when it comes to pitching, and its the best problem Ive had here in all my years. Weve got some tough choices to make. And its not just older guys. Its some of the younger guys that are ready to contribute too. We have some great options on the pitching side.
One of those pitching options for Serrano is junior lefthander Zach Warren, who was outstanding this fall and looked like nothing short of one of the best true Friday aces in the conference. The solid track record is there, and given his growth with Team USA this summer and the superb fall, he looks poised to give the Vols a legitimate matchup on Fridays against any team they come up against.
I think part of the maturity process for Warren was being around that Team USA team for about a month, said Serrano. His work ethic has always been there. But now he really feels like he has a chance to be one of those elite guys. The way he goes about it each day, the way his stuff has matured. He had a good fall for us. So yeah we need him to take that step. And obviously hes going to be one of the fixtures in the weekend for us.
Warren showed stuff this fall that was often electric this fall, and most importantly he was much sharper with his fastball command than we saw over the course of last spring. The 6-foot-5, long limbed southpaw showed off a hopping, late tailing 89-93 mph fastball, averaging right around 91 most of the time. He showed an easy, repeatable arm action and the type of delivery to go with his frame that should make him a durable weapon in 2017. Warrens 81-84 mph dead fish changeup also showed major progress, looking like a true above average offering on scout day.
One of the biggest surprises of the fall, however, has come in the form of freshman righty, Garrett Stallings. The 6-foot-2 righty came to campus as a prized recruit but his performance this fall has pushed him immediately into the running for a spot in the weekend rotation, something that would have been hard to project out of the gate. Working at 90-92 mph with his fastball, he commanded extremely well this fall and had an aggressive, up tempo approach. Hes an excellent athlete that also showed good feel for an 83-85 mph changeup. This is a freshman with a very advanced approach to pitching and it showed up in a big way this fall.
One of the freshmen for me that put themself into that [rotation] mix was Garrett Stallings, said Serrano. In our Orange & White series, he was our number one pick by the players in the draft. Hes one of those guys who just does everything right. His stuff is better than I thought it was. He throws a strike with every pitch. His velocity has come up. Hes like a Greg Maddux type in the college world. Ive heard some guys say he reminds them of a Logan Shore type. Theres nothing that jumps out at you. Hes gonna hover around 90-92, but he throws strikes with four pitches and hes going to be that guy does nothing but wins games. I think hes that type.
Also coming off a superb fall and looking like one of the strongest front runners for a rotation spot is 5-foot-11 sophomore righty Will Neely. Neely, while not overpowering, showed the ability to spot and mix speeds like few pitchers on the roster, working at 89-91 with his fastball with big, late movement. He relies heavily on that movement and working down in the zone, but he also sharpened up his short slider and continued to show off an impressive 81-84 mph changeup.
Will Neely who was really good for us last year, said Serrano. He was probably was our most consistent starter toward the end of last year. He has really had a great fall for us. I call him our little Pedro Martinez. Hes got the good fastball for his size, and hell go up to 92 mph. Hes got a great changeup. Then youve got Hunter Martin, who did not throw a ball in the a game in the fall. He had a very good summer in the Cape. And hes back to throwing now and Im excited to see him as a possibility as a weekend starter too.
Let us not forget, however, about fascinating redshirt junior righty Kyle Serrano, who missed essentially the entire 2016 season, did not throw this fall, but just recently began to throw again. The plan is to bring him along very slowly and limit his workload, so do not expect him to start in 2017. But, given his plus stuff when healthy, there are still big plans for how hell be utilized. At his best, Serrano has shown a 90-94 mph fastball and consistently above average slider.
I got see Kyle throw off flat ground on [Monday] for the first time in eight months, said Serrano. And it was pretty electrifying to be honest with you. My plan with him is because Im gonna be cautious with the timing, hell be a closer with us this year. Hell come in and hell go one inning stints. Thats a good arm to have at the back end of a very deep pitching rotation.
Aside from Kyle Serrano at the end of the game, the Vols head coach pointed to Jacob Westphal, Jon Lipinski, and flame throwing freshman righty, Andrew Schultz as other crucial components to their bullpen attack. Schultz is particularly interesting as he showed signs of harnessing his often electric stuff this fall and he can hit 96 mph consistently with his fastball. All of these pitchers have shown at least flashes of power stuff in the past.
One of the biggest x-factors for this pitching staff, though, could be the teams number one pitching recruit, Zach Linginfelter. The powerhouse 6-foot-5 righty showed this fall that he does have some command work to do, but Serrano believes he showed plenty to be very much in the center of the mix for a job on the starting staff. He worked steadily at 91-93 mph, topping at 94 with his usual heavy fastball life. Hell need to continue working on his changeup, but there is potential for a full three pitch mix.
The Vols are a team that had some nice cornerstone players on display this fall, of course highlighted by a potential true ace in Zach Warren. But they will also likely have a dynamic cornerstone position player in blossoming junior outfielder, Brodie Leftridge as well. Leftridge will be joined by multi-talented senior infielder Jordan Rodgers as one of the leaders of the lineup, as Rodgers has continued to show off impressive power and athleticism following up on a strong summer. But, Leftridge is viewed as the type of player that could be a changer in the conference. A true plus runner with outstanding defensive skills in center field, Leftridge appears to have taken the next step when it comes to power this fall. Now much stronger physically, Leftridge showed he could yank a mistake out of the park to his pull side and punish the ball to the gaps.
I think Leftridge has taken a big step, said Serrano. He still has to improve on the swing and miss but I think the more he can handle the bat, the better it is for us. I think the biggest step hes probably taken has been in strength. His body has gotten a lot stronger. He came on late for us last year. When we got him in the lineup about three-quarters of the way through the season, he was our catalyst as we made our run into the tournament. He was a big part of that and got some big hits. Theres no doubt about what he does patrolling in center field. Ive been around a lot of center fielders and he ranks up there with some of the best if not the best. But now what Im seeing offensively, its really exciting to see him maturing as a baseball player and thats good not only for him, but for us as well.
While Leftridges continued emergence as a star was a key development this fall, perhaps the biggest game changer for this lineup to burst onto the scene was freshman slugger Pete Derkay. A switch hitting all fields masher, Derkay has a stocky 5-foot-11 frame and used his lower half extremely well this fall to show off prodigious game ready power. Hes compact, very quick inside and shows a very mature approach for such a young hitter. And he looks particularly dangerous from the left side. If this fall was any indication, the Vols may have one of the best, ready hit freshman bats in the country on their hands.
Pete Derkay has done one thing since he got here and thats hit, said Serrano. What hes done leadership wise as a freshmen he will be the leader of this program eventually. Hes just got that skill and the personality. He attracts people and he does things right. Im really happy hes on board. Hell probably play mostly first base for us, but he hasnt disappointed us behind the plate. His future could be behind the plate after his freshman year. Ive said this within our organization, and its probably unfair to the young man to say this, but Id like to see what Kyle Schwarber looked like his freshman year at Indiana. Petes got a short, compact swing. Hes got power. Hes gonna go through his trials and tribulations as a freshman, but he will hit for this program. Hell be a middle of the order hitter for at least three years here.
The catching job may one day belong to Derkay, but for now it belongs to Benito Santiago. Santiago is a player that scouts have long praised for his defensive skills but also impatiently waited for his bat to come around. This fall we saw more power out of lefty swinging junior backstop, and it appears that offensive development may be at least starting to happen.
Benito Santiago has really turned himself into an offensive player, Serrano said. What hes done with his offensive approach since his freshman year is a huge change. He had a great fall offensively.
Also coming away with a strong fall practice season for the Vols was freshman infielder Jay Charleston, who likely will not play the infield in 2017, but will get most of his at-bats at DH or in the outfield. Given his strong fall, expect those at-bats to be plentiful. And, according to the coaching staff, he may be the teams best base stealer. Brandon Chinea and Justin Ammons were also eye opening as freshmen this fall. Ammons extra sweet lefty swing and good speed could allow him to carve out a role in the spring as well.
What is particularly interesting about the Vols is that even with their strong fall, we have yet to see their roster at its best. There appears to be more talent on the way for this team, more raw talent waiting to get better, and more talent returning from injury that will help this team in 2017.
I like what we have, said Serrano. We have a lot of growing up to do, but when Kyle Serrano, Hunter Martin and Jeff Moberg dont play one inning in the fall and then you can add those guys back in the mix in January, those are three big pieces to this puzzle. Those are three bona fide older guys. Jeff Moberg is as good a player that not many people know about. He finally came out last year then he tore his ACL. Hes a great second baseman and a good hitter.
Tennessee has a lot to prove in 2017, and it seems like they know it. Their competition in the SEC will be typically steep, and they arent the only team in the conference to bring in a powerhouse class of newcomers. But when Serrano says he finally has SEC type arms, hes correct. This is a team that does have the upside to pitch with any team in the conference. Those arms came along faster than most expected they would this fall, and as a result this could be more a now contender than some expected. Couple that pitching with a lineup that saw a few of its key components blossom this fall and you have a team that will need to be monitored very closely headed into 2017.
The pieces are in place, and the question now is how do we put the puzzle together, said Serrano. We have a good mix. Its going to be hard to make a lineup because we have some really good moving parts. I feel like this is finally the point where we have some hard decisions to make on our roster and thats a good thing for me.
