Transfer Portal Opens June 1 (Monday)

#11
#11
Rebel VOL said:
We’ve got to go after a ton of pitching in the portal if we can hold our offense intact we will be just fine
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Not sure I agree. I'm hoping some of our bats mature and take that next step like Moore and Burke, but if we get the chance to get some big sticks, I say go for it. No offense to the team, but we looked a tad puny this year in several matchups. Almost like we were returning to small ball.
 
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#14
#14
TennesseeFan07 said:
I would think a heavy emphasis on arms and trust the process with the bats. Certainly get great offensive guys you can, too, if there's a fit.
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Barring transfer, we’re returning the following non-pitchers who play significantly:
C- Stone Lawless
C/DH- Trent Grindlinger
1B- Levi Clark
UTL- Blake Grimmer (may go pro)
2B/CF- Micah Abernathy
LF- Blaine Brown
C/OF- Garrett Wright (may go pro)

That’s a really good nucleus of experienced talent. Eisfelder, Ethan Moore, and Hutson Chance are current freshmen who should be ready to compete for a starting job next year. I’d expect Newstrom to move on.

So I don’t see a need to go heavy in the portal on position players. Maybe a big infield bat on the left side of the infield. If Grimmer and/or Wright leave, then you need 2 big bats from the portal.

Pitching is where we need to go heavy. Appenzeller should be our Friday night guy. Need 2 more starters. As for the bullpen: does Krenzel come around? Bo Rhudy is your only solid returning reliever.

I do expect some of the freshmen to make solid contributions next year. Day, Haas, Baiotto, and Tracey all have high upside. Sophomore Nic Abraham also needs to make a jump.

Depending on how many of those young guys are expected make a jump, and by how much, will determine how many arms we chase in the portal. But I’d expect at least 4-5, if not more.
 
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#15
#15
NighthawkVol said:
Barring transfer, we’re returning the following non-pitchers who play significantly:
C- Stone Lawless
C/DH- Trent Grindlinger
1B- Levi Clark
UTL- Blake Grimmer (may go pro)
2B/CF- Micah Abernathy
LF- Blaine Brown
C/OF- Garrett Wright (may go pro)

That’s a really good nucleus of experienced talent. Eisfelder, Ethan Moore, and Hutson Chance are current freshmen who should be ready to compete for a starting job next year. I’d expect Newstrom to move on.

So I don’t see a need to go heavy in the portal on position players. Maybe a big infield bat on the left side of the infield. If Grimmer and/or Wright leave, then you need 2 big bats from the portal.

Pitching is where we need to go heavy. Appenzeller should be our Friday night guy. Need 2 more starters. As for the bullpen: does Krenzel come around? Bo Rhudy is your only solid returning reliever.

I do expect some of the freshmen to make solid contributions next year. Day, Haas, Baiotto, and Tracey all have high upside. Sophomore Nic Abraham also needs to make a jump.

Depending on how many of those young guys are expected make a jump, and by how much, will determine how many arms we chase in the portal. But I’d expect at least 4-5, if not more.
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Micah Abernathy? The football player? 😂 just messing with you. Grimmer and Wright are gone IMO.

Pitching side: I think Kuhns, Arv and Rhudy all go. I would be absolutely floored if both sides think a return of Krenzel is a good idea. Maybe he’ll go to Ohio State where is dad played and look for a fresh start
 
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#18
#18
preacherman20 said:
Problem is LSU is not playing. He will be hard on the road during regionals and supers and CWS.
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Yep no telling how much they’ll spend on the portal and none of the really good players will be safe , Johnson is probably a good coach but even he can’t make it to Omaha without a loaded team
 
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#19
#19
Bigvalley84 said:
Yep no telling how much they’ll spend on the portal and none of the really good players will be safe , Johnson is probably a good coach but even he can’t make it to Omaha without a loaded team
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Johnson has talked a lot about changing his approach to the portal. It will be interesting to see who he goes after. I'm betting he goes after fewer freshmen from lesser conferences.
 
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#20
#20
txbo said:
Johnson has talked a lot about changing his approach to the portal. It will be interesting to see who he goes after. I'm betting he goes after fewer freshmen from lesser conferences.
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Johnson also said that he thinks they need to keep and develop their own kids. May take a lump every three years or so if you have a bunch drafted but in the long term it’s probably better for the program and definitely better for the hs kids you recruit.
 
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#21
#21
tn4elvis said:
Johnson also said that he thinks they need to keep and develop their own kids. May take a lump every three years or so if you have a bunch drafted but in the long term it’s probably better for the program and definitely better for the hs kids you recruit.
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The core of the UCLA team have been together for 3 seasons, their Freshman year they had a losing record.
 
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#22
#22
Tenn better get every bat and pitcher they can. They have Very few arms in the bullpen and will lose at least 1 of the 3 starters. They will probably lose batters 1, 2, 3, 5, possibly Lawless and Abernathy. Brown would have to take a giant step forward to even make a starting spot on the deeper teams in the SEC. You can’t count on unproven Fr to take huge steps into a Soph year. I look for another season very similar to this year. Better spend big and swing for the fences.
 
#23
#23
a vol n tears said:
Tenn better get every bat and pitcher they can. They have Very few arms in the bullpen and will lose at least 1 of the 3 starters. They will probably lose batters 1, 2, 3, 5, possibly Lawless and Abernathy. Brown would have to take a giant step forward to even make a starting spot on the deeper teams in the SEC. You can’t count on unproven Fr to take huge steps into a Soph year. I look for another season very similar to this year. Better spend big and swing for the fences.
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.
 
#25
#25
a vol n tears said:
Tenn better get every bat and pitcher they can. They have Very few arms in the bullpen and will lose at least 1 of the 3 starters. They will probably lose batters 1, 2, 3, 5, possibly Lawless and Abernathy. Brown would have to take a giant step forward to even make a starting spot on the deeper teams in the SEC. You can’t count on unproven Fr to take huge steps into a Soph year. I look for another season very similar to this year. Better spend big and swing for the fences.
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Abernathy will be back. He isn’t draft eligible. Vols will lose 2 of 3 starters.
 
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