KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The 2023 summer ball season has officially come to a close for all of Tennessee’s players as they begin to return to campus for the start of fall practice.
Updates on how the Vols fared in summer ball can be found below.
USA Collegiate National Team
RHP Drew Beam
Stats: 3 APP, 3 GS, 3-0, 2.25 ERA, 11.0 IP, 2 R, 2 ER, 7 H, 1 BB, 9 K
Beam was fantastic in his three starts for the Stars and Stripes, coming away victorious in all three outings. He turned in three shutout innings during his first appearance, an intersquad scrimmage during training camp, before making the final 31-man roster.
In his two outings against outside competition, the Murfreesboro, Tennessee, native went 2-0 with wins over Chinese Taipei and Japan. He went four innings and allowed just one run in a 5-1 victory over Chinese Taipei on July 1 before tossing four more solid innings in a win over Japan on July 8, striking out four while allowing just one run on three hits.
INF Christian Moore
Stats: 6 G, .235 AVG, 3 R, 4 H, 2 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 0 BB, .235 OBP, .529 SLG, .764 OPS
Moore batted .300 with a double, a homer and two RBIs during CNT training camp to earn a spot on the final 31-man roster before playing three games against the likes of Chinese Taipei and Japan.
Appalachian League
OF Colby Backus – Johnson City Doughboys
Stats: 40 G, .293 AVG, 30 R, 44 H, 10 2B, 8 HR, 37 RBI, 13 BB, 11 SB, .355 OBP, .520 SLG, .875 OPS
Backus had an impressive summer for the Doughboys, helping lead the team to the Appalachian League Title while also being selected to play in the league’s All-Star Game. The redshirt sophomore slugger went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a run scored in the championship game to help lead Johnson City to a 4-1 victory over the Burlington Sock Puppets. Backus ranked second on the team with eight home runs and 37 RBIs while adding 10 doubles and 11 stolen bases.
He was named the Appalachian League Player of the Month in June after an electric start to the summer.
OF/1B Kavares Tears – Kingsport Axmen
Stats: 5 G, .111 AVG, 1 H, 1 2B, 1 RBI, .111 OBP, .222 SLG, .333 OPS
Appeared in just five games for the Axmen, recording one double in nine at-bats.
Cape Cod League
RHP Bryce Jenkins – Cotuit Kettleers
Stats: 4 APP, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 5.2 IP, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 5 K, .063 BAA, 0.35 WHIP
Jenkins was nearly unhittable in four relief appearances for the Kettleers, allowing just one knock in 5.2 innings of work before being selected by the New York Mets in the 17th round of the 2023 MLB Draft.
RHP Zach Joyce – Cotuit Kettleers
Stats: 2 APP, 0-0, 0 SV, 0.00 ERA, 3.1 IP, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 3 K, 1.80 WHIP
Like Jenkins, Joyce also did not allow a run in his shortened stay in the Cape before being picked in the 14th round of the 2023 MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Angels. He opened the summer with 2.2 innings in relief against Bourne on June 25 where he struck out three in 13 batters faced, along with another scoreless outing on July 2 against Yarmouth-Dennis.
LHP Zander Sechrist – Chatham Anglers
Stats: 7 APP, 1 GS, 0-0, 1 SV, 6.18 ERA, 16.0 IP, 13 R, 11 ER, 20 H, 5 BB, 14 K, .303 BAA, 1.56 WHIP
Sechrist improved as the summer went along, allowing just three runs over his final five outings, including three consecutive appearances without giving up a run. The junior lefty also had a pair of four strikeout performances against Wareham (July 10) and Orleans (July 28) down the stretch.
California Collegiate League
OF Reese Chapman – Orange County Riptide
Stats: 21 G, .282 AVG, 14 R, 22 H, 8 2B, 4 HR, 23 RBI, 8 BB, 3 SB, .354 OBP, .554 SLG, .908 OPS
Chapman has had a solid summer season out in California, helping lead the Riptide to the CCL Playoffs. The talented freshman homered and had three RBIs against the Santa Barbara Foresters on July 21 and put forth a two-hit game on July 26 against the Arroyo Seco Saints.
In Orange County’s wild card playoff victory over Conejo Oaks on Aug. 1, Chapman drew a pair of walks, scored a run and had two RBIs.
Coastal Plain League
RHP JJ Garcia – Forest City Owls
Stats: 6 APP, 6 GS, 3-1, 4.24 ERA, 29.2 IP, 20 R, 14 ER, 28 H, 11 BB, 27 K, 1.31 WHIP
Was the starting pitcher for the West Team in the CPL All-Star Game on July 19 and finished the summer with a 3-1 record to go along with a 4.24 ERA.
The freshman right hander’s best outing of the summer came on June 9 against the Asheboro Zookeepers, when he tossed 6.2 shutout innings while allowing just two hits and striking out nine in the win.
RHP Austin Hunley – Forest City Owls
Stats: 8 APP, 8 GS, 3-2, 5.19 ERA, 43.1 IP, 29 R, 25 ER, 48 H, 11 BB, 24 K, .284 BAA, 1.36 WHIP
Ranked second in the Coastal Plains League in innings pitched (43.1) pitching five or more innings in six of his eight starts while compiling a 3-2 record for the Owls.
The freshman righty recorded six strikeouts and allowed just one earned run in six innings against the Lexington County Blowfish on June 30.
Ohio Valley League
RHP Bennett Myers – Full Count Rhythm
Stats: 2 APP, 2 GS, 0-1, 4.50 ERA, 4 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 H, 4 BB, 1 K, 2.00 WHIP
Made just two appearances for the Rhythm this summer.
Opened the summer with a strong two-inning start against Bowling Green on June 18 where he allowed just one hit and one walk over two scoreless innings.
Rocky Mountain Baseball League
OF Dylan Dreiling – Hays Larks