AJ Russell plans to pitch for Tennessee baseball in 2025, updates Tommy John recovery

AJ Russell plans to pitch for Tennessee baseball in the 2025 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in June.

The Vols pitcher had the less-invasive version of the common elbow surgery, which has a shorter recovery period and increases the possibility that he could pitch at some point as a junior at Tennessee.

"That is the hope,” Russell said during Tennessee's run to the College World Series title . “That is what I am working toward. That is what I want to do. I don’t want that LSU game to be the last time I pitch in the orange and white.”

Russell was Tennessee's Friday night starter entering the 2024 season but battled injuries and soreness throughout the season, which resulted in Tommy John surgery. The right-handed pitcher is 2-1 with a 2.22 ERA in 30 appearances with five starts in two seasons. He has 68 strikeouts in 44⅔ innings.

AJ Russell’s timeline to return from Tommy John surgery

Russell had Tommy John surgery on June 11. He went in knowing it could mean at least a 12-month recovery period, which likely would spell the end of his Vols career.

The injury to his right UCL did not require total construction and instead was suited for an internal brace procedure. Doctors installed a few screws in his elbow and wrapped the tendon around the screws, a less-intensive version of the surgery that former Vols pitcher Drew Beam had in high school.

“The tissue and all that in my ligament in the elbow was good and had been rebuilding to where it could be used without being replaced,” Russell said. “It sped up everything about two months or so.”

The timeline for the 6-foot-6 pitcher to recover could be as short as eight months now, which would put him on track to pitch during the 2025 season. A realistic timeline is about 10 months, which would still allow Russell to pitch at some point as a junior.

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He expects to know more in January after he has ramped up a throwing program. He is allowed to pick up a baseball again four months after surgery.

Russell has found comfort in two things: knowing that his college career isn’t necessarily over and that Beam returned from the surgery to become a dynamic pitcher.

“It is huge on the mental side," Russell said. "Gives you something to work toward.”

AJ Russell had an injury-plagued sophomore season

Russell felt good in his first start of the 2024 season against Texas Tech in mid-February. But the sophomore never felt quite right again and made five more appearances scattered through the season with breaks between.

“I don’t think I ever really recovered after Texas,” Russell said. “It was just downhill fast after that. It has been a long season but it is part of it, I guess.”

He left his start against Albany a week later with shoulder and side soreness. He returned in March and pitched two games. He felt soreness in his forearm against Ole Miss on March 23.

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Russell had a pair of MRIs following that round of soreness, but neither revealed any structural damage. The injury was handled as a strain and Russell rehabbed accordingly.

“I think I just threw through a bunch of stuff,” Russell said.

Russell was shut down after two appearances in the SEC Tournament, including a start in the title game against LSU. He knew something was wrong after that outing and was not on the active roster during the postseason. Russell was 0-1 with a 5.02 ERA in six games with four starts as a sophomore. He had 21 strikeouts in 14⅓ innings.

The Franklin native battled soreness after his freshman season during which he made 24 appearances with a 0.89 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 30⅓ innings. He took the summer off from throwing and lifted to gain strength. He felt fine through the fall and to open the season, but soreness plagued the rest of his promising season.

Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ ByMikeWilson . If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: AJ Russell plans to pitch for Tennessee baseball in 2025, updates Tommy John recovery