What to know about Tennessee baseball roster 2025, transfer portal, draft for Tony Vitello

Tennessee baseball 's roster is undergoing changes after the program's first national championship in program history.

Vols coach Tony Vitello and Co. have a heralded draft class outgoing, a top recruiting class incoming and a handful of key players returning.

Here is what to know about Tennessee's 2025 roster:

Nate Snead, Dean Curley highlight Tennessee baseball returners

Dean Curley is the most experienced bat coming back after emerging as the starting shortstop as a freshman. He will be a centerpiece at either shortstop or third base as a draft-eligible sophomore. Nate Snead is the top returner on the mound. He should be counted on to move from reliever to starter. AJ Russell's recovery from Tommy John surgery will dictate a lot about how the staff looks at the ned of next season after he battled arm soreness that limited him to only six appearances as a sophomore.

Pitchers Dylan Loy and Andrew Behnke look ready to be notable parts of the pitching staff. Infielder Ariel Antigua is in line to hop into playing time. Tennessee needs catcher Cannon Peebles, outfielder Reese Chapman, utility Dalton Bargo, and pitcher Marcus Phillips to take on bigger roles.

Catcher Stone Lawless and infielder Blake Grimmer redshirted in 2024, but could make a big jump next season. The same is true for infielder Hunter High, who played sparingly as a freshman. The Vols think Lawless has a big future.

Which Tennessee Vols will be taken in the MLB Draft?

Tennessee could have its most impressive offensive draft class yet under Vitello, which is saying something.

Second baseman Christian Moore and third baseman Billy Amick could be first-round picks similarly to how Drew Gilbert and Jordan Beck went in the top-40 picks in 2022. Outfielder Dylan Dreiling and first baseman Blake Burke are likely early picks. Outfielder Kavares Tears broke out in 2024. All five figure to be top-100 picks.

Pitchers Drew Beam and AJ Causey are likely to be picked in the first few rounds. Aaron Combs looks like a draft pick after his second-half work.

Outfielder Hunter Ensley hit himself in a potential pro opportunity after this season but also could return to Tennessee as a plus defender in center field. Pitcher Zander Sechrist is out of eligibility and should be a pro prospect. The same is true for catcher Cal Stark for his defensive abilities.

Who else is departing Tennessee baseball?

Kirby Connell is gone after five seasons as a mainstay of the staff. He is expected to join the coaching staff at UT if he does not persue pro options. Chris Stamos also is done after one season with UT following his transfer from Cal.

Infielder Ethan Payne is out of eligibility. Catcher Charlie Taylor could return for one more season or could move on.

What are Tennessee baseball's transfer portal needs?

The Vols are turning over the middle of lineup with all five 20-homer players heading to pro ball. They will seek to add power threats and top bats out of the transfer portal to make a splash similar to how Amick stepped into a key role after transferring from Clemson.

Tennessee also will hunt starting pitching in the portal as the majority of most-used arms and the top starting options are departing. Snead is the lone returner who likely profiles as a starter, so the Vols will want to add more options to the staff who can start. Expect an emphasis on left-handed pitching options.

Who are the top incoming recruits for Tennessee baseball?

Tennessee has the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation with nine top-100 players, according to Perfect Game. It could make for a more interesting draft for the Vols from a recruiting class perspective than years prior as six prospects are ranked in the top 200 by MLB.com.

Right-handed pitchers Tegan Kuhns and Anson Siebert lead the way. Kuhns, a 6-foot-4 pitcher from Gettysburg Area (Pennsylvania), is ranked No. 96 by MLB.com. Siebert, a 6-8 pitcher from Blue Valley Southwest in Kansas, is No. 108.

TRACKER: Tennessee baseball transfer tracker: Vols working in transfer portal again

A flurry of middle infield prospects are also highly ranked MLB Draft prospects: Basic (Nevada) shortstop Ty Southisene is No. 111, North Cobb (Georgia) shortstop/second baseman Jay Abernathy is No. 122, Westminster Christian (Florida) shortstop Manny Marin is No. 149, and Liberty North (Missouri) shortstop/third baseman Trey Snyder is No. 155.

Siebert and Marin are both two-year draft-eligible players if they come to Tennessee.

Catcher/first baseman Levi Clark from Marietta (Georgia) is another big-time prospect. Brayden Krenzel from Dublin (Ohio) and Tate Strickland from Powder Springs (Georgia) are solid right-handed pitching prospects.

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: What to know about Tennessee baseball roster 2025, transfer portal, draft for Tony Vitello