Well, after a rough weekend in Chapel Hill that saw Tennessee go 0-2, the attention has now turned to the offseason. With the transfer portal officially open, the Vols have already seen their first exit, as freshman infielder Ethan Moore has announced he intends to enter the portal.
This one hurts, as he was a highly rated prospect out of high school. Moore, who redshirted this past season, has entered the transfer portal. The River Forest, Illinois, native was rated as the No. 5 overall player and the No. 2 shortstop in the state of Illinois by Perfect Game coming out of high school. Moore was also selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 18th round of the 2025 MLB Draft.
Tennessee freshman infielder Ethan Moore has entered the transfer portal, @GoVols247 learned this morning.
— Ben McKee (@benmckee14) June 1, 2026
Moore was ranked No. 94 overall in the Class of 2025. He was selected in the 18th round of the 2025 MLB Draft by the Cincinnati Reds.
🔗 https://t.co/K0f2zqwi4E pic.twitter.com/xc9Z564E20
Tennessee baseball loses INF Ethan Moore to the portal
It definitely stings to lose a highly touted freshman like Moore, but again, the portal is what it is. Players will leave, and players will come, and we just have to accept the new reality of college sports. Moore did have a lot of upside, but maybe he just didn’t see his future in Knoxville. His exit could be one of several, since the portal makes roster turnover pretty normal these days. Plus, with Tony Vitello no longer there and Josh Elander taking over, it makes sense that some players who committed under Vitello might look elsewhere.
What made Moore such an intriguing prospect was the versatility that he brought to Tennessee. I loved how he's a switch-hitter who can play multiple infield spots. Moore had speed too, as he also posted a 6.8 in the 60-yard dash, which is impressive for a player who brings solid strength as well. It’s tough for Tennessee fans that they won’t get to watch him fully develop in Knoxville.
For now, Josh Elander will need to focus on adding a few more big bats for Tennessee. The Vols missed plenty of key opportunities against ECU and VCU in the regionals with runners in scoring position. Since Tennessee struggled to get timely hits and didn’t hit for average consistently last season, adding more impact bats would go a long way. In addition, pitching depth will also be crucial moving forward. The bullpen was shaky all year long, and when it was on, the bats were off.
In the meantime, hopefully Tennessee doesn’t lose too much more talent, and Josh Elander can focus on getting the Vols back to Omaha. The Vols have a top-three high school class coming in, and with a few good transfer portal additions, Tennessee could quickly be right back in the national spotlight.
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