Josh Elander has already been very aggressive in his first full offseason as Tennessee baseball’s head coach. The Vols moved on from pitching coach Josh Reynolds and hired ECU’s Austin Knight to fill the void. That aggressiveness has continued into the transfer portal, as Knight will now have another big-time arm to work with.
Josh Elander secures foundation of Tennessee's rotation with 2 returning starters
Yesterday, Northwestern State left-hander Brody Trosclair picked Tennessee over LSU and Arkansas. In 38 innings, Trosclair posted a 1.89 ERA and averaged 13 strikeouts per nine innings. His 55 strikeouts compared to just 11 walks highlight how dominant he was. Plus, the fact that Tennessee beat out two other major SEC programs shows just how highly regarded he is.
NEW: Northwestern State transfer LHP Brody Trosclair has committed to Tennessee coming off a visit with the Vols.
— Ben McKee (@benmckee14) June 9, 2026
Trosclair was 5-1 with a 1.89 ERA before suffering an elbow injury in April.
He also visited LSU and Arkansas.
🔗 https://t.co/27rLMzrTsz pic.twitter.com/rUTudNfEPx
Vols land LHP Brady Trosclair over LSU and Arkansas
This is a serious addition for Tennessee. Not only did Elander take him away from SEC rivals, but the Vols also bolstered a bullpen that was largely mediocre last season. Tennessee needed to add a few more reliable arms, and Elander has shown he’s willing to go out and get them.
Landing a lefty who was truly dominant is a huge win for the Vols. What stands out most is that Trosclair is still very young, but has already proven at the DI level that he is a legitimate player. As I said above, not giving LSU or Arkansas anything to work with is also big as well. Both programs are getting aggressive to get back to Omaha as well.
Not to mention, if he has a big year out of the bullpen, there’s a chance that in his junior season he could move into the starting rotation. Landon Mack will probably be gone, so Tennessee will need someone to step up. If Trosclair has a strong sophomore year for the Vols, he could certainly move into a weekend rotation role.
It’s also worth noting that Trosclair actually had better splits against righties than lefties. He had a better FIP and a better WHIP when facing right-handed hitters. It’s not easy to find a dominant lefty who can also handle righties well, so that’s another thing Vols fans have to look forward to.
Vols fans should be fired up about this addition. Elander has proven he’s willing to do the hard things to make his program better. Now he just needs a few more pieces, and the Vols can start their road to Omaha.
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