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Tennessee baseball jumps back into top ten despite losing several key players

ByColton Pickard|
Jun 24, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; Tennessee Volunteers left fielder Dylan Dreiling (8) celebrates hitting a home run with second baseman Christian Moore (1) during the seventh inning at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images
Jun 24, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; Tennessee Volunteers left fielder Dylan Dreiling (8) celebrates hitting a home run with second baseman Christian Moore (1) during the seventh inning at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

Tennessee baseball is going to look a lot different next year with new names and faces in new places, but that doesn't mean the Vols won't continue the success it has seen throughout the Tony Vitello era. 

Baseball America ranked the Vols as the No. 7 team in college baseball in its way-too-early 2026 college baseball rankings, moving the Vols back into the top ten after finishing the season at No. 12 and being eliminated in the Fayetteville Super Regional. 

"Tennessee looked like a potential repeat champion through the first three weeks of SEC play but steadily lost steam down the stretch, dropping six of its final seven series. The Volunteers still advanced to the super regional round, where they fell to Arkansas.

"With several key contributors—Liam Doyle, Andrew Fischer, Gavin Kilen, Dean Curley, and others—off to the pro ranks, it would be easy to assume a step back in 2026. But coach Tony Vitello once again reloaded with one of the nation's strongest transfer classes, highlighted by Henry Ford, Evan Blanco, Landon Mack, Garrett Wright, and Brady Frederick.

"The return of Brandon Arvidson only strengthens what should be one of the SEC's deepest pitching staffs, and Tennessee's offense has a proven track record of producing—even when the faces change."

While the Vols are ranked No. 7 in college baseball, Tennessee is the sixth-highest-ranked SEC team in a top ten that the Southeastern Conference dominates. 

UCLA came in at the top of the list at No. 1, but the SEC holds every spot from No. 2 to No. 7. The LSU Tigers are at No. 2, Texas at No. 3, Mississippi State at No. 4, Auburn at No. 5, and Georgia at No. 6. 

Baseball America also included Arkansas at No. 11, Vanderbilt at No. 15, Alabama at No. 19, Florida at No. 21, Ole Miss at No. 24, and Texas A&M at No. 25 as two-thirds of the SEC make the way-too-early top 25 ranking.

Despite the loss of key players, Vitello has reloaded the roster and is prepared to make another College World Series run in the deepest, toughest conference in college baseball, and it looks like Baseball America joins Vol Nation in believing he can do it.

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