Tennessee baseball transfer tracker: Vols working in transfer portal again

Tennessee baseball has used the transfer portal to bolster its roster in recent seasons and will be active in it again.

The Vols and coach Tony Vitello have consistently padded their roster in the portal the past two seasons. Tennessee got major contributions from third baseman Billy Amick and pitchers AJ Causey and Nate Snead in the 2024 season. UT added shortstop Maui Ahuna, third baseman Zane Denton, pitcher Andrew Lindsey, and designated hitter Griffin Merritt to bolster the 2023 roster.

Here is who is joining and leaving the Vols via the portal:

Who is joining Tennessee baseball?

Tanner Franklin − Pitcher

Franklin transferred to Tennessee from Kennesaw State. The 6-foot-5 right-handed pitcher has a 6.34 ERA in 34 games with three starts in two seasons. The Jefferson City, Tennessee, product struck out 61 in 38⅓ innings with 40 walks. He has two seasons of eligibility.

Gavin Kilen − Infielder

Kilen earned All-ACC Third Team honors for the Cardinals after hitting .330 with nine home runs and 41 RBIs. He had 23 doubles and can play either second base or shortstop. He struck out in only 9.4% of his plate appearances, but also walked only seven times. He had 35 extra-base hits as a sophomore after having 10 without a homer as a freshman as his slugging numbers took a major leap.

Eric Rataczak − First baseman/outfielder

Rataczak was the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference player of the year at Niagara in 2024 after hitting .396 with 17 homers and 71 RBIs. The left-handed hitting first baseman has one year of eligibility remaining and is eligible for the MLB Draft, which starts Sunday. 

Andrew Fischer − Third baseman/designated hitter

Fischer hit .285 with 20 homers, 57 RBIs, 47 runs and 35 walks at Ole Miss. He earned second-team All-SEC honors as a designated hitter/utility after slugging .653. He began the season as the third baseman but finished it as a designated hitter, which is important versatility for a crowded Tennessee infield.

Liam Doyle − Pitcher

Doyle gives Tennessee a proven SEC weekend starter going into next season. The left-handed pitcher is 6-5 with a 4.93 ERA in the past two seasons. He struck out 153 with 41 walks in 111⅓ innings. 

Who is leaving Tennessee baseball?

Wyatt Evans − Pitcher

Evans' career went in the wrong direction. The 6-foot-6 left-handed pitcher was mostly a midweek bullpen arm as a freshman in 2022 when he threw 16 innings in 19 appearances. The South Carolina native dealt with arm soreness in 2023 and redshirted. He did not make the active roster at any point in 2024. He committed to South Carolina.

Zane Denton − Third baseman

Denton did not play for Tennessee in 2024 due to personal reasons after announcing in August the he was returning to UT for second season after going undrafted in the 2023 MLB Draft. Denton hit .269 with 16 homers and a team-high 59 RBIs in 2023 after transferring from Alabama. He transferred to Austin Peay.

Matthew Dallas − Pitcher

Dallas, a highly coveted recruit, was 1-0 with a 4.76 ERA in 15 appearances with two starts as a freshman. He threw 17 innings with only two in May, including a one-inning outing against Vanderbilt on May 22 in the SEC Tournament in Hoover. He allowed nine earned runs on 11 hits. The 6-foot-5 Dallas did not make the postseason roster for Tennessee during the NCAA Tournament. He committed to Wake Forest.

Bradke Lohry − Infielder

Lohry opened the season as Tennessee's starting second baseman with Christian Moore at shortstop. That didn't last as freshman Dean Curley proved himself to be the best option at shortstop with Moore at second base, who had one of the best seasons in Vols history. Lohry faded into backup duty, hitting .241 in 29 at-bats with 14 strikeouts and 10 walks. He started at second base in the Knoxville Super Regional against Evansville with Moore at designated hitter due to an injury. He committed to USF.

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Robin Villeneuve − Utility

Villeneuve burst on the scene with early season power, but also faded from a role. He hit .288 with five homers and 22 RBIs. He struck out 38 times in 80 at-bats. He had three at-bats after May 5 as the designated hitter, which was a revolving door for Tennessee throughout the season. Villeneuve committed to Texas Tech.

Derek Schaefer − Pitcher

Schaefer was in the mix to be a key arm for Tennessee going into the season and pitched in the season-opening tournament in Arlington, Texas. He started a pair of midweek games, including a good outing against UNC Asheville. Schaefer posted a 9.35 ERA in 8⅔ innings pitched. He threw one inning against Georgia in SEC play, allowing five runs on five hits. The Arizona native announced his commitment to Arizona State on July 5.

Camden Bates − Infielder

Bates had eight at-bats in 10 games this season for the Vols. He had two hits, including a three-run home run.

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.