Tennessee right-handed pitcher Camden Sewell is returning to Knoxville for one final college season, Sewell shared on social media Tuesday.
Rocky Top… one more ride 🧡 pic.twitter.com/577D2AdN3x
— Camden Sewell (@CamdenSewell) August 2, 2022
Sewell has been one of Tennessee’s top relievers in his four years in Knoxville and is using his fifth season of eligibility offered by the NCAA’s due to the COVID-19 shortened season.
The right-handed versatile pitcher went undrafted in last month’s MLB Draft and didn’t sign with any professional team. Sewell wanted to return to Knoxville for his final season but the Volunteer State native’s inability to receive the hope scholarship as a graduate student complicated the situation.
Sewell even accepted a full time job earlier in Knoxville earlier this month and will play baseball, work the job and take graduate classes, a source close to the situation told RTI.
The Cleveland, Tennessee native went undrafted in this month’s MLB Draft, but still considered signing an undrafted free agent contract. Sewell has been an incredibly effective reliever for Tennessee and with the Vols returning all three weekend starters he is likely to stay in that role next season.
With a low-to-mid 90s fastball and a difficult path to an increased role, Sewell could have jump started his professional career. Instead, he comes back to Knoxville giving a massive boost to a Tennessee bullpen going through major upheaval.
The Vols lost program save leader Redmond Walsh to graduation and Ben Joyce, Will Mabrey and Mark McLaughlin all signed professionally earlier this month.
Left-handed relievers Kirby Connell and Wyatt Evans return to school as does midweek starter Zander Sechrist.
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Sewell has been extremely effective in all four seasons at Tennessee, throwing over 45 innings in all three seasons unaffected by COVID. In four seasons, Sewell’s compiled a 15-3 record, 2.53 ERA, and 1.01 WHIP while striking out 136 batters in 149.1 innings pitched.
The Volunteer State native turned in a 7-1 record and 2.52 ERA as the Vols’ most used relief pitcher.
While the vast majority of Sewell’s pitching experience has come out of the bullpen, the right-handed pitcher has shined in three postseason starts.
As a freshman, Sewell allowed just one run in 4.2 innings pitched in an elimination game against UNC-Wilmington in the Chapel Hill Regional. In 2021, Sewell shut out Florida in six innings pitched in the SEC Tournament Semifinals. Sewell stifled the Gators once again in 2022, holding the team he grew up cheering for scoreless in five innings in the SEC Tournament Championship.
