Tennessee outfielder Christian Scott isn’t one to talk about himself, but the tattoo on Scott’s right arm says everything that he’s about.
“The Lord is first, my teammates are second, I am third,” Scott repeats the words on his arm— a creed that he lives by.
Christian’s father Bert made the words the creed of the youth football and baseball teams he coached. A young Christian once called a timeout and told his coach and father to call a play for another teammate to score instead of himself.
Scott has a mature and “probably extinct” mentality that few have. After four years of earning his “Master’s degree in Tennessee baseball”, Scott is writing the new material and changing the course of the Vols’ season.
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Why Scott Didn’t Transfer Away From Tennessee
Bert Scott says there’s two things his son doesn’t like to discuss.
“That’s death and transferring.”
But after four years inside the Tennessee baseball program, Scott hadn’t found his groove. The Clarksville native was in the mix all four seasons but never as a starter. He sat behind All-SEC outfielder Alerick Soularie and slugger Zach Daniels early in his career before highly touted recruits Drew Gilbert and Jordan Beck jumped him on the pecking order and completed storied careers.
Hitting .253 in 154 at-bats his first four years at Tennessee, Scott had options entering his fifth and final college season awarded by the NCAA due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But transferring or calling it a quits on his career were not options. There were no discussions on the matter.
“This is home to me. My dad always said don’t start something you’re not going to finish. This is something I needed to finish and that’s what I’m doing.” Scott said, swatting away the notion like a gnat.
Few would consider transferring after earning your degree and playing four seasons in a program to be quitting. But that doesn’t matter to Scott. Bert instilled a mindset of relentless work and perseverance in Christian that Tennessee is reaping the rewards of.
“Unfortunately it’s probably extinct,” Tennessee strength coach Quentin Eberhardt said of Scott’s mentality. “They don’t make guys like that this day and age.”
Scott wasn’t without opportunities or success in his first four years at Tennessee. The lefty started on opening day in 2021 and in game two in 2022 but didn’t end up winning the starting job either season.
But there was no pouting or self pity from Scott. He supported his teammates, learning from a number of All-SEC selections including All-Americans Drew Gilbert and Trey Lipscomb— one of Scott’s best friends who also sat for years before bursting on the scene when given a full-time opportunity.
“You’re going to get your shot,” Eberhardt said. “You’re going to get opportunities. It’s not going to be easy and if you don’t (win the job) are you still able to be a great teammate and great brother to these guys that earned their starting spot and support them? He’s done that. … He’s been behind some program historians (record breakers) and he’s also been a great teammate and great brother.”
While there was no thought or discussion about transferring after the 2022 season, there was plenty of reflection and forward thinking last summer. That included what he wanted his legacy to be at Tennessee.
“(I want to be someone) that everyone can be proud of and they knew that I gave it my all each and every game,” Scott said. “Something my teammates can be proud of when it’s all set and done.”
How Scott Changed Tennessee’s Season
Christian Scott sang to himself at the plate as he fell behind 0-2 in a pinch hit at-bat against Arkansas. He proceeded to foul off five straight pitches, look at three balls, foul off two more pitches and watch ball four to earn a 13-pitch walk.
“It was a great at-bat and it was just the calmness in him,” Eberhardt said. “He gets it because in baseball when you’re all stressed out and intense it doesn’t yield to success. Watching his calm demeanor and playing through that whole at-bat was just wow, okay. That’s the C-Scott that we’re looking for.”
Tennessee’s entire starting outfield from 2022 left Knoxville for professional baseball and Scott found himself as an opening day starter again this season. But Scott hadn’t locked down a starting spot and the first two months of the season included Tony Vitello tinkering with his outfield an abundance of times.
When Scott pinch hit in game two against Arkansas, he had started in eight of 14 conference games. His defensive ability earned him starts but his lack of consistent offensive success kept him from becoming an everyday starter.
That’s why the relaxed demeanor that Scott showed in the pinch hit at-bat was so important. What it signified is exactly what Tennessee had been wanting from him.
“It was like every situation he was rewarded with because of his hard work,” Eberhardt said. “It felt like he was putting so much pressure like I have to perform. I have to succeed. One of the many things that I love about this program is that our coaching staff isn’t like that. Offensively we focus on the quality at-bats— not getting a hit. …Seeing him have a bigger leash this year and he finally understands that and can just relax and have fun and go back to being a kid again on that field has just been amazing to see.”
Scott has started every SEC game for Tennessee since the pinch hit walk at Arkansas. The 5-foot-10 outfielder was one of very few bright spots in an awful weekend for Tennessee. Scott went three-of-seven at the plate in Fayetteville and it sparked an offensive tear.
The weekend at Arkansas, or the midweek loss to Tennessee Tech that followed, proved to be rock bottom for Tennessee. The Vols responded with seven straight SEC wins. Scott started in right field all seven games and delivered with an eight-of-21 (.381) stretch while walking six times (good for a .519 OBP) and driving in nine runs.
Scott made some subtle swing adjustments over the offseason but says there have been no big changes for him during the red-hot stretch. He’s trying to do the little things right like approving his approach, being locked in every pitch and playing with confidence.
But the most important thing has been his relaxed attitude and trying to find the joy in baseball.
“Playing the game like you’re a little kid,” Scott said. “That’s what I live by and that’s what I believe. Just keep having fun, smiling. If something bad happens, good, learn from it. That’s how I’m attacking this season.”
It’s noticeable for the usually calm and straightforward Scott. He’s playing with more confidence and swagger. Bert says his son is smiling on the field more than ever before.
The significant success from Scott is particularly important for Tennessee because of how well he does the little things. From the day he stepped on campus, Scott has been an excellent defender.
With impressive speed and strong base running instincts Scott was frequently Tony Vitello’s go-to pinch runner the past two seasons— one of the ways he had an active role on each team without being a starter.
As a full time starter, Scott continues to do the little things well. He’s been a reliable bunter when called up, moved runners and worked competitive at-bats.
“If you look at it, you don’t really see a lot of the base running, the bunting when it comes to big moments,” Scott said. “A lot of highlights you see is just someone hitting a home run or striking somebody out but I guarantee you before that it’s the little stuff that gets them to that point.”
Scott enters this weekend’s series against Kentucky with a .305 batting average and .414 on-base percentage in conference play. Both marks are the third best on the team. Combine the offensive success with the consistent defensive prowess and Scott has at long last locked down a starting spot in right field.
That emergence, along with Hunter Ensley’s in center field, has changed Tennessee’s season for the better. After being in severe trouble of missing the NCAA Tournament following the Arkansas, the Vols are on the cusp of locking down their spot while still boasting an outside chance at hosting a regional.
“He’s kind of mirroring, or I would say leading, the cause of what we got going on,” Vitello said. “That’s show up and play ball, man. It’s a kids game, and have some fun doing what we’re doing. But for a lot of different reasons, we want to try and win. He’s certainly doing that.”
