Tennessee utility man Jay Abernathy is entering the transfer portal after spending two years in the Volunteer program, Volquest’s Mike Wilson first reported and a source confirmed to RTI on Tuesday afternoon.
Abernathy played in 53 games and started 39 games during his sophomore season, hitting .236 with nine doubles, three homers, one triple and 16 RBIs. He started 27 games as a freshman, hitting .282 with three doubles, one homer and 11 RBIs.
The left-handed utility man was a real threat on the base paths, stealing 17 bases in his two years in Knoxville.
Abernathy is a versatile defender who started 29 games in centerfield and 10 games at second base this past season.
With Tennessee likely losing starting centerfielder Garrett Wright to professional baseball and middle infielders Manny Marin and Blake Grimmer to the MLB Draft, Abernathy was in a solid position to earn a starting spot in his junior season at Tennessee.
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However, Abernathy’s inconsistent bat keeps it from being a lock that he would have been an everyday starter for the Vols next season.
Abernathy is the ninth Tennessee player to enter the transfer portal this offseason, joining catcher Cash Williams, infielder Finley Bates, shortstop Ariel Antigua, infielder Ethan Moore, first baseman Evan Hankins, utility man Hunter High, utility man Chris Newstrom and right-handed pitcher Brayden Krenzel.
The Vols have yet to lose a full-time starting player to the transfer portal though Krenzel was a major piece of Tennessee’s bullpen at times during the 2026 season and Abernathy did start a number of games
After failing to make it out of the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019, Josh Elander and his coaching staff enter a critical offseason. Tennessee will lose a number of players to the portal and will be aggressive adding more talent to its roster.
