Tennessee baseball landed a commitment from junior college right-handed pitcher Thomas Crabtree on Wednesday morning. Crabtree committed to the Vols two days after taking a visit to Tennessee and before the team left for the College World Series in Omaha.
Forever thankful for @PRCC_Baseball @eastcoastbball @CvilleBaseball_ . I am going to be a University of Tennessee Volunteer. My childhood dream of wearing the Power T is real. @Vol_Baseball pic.twitter.com/NQY1eOa3hq
— Thomas Crabtree (@crabtree2023) June 12, 2024
Crabtree spent his freshman season at a starting pitcher at Pearl River Community College in Mississippi. The right-handed pitcher posted a 10-2 record with a 2.96 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in 76 innings pitched. He also truck out 105 batters over the course of the season and earned First Team All-MACCC.
A 6-foot-4, 194-pound pitcher, Crabtree is a Collierville, Tennessee native who originally committed to ETSU before ending up Pearl River. Crabtree was the No. 43 overall player and No. 13 right-handed pitcher in the state of Tennessee in the 2023 recruiting cycle.
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In his commitment post, Crabtree mentioned that playing for his home state Volunteers is a childhood dream and his quick commitment after visiting campus backs it up.
Tennessee baseball will have to replace an abundance of innings from last season’s team. Kirby Connell and Zander Sechrist are out of eligibility, Drew Beam will almost certainly move on to professional baseball and there’s a strong possibility that AJ Causey and Aaron Combs will do the same.
Top returning arms for Tennessee include Nate Snead, Andrew Behnke, Dylan Loy and Marcus Phillips. The Vols haven’t landed a Division I transfer yet this offseason but will be active pursuing a number this offseason— particularly on the mound.
But landing Crabtree is a strong get for Tony Vitello and his staff on the day that they leave for Omaha and the program’s third time in the College World Series in the last four years.
One Response
Crabtree is a bulldog of a pitcher. Saw him in action for three years. Great acquisition for Tenn Vols!