Happy game week. Tennessee baseball opens its 2025 season on Friday night when they host Hofstra in a three-game series at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. Each day this week we’ll release a new season preview to get you ready for the season.
We begin our season previews by taking a look at the Vols’ infield. Tennessee’s infield is a major strength, still there’s a whole lot more questions than answers as the season approaches.
Let’s dive in.
What We Know
Who Most The Starters Will Be
As noted in the introduction, most of Tennessee’s starters in the infield are clear.
Dean Curley and Louisville transfer Gavin Kilen will start in the middle of the infield. Andrew Fischer will begin the season starting at third base if healthy. The same is the case for Cannon Peebles at catcher.
The infield includes two key returners and both highly touted bats that Tennessee landed in the transfer portal.
This Group Is The Strength
Not only do we know that four of Tennessee’s starting nine will be infielders, we know that they will be some of the top bats in the lineup. Curley will likely start the season in the leadoff spot with Kilen behind him in the two-hole.
Fischer will be in the middle of the lineup and is a serious candidate to hit 25-plus home runs this season if he stays healthy. Peebles will also likely be in the middle of the lineup after a big offseason.
Tennessee’s infield includes its best hitters and also has depth. It is a strength.
Questions Entering The Season
How Healthy Are Cannon Peebles And Andrew Fischer?
As previously mentioned, Peebles and Fischer are major parts of Tennessee’s team. But they’ve both been limited with arm soreness this preseason.
Fischer has missed a decent bit a time as he starts to ramp up. He played first base in game three of the “pizza series” this past weekend but did not hit. Peebles has only been serving as a designated hitter and not catching this preseason.
Tennessee says neither are serious but with their statuses limited a week before first pitch it’ll be worth watching their availability to start the season.
What Does Catcher Look Like Behind Peebles?
Peebles is the clear leader to be Tennessee’s starting catcher but there’s a number of options behind him including Dalton Bargo, Stone Lawless and freshman Levi Clark.
Clark feels like the fourth option to me. Seems more likely he’ll end up factoring at designated hitter or first base.
Who would start between opening day if Peebles can’t catch? I genuinely do not know. I think Lawless but think Bargo would also get a weekend start. This trio are also the top candidates to start at DH, in my opinion.
Who Will Play Where In The Middle Infield?
Curley was Tennessee’s starting shortstop on its National Championship team a season ago. Kilen was the starting shortstop at Louisville.
Throughout the fall and the preseason, the two have alternated between shortstop and second base. That competition will continue throughout non conference play and will not be decided by opening day.
My pick is Curley will end up at shortstop and Kilen at second base.
Will Alberto Osuna Run With The First Base Job?
Tennessee made a late addition its roster in former North Carolina slugger Alberto Osuna. He worked with the second team during the “pizza series” because at the time of publication he is not eligible.
Osuna isn’t great defensively but his bat has serious and proven pop. Assuming he gets eligible, will he grab the first base job and run with it?
Bargo and Clark are the next two most likely options though Lawless has worked there too.
Will Fischer Be Good Enough Defensively To Avoid DHing?
In his sophomore season at Ole Miss, Fischer struggled defensively at third base and finished the season as the Rebels designated hitter.
Once he’s healthy, Fischer will start the season as Tennessee’s starting third baseman. Will he be solid enough defensively to hold that spot down? I think so. He certainly didn’t look like a future gold glover in the fall, but he was fine.
Billy Amick had plenty of defensive struggles last season and Tennessee never made a move away from him.
If Fischer is the starting third baseman, much of the infield positioning falls into place. If Tennessee moves Fischer to DH it opens up a can of worms. Bargo, Ariel Antigua and Manny Marin all could play third. Curley could slide to third and Antigua or Marin could play in the middle of the infield. There’s a ton of possibilities in that scenario.
Is Ariel Antigua or Manny Marin Next Up?
Touched on it a bit there but sophomore Ariel Antigua and freshman Manny Marin are the next guys up in the middle of the infield with both having the ability to play third base. But who emerges as the top guy off the bench?
Antigua is an elite defender with a shaky bat. Marin has a good bat, particularly for a freshman, and is good defensively but not as strong as Antigua.
My guess is Marin is ahead as the season gets underway though both will get opportunities early in the season.
