Two Tennessee baseball infielders, Bradke Lohry and Robin Villeneuve, have opted to enter the transfer portal after completing one season with the Vols, as confirmed by GoVols247 on Monday. Both players started their tenure at Tennessee in the opening day lineup but transitioned to roles off the bench as the season progressed.
Villeneuve, who joined the Vols from Weatherford College after playing at the junior college level, made 24 starts primarily as the designated hitter in 35 appearances. During his lone season on Rocky Top, he maintained a batting average of .288, belted five home runs, and contributed 22 RBIs.
Similarly arriving from a junior college, College of Central Florida, Lohry played in 27 games for the Vols, starting six of them, and recorded a batting average of .241.
Following the decisions of Lohry and Villeneuve, Tennessee baseball has now seen a total of seven players enter the transfer portal this summer, with the deadline for entries set for Tuesday, July 2.
Earlier departures include redshirt-sophomore left-handed pitcher Wyatt Evans, who entered the portal last month after not making the active roster before the season began. Third baseman Zane Denton also made the move to Austin Peay after choosing to sit out the past season.
In addition to Evans and Denton, freshmen pitchers Matthew Dallas, Daniel Parris, and Derek Schaefer have entered the transfer portal. Dallas appeared in 15 games for the Vols, while Parris redshirted and Schaefer saw action in 10 games.
Looking ahead, Tennessee baseball faces potential losses in its pitching staff, including junior right-handed pitcher Drew Beam, who is expected to join the MLB Draft this offseason. Key left-handed pitchers Kirby Connell, Zander Sechrist, and Chris Stamos are also set to exhaust their eligibility, with the possibility that junior right-handed pitcher AJ Causey and redshirt-junior right-handed pitcher Aaron Combs could follow suit after impressive seasons.
The Vols recently secured their first national championship in the Men’s College World Series, a historic achievement that marked their seventh appearance in the tournament and their first time reaching the finals since 1951. Under head coach Tony Vitello, Tennessee baseball has seen significant success, including back-to-back appearances in Omaha and consistent competitiveness in the NCAA Tournament.
Vitello’s leadership has been pivotal in Tennessee’s recent achievements, matching the program’s historical successes under legendary coach Rod Delmonico in NCAA Tournament wins.