After holding the No. 1 ranking for the majority of the season and claiming both SEC regular season and tournament titles in 2022, Tennessee is looking to reload on its path to the school's first NCAA championship.
In the 2023 season, the Vols will bring back a stable of talent while introducing new faces to the lineup. Five of those players have been awarded 2023 Collegiate Baseball Pre-Season All-American honors.
Chase Dollander, RHP — First Team
After spending his freshman season at Georgia Southern, Chase Dollander proved himself as one of the nation's best pitchers at Tennessee.
The right-handed starter earned All-American First Team honors from five different outlets - including Collegiate Baseball. He also took home the SEC Pitcher of the Year award.
Dollander earned these awards through astonishingly consistent play throughout the season. His production resulted in a 2.39 ERA, 10-0 record, and.175 opponent batting average. He started 14 games while earning a trusted spot atop the rotation.
In 2023, he will hope to build off of this success. He is currently ranked as the No. 2 overall prospect for the 2023 MLB Draft by MLB.com. Another phenomenal season could even push him to the top spot.
Chase Burns, RHP — First Team
The second Vol to earn a spot on the first team is fellow starting pitcher Chase Burns. Out of Gallatin, Tennessee, Perfect Game ranked him as the No. 17 player in his high school class heading into his freshman year.
In his debut season, Burns lived up to the high expectations. He dominated throughout the season leading to awards such as D1baseball.com National Freshman of the Year and an NCBWA All-American First Team nod.
The righty earned these honors through a ridiculously impressive stat sheet for a freshman. He finished the year with a 2.91 ERA, 8-2 record and .216 opponent batting average. These marks came on a durable 80.1 innings pitched through 17 appearances and 14 starts.
Burns will not be eligible for the upcoming MLB Draft. This means he will likely be back for Tennessee in 2024. Another great season in his young career will surely catch the attention of scouts at the next level, though.
Drew Beam, RHP — Second Team
With Dollander and Burns earning first-team honors, the third portion of Tennessee's starting rotation grabbed a spot on the second team. Drew Beam fell under the radar out of high school earning the No. 238 overall ranking by Perfect Game heading into his freshman season. However, this didn't stop him from immediately making an impact for the Vols.
In his inaugural season, Beam earned a role as a weekend starter. He pitched in 16 contests - 15 of which being starts. Throughout the year, he earned honors such as SEC Freshman of the Year, NCBWA All-American Second Team and Freshman All-American nods from four publications.
These awards were the result of a great statistical season. The freshman righty put up a 2.72 ERA, 8-1 record and .186 opponent batting average. This included zero earned runs in six appearances.
As a rising sophomore, Beam also is not eligible for the upcoming MLB Draft. Similar to Burns, he will likely be back for the Vols in the following season with a chance to raise his future draft stock.
Camden Sewell, Relief — Second Team
Last year, Camden Sewell impressed enough to attract attention from a collection of MLB teams. However, he decided he did not want to turn pro and instead, took advantage of a free COVID year to return for a fifth season.
His productive senior season prior to this decision featured him in a utility role. He mostly came in as a relief pitcher, but he also pitched for large stretches in big moments - including a start in the SEC Championship game against Florida.
In his 26 appearances, he earned an ERA of 2.52, 7-1 record and .221 opposing batting average through 50 innings pitched. With almost 150 collegiate innings under his belt, his experience was handy in crucial moments throughout the season.
Following his final season of eligibility, it is unclear if Sewell will enter the MLB Draft or opt for a career outside of baseball. Either way, he is on track for another successful season out of Tennessee's bullpen.
Maui Ahuna, SS — Third Team
Rounding out the group is the only newcomer to make the list. Maui Ahuna spent his first two college seasons at Kansas where he quickly became a star. The left-handed batter and right-handed fielder started all 53 games for the Jayhawks at shortstop in 2022.
Despite playing for a weak Kansas team who earned just 20 wins, Ahuna still brought home All-Big 12 First Team honors. This was through an impressive .396 batting average, .479 on-base percentage, 48 RBI, eight home runs, 16 doubles and 13 stolen bases.
Now, Ahuna will hope to translate his individual success into team success. He joins an already-loaded Tennessee roster but will likely carve out a role as an everyday infielder.
After this season, it is expected that he turns to the MLB Draft. He is currently ranked as the No. 22 overall prospect and the No. 5 shortstop in the class by MLB.com.
*****
– TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM.
– ENJOY VOLREPORT WITH A PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION.
– SUBSCRIBE TO THE VOLREPORT YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
– FOLLOW VOLREPORT ON TWITTER: @TennesseeRivals, @TMansfieldMedia, @JNichols_2121, @ByNoahTaylor, @TylerIvens, @RealTBannerman, @JacobPolacheck, @RyanTSylvia.