Tennessee has seen thirteen newcomers get action in the first 13 games of the 2019 season. The group is as highly touted as one Tennessee baseball has seen in recent history ranking as the No. 5 class in the country according to Perfect Game.

The group is hoping to help turn around Tennessee’s struggling baseball program in head coach Tony Vitello’s second season. So far, so good. Tennessee is off to a 13-0 start, the best in school history, and they’re getting key contributions from the new faces.

On most nights you’ll see three or four newcomers in the Vols’ lineup. This includes the middle infield where Tennessee starts freshman Jake Rucker at second base and junior college transfer Ricky Martinez at shortstop.

The duo are strong defenders up the middle and are part of Tennessee’s defensive improvement from last season. The Vols have improved their fielding percentage from .970, which ranked 140 in division one, to .977, which ranks 65.

“They’re great infielders. One of the best combos I’ve ever played with up the middle,” right fielder Justin Ammons said. “Knowing any ball up the middle of the field they’re gonna make a play on it somehow, and not just defensively, offensively they bring big bats and they’re fast. They bring big contributions to our lineup.”

While their contributions may be bigger defensively, they have contributed offensively as well. Rucker is hitting .216 on the season with five RBIs and six walks. Martinez brings a little more firepower hitting .372 with five extra-base hits and seven RBIs.

Behind the plate Tennessee has rotated a pair of newcomers in freshman Connor Pavalony and junior college transfer Landon Gray.

“His first few practices out here he was a little nervous,” Vols’ ace Garrett Stallings said of Pavolony. “Now he’s kind of settled in to his own shoes, and he’s got more talent than anyone out here. Being able to kinda get that maturity and be able to play as a freshman in this league is huge… His future is going to be amazing.”

Vitello has rotated the two daily and plans to do for the time being.

Pavalony is hitting .235 in his six games of action but has an on-base percentage of .517 due to being walked nine times.

Gray is hitting .250 on the season with a pair of doubles and a home run.

Junior College transfer Al Soularie has started six games this season and has seen action in 12 games. He’s contributed for the Vols hitting in the designated hitter spot and starting two games in left field.

Soularie is hitting .292 on the season with four walks and seven RBIs, including a no-doubter in Tennessee’s 7-2 win over Louisiana Monroe.

On the mound Tennessee has seen action from four freshmen.

RHP Camden Sewell is a “weekend arm in a freshman’s body” according to Vitello, and has seen action in four games including a start against MTSU. In total, the Cleveland, Tennessee native has pitched nine innings, surrendering no runs and only two hits, while striking out 10.

Chase Silseth has appeared in five games for the Vols and the hard-throwing righty hasn’t allowed a run while surrendering only one hit in his 4.1 innings of work.

Both Tanner Kohlhepp and Elijah Pleasants have seen work for the Vols. Each has pitched two scoreless innings and haven’t surrendered a hit. Kohlhepp has punched out three batters while Pleasants has struck out one.

While the foursome won’t be relied on heavily in 2019, their early success bodes well for the future and Tony Vitello’s rebuild.

Outfielder Christian Scott saw his debut against Northern Kentucky get cut short after injuring his ankle stealing second base, but the Clarksville native impressed in his debut. Scott went 3-for-4 with an RBI double and a walk. It’ll be interesting to see what more he can bring to the table when he returns from injury in the next few weeks.

While guys like Austin Knight, Max Ferguson, and Trey Lipscomb haven’t seen a huge amount of at-bats this year, and likely won’t, their presence helps bring depth and competitiveness to a roster that was often void of it last year.

As Tennessee begins conference play next week and works to return to the SEC Tournament for the first time since 2016 it’s apparent, the new faces on Rocky Top are going to be big contributors.