Tennessee's Tony Vitello appeared to send subtle message to opposing player after Vols advanced past Knoxville regional
Tennessee Vols head baseball coach Tony Vitello appeared to use his time with reporters after UT's win against Southern Mississippi in the final game of the Knoxville regional this past weekend to send a subtle message to an opposing player. During Vitello's opening statement after the win, the Tennessee head coach pointed out that the […]
Tennessee Vols head baseball coach Tony Vitello appeared to use his time with reporters after UT's win against Southern Mississippi in the final game of the Knoxville regional this past weekend to send a subtle message to an opposing player.
During Vitello's opening statement after the win, the Tennessee head coach pointed out that the Vols recruited Southern Miss RHP JB Middleton out of high school.
Middleton pitched 3.1 innings against Tennessee on Sunday and allowed just one earned run.
"The game started out to me with a little extra tension, which was very frustrating," said Vitello. "And I probably added to it, which detracted from our play. But we were also seeing a good arm. We recruited that kid. We liked that kid a lot out of high school in Middleton. He’s improved. And he’s certainly well coached. So, it’s not like things were easy, but there was a little tension there interfering."
That comment probably goes unnoticed five years ago. But because of the NCAA transfer portal, it could be considered a recruiting pitch from Vitello. Tennessee will be losing some arms after the 2024 season and the team will almost certainly look to the transfer portal to see what's available.
And Middleton, a sophomore who pitched 37.1 innings for Southern Miss in 2024, could potentially be an option for the Vols if he chooses to explore the portal — especially if he heard Vitello's comment after the game.
It might seem like a stretch to suggest that Vitello was sending a message to Middleton. But considering the Vols swiped third baseman Billy Amick from Clemson after playing the Tigers in a regional game a year ago, I don't think it's that far of a stretch to think that Tennessee is evaluating potential transfer options (and subtly letting those options know they might be interested) while also chasing a national championship.
It might be worth keeping an eye on Middleton this offseason if he decides to enter the NCAA transfer portal.
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