Vanderbilt HC Tim Corbin makes strong statement about Tennessee baseball

Tennessee Vols baseball will kick off the 2023 season on Friday in Scottsdale, AZ against the Arizona Wildcats. The Vols lost a significant amount of production from their 2022 squad — guys like Blade Tidwell, Drew Gilbert, and Jordan Beck (among several other key players) — so they'll be looking to prove that they're still […]

Zach Ragan — Tennessee Volunteers News Writer
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Tennessee Vols baseball will kick off the 2023 season on Friday in Scottsdale, AZ against the Arizona Wildcats.

The Vols lost a significant amount of production from their 2022 squad — guys like Blade Tidwell, Drew Gilbert, and Jordan Beck (among several other key players) — so they'll be looking to prove that they're still an elite team in 2023.

Vanderbilt Commodores head coach Tim Corbin, an elder statesman in the SEC, doesn't think there will be any drop-off for Tennessee in 2023.

Corbin told The Athletic recently that he expects the Vols to play just as well as they did last season.

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Tennessee’s Blake Burke (25) runs to first base during the game between University of Memphis and Tennessee on Sunday, November 6, 2022, at The Ballpark at Jackson in Jackson, Tenn. The teams played an 18-inning game as the last official game of the fall season. Tennessee outscored Memphis 22-4.

From The Athletic:

People will say that it’s not a surprise, but I’ll say Tennessee. Tennessee (last year) had one of the best teams in the conference since I’ve started coaching here and I would assume people may think there may be a little bit of fall-off. If they lose a couple more conference games, that would be a fall-off, but I think with their pitching and their offensive guys coming back, maybe it’s not a surprise, but to me, that is a team that I think is going to play just as well as they did last year.

Corbin also said he thinks Tennessee starting pitcher Chase Dollander is the best pitcher returning in the SEC in 2023. He noted that Dollander is "rare".

Some Vols fans might be surprised to hear Corbin praising Tennessee so loudly. After all, it was less than a year ago that Corbin had Jordan Beck's bat checked after a home run.

Corbin also questioned a bat used by Tennessee's Cody Hawn in 2009.

Despite the bat drama over the years, Corbin still recognizes that the Vols are an elite program under Tony Vitello. And it's clear he won't be underselling Tenessee in 2023.

Featured image via USA TODAY Sports

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