3 reasons why Tony Vitello will struggle to defend Tennessee's College World Series win in 2025
Tony Vitello has been instrumental in transforming the Tennessee Volunteers into a championship-winning team. In his seventh season as head coach, the Vols finally won every title possible, including their maiden College World Series, following a narrow 2-1 series win over the Texas A&M Aggies in the finals.
Under Vitello's leadership, the Vols' roster developed into one of the strongest not just in the SEC but in the entire country. They became the first team in SEC history to record 60 wins in a season, a testament to their dominance in NCAA baseball this season.
However, following up such a successful season will always come with its share of challenges, and it is no different for Vitello, who has a contract with the Volunteers running until 2026.
Let's take a look at three reasons why he might struggle to lead the Volunteers to back-to-back NCAA Tournament victories for the first time since the South Carolina Gamecocks did so in 2010 and 2011.
Three reasons why Tony Vitello and the Tennessee Volunteers may struggle in 2025
1. Loss of key hitters in the MLB draft
Seven players from the Volunteers' talented 2024 roster are among the top prospects in the 2024 MLB draft. The biggest names in that list are Christian Moore and Billy Amick, who played vital roles in the Vols' hitting lineup with excellent junior seasons. Both hitters are likely to become first-round picks in the draft.
Finding replacements for them will be a major challenge for Vitello ahead of the 2025 season. While they added talented Louisville infielder Gavin Klien, they still need to make more additions to restore their threat at the plate.
2. Lack of pitching depth
Along with hitters, the Volunteers will also need reliable starting pitchers. Drew Beam and AJ Causey are likely to be picked in the MLB draft, while some of their pitchers have taken to the transfer portal to explore their options.
Although Nate Snead committed to the Vols after exiting the portal, Tony Vitello will need to recruit more pitchers in order to create a solid rotation in his bullpen.
3. Expansion of SEC
The additions of the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners to the SEC from the 2025 season will increase the competition in the conference. Both teams made last year's postseason, and the Sooners were, in fact, the 9th seed in the postseason.
These additions are likely to make life difficult for Tony Vitello and his team when curating their schedule for the season.