College baseball insider hints at Aggies star Jace LaViolette’s potential move to Tony Vitello’s Tennessee
Texas A&M's Jace LaViolette has been in the spotlight for the past week after entering the transfer portal. The Aggies outfielder is one of the most sought-after players in college baseball and several teams are keen on landing him in the offseason.
As per Ben McKee of 247Sports, LaViolette spoke with Tennessee coach Tony Vitello about potentially joining the Vols.
Coach Vitello got a close look at LaViolette in Omaha when the Aggies took on the Vols in the CWS finals. Although Tennessee lifted the national championship, the Aggies star turned heads with his performances.
LaViolette has played two seasons with Texas A&M. He entered the transfer portal less than 24 hours after coach Jim Schlossnagle left the Aggies to take up the Texas Longhorns job.
As things stand, it appears that LaViolette wants a new challenge before going pro. If he does leave Texas A&M, there is no shortage of suitors for his services. Since Tennessee has grown into one of the best programs in the country under Vitello, LaViolette might be tempted to join the Vols and take his game to the next level.
Vitello was appointed as the Tennessee coach in 2017. In seven years, he has led the Vols to five straight NCAA tournaments, three College World Series appearances, and won a national championship to top it all off.
Tennessee will want to defend its crown next season and Vitello will want to strengthen his team by recruiting some of the best players across the country. LaViolette is certainly among the cream of the crop.
A glimpse into Jace LaViolette's stats from the 2024 college baseball season
Jace LaViolette had a stellar run with the Texas A&M Aggies in the 2024 college baseball season. He racked up 79 hits, 78 RBIs, and 29 home runs across 259 at-bats with a .305 batting average.
Meanwhile, Laviolette didn't commit a single fielding error this season. In 159 defensive chances, he had 158 put-outs and one assist.