In a weekend series filled with regional flair, several prospects stood out as a MAC power knocked off an SEC favorite.
Kent State clinched the series against Tennessee with a 9-5 victory Sunday. Though offense was limited at times, the three-game set delivered intrigue throughout. Here are three 2027 MLB draft prospects who showed upside over the weekend.
Landon Mack, RHP (2027 eligible)
Tennessee right-hander Landon Mack has displayed notable development in his first season with the Volunteers. The Rutgers transfer recorded 70 strikeouts over 80 1/3 innings for the Scarlet Knights in 2025, good for a 20.6% strikeout rate.
Early in 2026, Mack has been sharp, striking out 20 and walking four across 12 2/3 innings. He has allowed two earned runs on eight hits in that span.
The sophomore’s most significant improvement has come in his command and overall feel for an expanded pitch mix. Against Kent State on Saturday, Mack worked in the mid-90s with his fastball and touched 98 mph multiple times in the sixth inning. He also featured a sharp cutter and mixed in off-speed offerings effectively to keep hitters off balance.
Jay Abernathy shows more than speed
Jay Abernathy, another Tennessee sophomore, brings an intriguing profile. Listed at 5-foot-10, 177 pounds, Abernathy is a quick-twitch utility player with plus speed. He made 27 starts in left field as a freshman in 2025, batting .282 in 103 at-bats with eight stolen bases.
This season, Abernathy has started every game in center field and added offseason reps at second base. His up-the-middle defensive value centers on his range. In the third inning Saturday, with runners on first and third, he made a diving catch in the left-center gap that likely saved at least one run and helped Tennessee escape early trouble.
Abernathy went 4 for 10 over the weekend. He hit his second career home run — and first at Lindsey Nelson Stadium — on Friday. He led off Sunday’s rubber match for the first time this season and collected two singles, including a bunt single to third in which he beat out a routine 5-3 play.
Tennessee coach Josh Elander said Abernathy’s recent performance could warrant more opportunities at the top of the lineup.
“I mean, we could, for sure,” Elander said. “I think, again, he just does a great job. He’s using the whole field. It was really good to see him lay down the bunt today. The speed is just game-changing speed. He’s been really good, and there’s been no ego there to say he wants to be in the lineup. So we could definitely see more of that, for sure, because he was good in that spot today.”
A golden nugget for the Flashes
Kent State’s Sawyer Solitaria appeared poised at the plate against Tennessee’s pitching staff. He drove in a run with a hit, drew a walk and was hit by a pitch in Friday’s 4-3 loss. On Saturday, he collected three hits and stole a base, later scoring the go-ahead run in the fifth inning after aggressive baserunning and capitalizing on two Tennessee errors.
The 6-5, 225-pound utility player has appeared at multiple positions since his freshman season in 2025. The sophomore is batting .517 through 32 at-bats with four home runs. He finished the series in Knoxville 5 for 10, reaching base nine times and scoring five runs.
Solitaria’s mature approach stood out throughout the weekend. He demonstrated advanced strike-zone awareness and consistent hard contact. His power is evident, and his hit tool has taken a significant step forward early this season. Solitaria has emerged as a key piece for a Kent State team expected to contend atop the MAC and potentially earn more than just the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
