A freshman MLB draft prospect continues to shine and a top prospect felt right at home despite being on the away team.
It’s Saturday in the NCAA Tournament, which meant the stakes are at an all-time high. Elimination scenarios are in play and leveraging pitching options weigh heavy on coaches with each plate appearance. The second day of the Knoxville Regional had plenty to showcase between top prospects and college veterans.
Here’s how Saturday went down.
A Freshman Prospect Continues to Shine
Notes were taken on Dalton Wentz of Wake Forest in yesterday’s article. I’m not sure enough can be said about the freshman performing on the biggest stage he’s seen. Wentz, a 19-year-old that will be 21 before next August, is a product of Amherst High School in Virginia. Wentz boasts a sturdy frame at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds. The switch-hitter stays balanced in the box and offers a violent swing. He has a nose for the barrel and that trait is lighting up Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Wentz hit his third home run of the weekend against Miami (OH) in Saturday’s elimination game. He recorded three runs on three hits en route to Wake’s 14-13 win over Miami.
A First-Round Prospect for 2025
Likewise, Tennessee’s Gavin Kilen peppered the ballpark on Saturday. Kilen is a top prospect for 2025 that continues to generate buzz in draft circles. The left-hander carries strong hit tools and defends extremely well up the middle.
Kilen began the season as the Vols second basemen, but he’s been anchoring the role of shortstop of late. He led the Vols with four hits, including a triple on Saturday night. Despite being the designated as the visitor, the Volunteers guarded their home ballpark, defeating Cincinnati 10-6.
“Gavin has been very accepting of his new role at shortstop,” his head coach, Tony Vitello said. “He has played well there. The base-running has been special out of Gavin, and I think he’s most known because he can hit.”
Kilen sports a 10.9% strikeout rate, while slugging .686. The only other player in the SEC posting both of those numbers or better is his teammate, Andrew Fischer.
A Dynamic Prospect for 2025
As his weekend partner showed on Friday night, Tennessee’s Marcus Phillips found an extra gear during the middle innings against his opponent. After shaky command in the first inning, Phillips honed his feel for the fastball and slider as the game went on. He also recorded a pick-off of Kerrington Cross in the fourth inning. Phillips followed with an emphatic strikeout in just three pitches. The powerful right-hander recorded four more strikeouts over the next two innings.
Phillips’ night ended in the seventh inning when he gave up a lead-off, solo homer to Cincinnati’s Christian Mitchelle. He allowed three runs on four hits, while striking out eight and walking four.
Phillips is a physical presence on the mound, pumping mid-90s with the fastball and an effective slider. The breaking pitches and off-speed have seen an uptick over the course of 2025. As a South Dakota native, Phillips is considered a late-blooming, raw talent that will be sought after in this summer’s draft. He could perhaps land on Day 1.
College Veterans Make a Statement
Despite the elimination loss, Miami made quite the impression in Knoxville. The Redhawks scored four runs in the ninth inning, ultimately falling one run short of upsetting Wake.
Cincinnati head coach Brian Smiley said that his team achieved its mission this year.
“I think before we get into the game, I think it’s only fitting that we talked about this year’s
team,” Smiley said during the post-game presser. “I think our quest back in the fall was to start earning respect. Not only locally, but regionally, and then certainly nationally, in that order. There is no question that this team did that, which is not easy to do. This team has been through a lot. My hat’s off to them. I couldn’t be prouder to be their head coach.”
Seniors Blake Buzzeo and Dillon Baker had three hits a piece. Evan Applewick tied a program-record with his 22nd home run of the season.
Wake Forest Head Coach Tom Walter was impressed with the approach by Miami.
“They played great today,” said Walter after the game. “That’s a really good ball club, a ball club that’s used to winning. They have 35 wins on the year. It’s the NCAA tournament, so how are you going to quit, right? For some of those guys it’s the last game they’re ever going to play, so they’re going to go out there and fight tooth and nail to the end.”
More from Knoxville
Walter said that he didn’t anticipate using Logan Lunceford in Saturday’s game. But the Demon Deacons coach had to find some more outs in the ninth inning with Miami pressing.
Lunceford recorded two outs, with the last coming by way of strikeout. Walter says that Lunceford, along with Luke Schmolke and Griffin Green would be available at any point tomorrow. The starter for Sunday’s Noon game versus Cincinnati will be Matthew Dallas, according to Walter. Lunceford and Dallas have combined for 27 starts for the Demon Deacons in 2025.
Tennessee’s AJ Russell tossed 53 pitches through 2.2 innings. The right-hander recorded six strikeouts and walked two. Russell surrendered three runs, but all were unearned.
Dean Curley led the charge for the Vols early with a 2-run single to right-center field. He then crushed a solo home run in his next at-bat off the batter’s eye. Curley is an intriguing prospect for July’s draft, as his up-the-middle approach consistently generates line drives from gap to gap. The infielder ended the night with four RBI.
Sunday Starters
The starters for Sunday’s elimination game in Knoxville will feature Dallas against Cincinnati right-hander Brandon Marsh, according to the coaches. Dallas is a left-handed sophomore that transferred from Tennessee after his freshman year. The Tennessee native is 4-1 with a 5.09 ERA through 53 innings in 2025. He held opponents to a .180 batting average across 17 innings for the Volunteers last season.
Marsh is a righty, carrying a 7.03 ERA to Knoxville. He’s worked 39 2/3 innings, while striking out 46 batters and walking 22.
Based on the context from all coaches involved, including Vitello, the starters for Sunday night is to be determined.
