A pair of sophomore standouts made emphatic 2026 debuts for the Tennessee Volunteers baseball team, showcasing the firepower that could define the Volunteers’ season. Both players not only bolstered Tennessee’s opening weekend performance but also strengthened their profiles as MLB draft prospects while emerging as key contributors this spring.
Tegan Kuhns, 2026 draft eligible
Right-hander Tegan Kuhns benefited from steady run support across four of the first five innings as he opened the season as Tennessee’s Friday starter.
Kuhns posted a 2-4 record in 2025, recording 40 strikeouts across 36 2/3 innings. He appeared in 15 games, including 10 starts, and allowed 16 walks and 22 earned runs during his freshman season.
Opening Day at Lindsey Nelson Stadium felt different.
Kuhns struck out eight batters over 6 2/3 innings, allowing just one walk while throwing 54 strikes on 86 pitches. His expanded pitch mix played a significant role.
“So, last year I just (kind of) had my heater and curveball that I would land (in the zone). Now, I have four – my curveball and slider to play along with my fastball.”
Kuhns built momentum following his freshman season with a strong showing in the Cape Cod Baseball League, recording 20 strikeouts and just one walk in 13 1/3 innings for the Brewster Whitecaps. His performance drew significant attention from scouts entering his draft-eligible season.
A key addition to his arsenal is an effective changeup, complementing his fastball and two breaking pitches and giving him a deeper, more versatile mix heading into 2026.
Blaine Brown, 2027 draft eligible
Kuhns was not the only sophomore to shine during opening weekend.
Outfielder Blaine Brown delivered a breakout performance against Nicholls Colonels baseball team, providing plenty of offense on his own.
After collecting two hits and scoring a run on Friday, Brown delivered an explosive performance Saturday. Starting in left field, he went 3-for-5 with four RBIs. His first hit was a single up the middle with a 110 mph exit velocity. He later hit two home runs, with exit velocities of 111 and 112 mph.
Brown continued his power display in Game 3, launching a 373-foot opposite-field home run in his first at-bat.
His impact has been immediate and noticeable.
“Just working on refining my approach with Elander and (Jeroloman),” Brown said during the postgame press conference. “They’ve been a really big help as well, and just fighting for the pitch per at-bat.”
Brown, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound left-handed hitter, transferred from the Rice Owls baseball team, where he earned unanimous first-team All-American Athletic Conference honors as a freshman in 2025.
While Brown could see limited pitching opportunities, his power from the left side profiles as his carrying tool entering the 2027 MLB draft cycle.
What Elander had to say
Tennessee assistant coach Josh Elander praised Kuhns’ performance.
“About as good as it gets,” said Elander, on Kuhns’ Opening Day start. “I thought he did a good job attacking the strike zone. Just competitiveness. Had both breaking balls working, threw some good right-on-right changeups. So he really did a good job. He had the one walk in there, but had some 3-0 counts and kind of worked back and said, ‘here’s the heater, let’s see what you can do with it.’ He did a really good job for us tonight.”
Elander also compared Brown’s profile to Kameron Misner, a former first-round pick out of the Missouri Tigers baseball team.
“You know, it’s funny you ask that,” Elander said. “Because I was kind of thinking just while we hit that that ball to left for the home run, he kind of reminds me of Kameron Misner. Who was a first-rounder from Missouri a few years back. Just like long body and leverage, but also, like athleticism and hand speed. I think that’s maybe just because of the height – but he’s pretty special. I mean, you can use the whole field, and it’s an elite combination of athleticism, but also, like real whip and leverage. So it’s, it’s a special talent.”
With Kuhns anchoring the rotation and Brown providing middle-of-the-order power, Tennessee’s sophomore class appears poised to play a major role in the Volunteers’ pursuit of another championship-caliber season.
