With the game tied 3-3 in the bottom of the ninth inning, Tennessee’s Tyler Myatt stepped in the box hunting a fastball. Three pitches later, that’s what Kent State pitcher Caden Leonard delivered. Myatt crushed a heater 434 feet and over the batter’s eye, resulting in a 4-3 walk-off victory as the Volunteers defeated the Golden Flashes in the first game of the weekend series.
A Tazewell, Tennessee native, Myatt grew up with an affinity for the Vols and dreams of one day playing in Lindsey Nelson Stadium. On Friday, that kid from Claiborne County morphed into a Tennessee hero when he connected on the game-winner. When Myatt rounded third base, all he could think about was touching home plate.
“In that moment, I just kind of chucked my helmet and made sure I hit home plate,” Myatt said in the post-game presser. “I’ve dreamed of this since I realized I wanted to play college baseball. This year it was kind of like ‘I really wanted to play here,’ and they gave me the opportunity to to get (at-bats). Whether I’m in there or not, (the team) is always preparing me to do what I can do.”
Myatt then connected his unique path back to his hometown.
“It’s unreal,” he said. “I get text messages all the time from different people. And, I can’t respond. But, it’s pretty special, because me and a couple other people are the only ones that really got this far in sports. So, it’s more than about them than it is me. So, ( I try) to just keep going as long as I can.”
The Route from JUCO
Myatt came to Knoxville opting for a chance to contribute as a Volunteer in 2026 instead of heading to professional baseball via the MLB draft. In 2025, Myatt posted a .484 average, with 31 home runs and 110 RBI. He earned the NJCAA Triple Crown with Walters State Community College and was the NJCAA Player of the Year last season with the Senators.
“I mean, with his statistics that he put up,” said Tennessee head coach Josh Elander. “They’re some of the best in maybe the last 15 years in junior college baseball, so everybody knew his name and what he was able to do. And then also, I think the competitive element was, ‘hey, can you do it at this level, right?’ And that’s part of the reason he’s excited to be here, because he wants to prove that he can.”
Myatt is making the most of his opportunities so far this season as a Vol. In just eight at-bats, Myatt has driven in six runs on four hits. The Tennessee native also launched his first home during his first at-bat for the Volunteers in a pinch-hit situation in the season-opener against Nicholls State.
Tyler Myatt’s Profile
When asked about the biggest difference in his developing his game now that he’s with the Tennessee program, Myatt complemented his refinement on the other side of the baseball, not the power stroke that has been the calling card.
“Definitely, defense,” Myatt said. “You know, (Coach Kivett) takes pride in it. He’s a great coach. Any program in the country would be lucky to have him. We stick with him a ton. We all have work before the game. It’s showing up on the field right now. Our infielders are doing really good.”
Myatt is an intriguing prospect, looking to elevate his profile beyond the impressive power traits. His focus on fielding could lend a hand in helping Myatt form regular role in a Tennessee lineup that still consists of some holes.
The redshirt sophomore has logged one start at second base for the Vols. And it’s the position he’s spent the majority of the offseason crafting. The production from other starting Tennessee second basemen this season equates to a .223 average and one extra-base hit across 27 at-bats.
Whether he’s a designated hitter or marked for the right side of the dirt on a lineup card, it’s a powerful left-handed stroke with a knack for destroying fastballs. The Vols’ lineup is packed with potential, but Myatt’s bat could create the path into becoming a more familiar force in the SEC and one that helps balance the Volunteer lineup.
