UT Baseball: What Comes Next After Vols CWS Title Win?

Ellie Williamson

July 2, 2024

Even in our instant gratification existence, it has become a factual trope that ‘the book was better than the movie.’ For those of us who followed along with the BaseVols this season … we can say for certain… that what happened in this story would certainly be better told in hardback than on the big screen; what had to happen to bring a National Champion to Rocky Top could not believably play out in a theatre.

If it were a love story, forget the ‘98 Braves, this was the ‘24 Vols–Morgan Wallen’s version. The stars aligned and returned home to end the season just as it started. From Globe Life Shriner’s Champions to World Series champions. 

“We did it. I told y’all we would do it and we did,” Christian Moore said in an emotional post-game interview where he recalled his freshman season losing to Notre Dame at home. That game would end his chances to go to Omaha in his first year at Tennessee. He spoke directly to that ‘22 team after making history and leading the Vols to destiny. 

So, now what? 

Here are three story lines I’m following closely in the off-season.

1.  Cape Cod. The day after the victory parade heard around the SEC world, head coach Tony Vitello was on a plane to the historic Cape Cod summer league. The 101-year-old baseball development league is known as the pipeline for the MLB and holds some of the most well-established professional scouts in attendance. Scouts go for the talent pool. Tony V made his first stop there for more than a lobster roll. His team has lost key bats and a few young bullpen arms. He went fishing to restock the pond. The transfer portal additions will be crucial to a reload, not a rebuild, in Knoxville. 

2. Draft. So far, the first round honors are loading up for only one Vol. The tables have turned, too, as Christian Moore went from being left off of many postseason honors to being the lone Vol marked to go in Round 1. While Tony was on a plane to the Cape, CMO was joined by KT, AJ Causey, and other team members in New York. His first stop was MLB Network. CMO  went to school in the North Georgia border town of Chattanooga. He played a lot of pre-college development in the Georgia area. So, it was no surprise he wore a Braves hat to the set. “I was excited to be there. I want to do that again.” The CCI major at The University of Tennessee has hosted its own podcast all season with weekly insight into the team experiences and more. Connecting with the fans at TPL was a highlight for the All-American, who grew his connections with the fan base he fought for. “Being on a show really helped me share and appreciate the media I’m doing now, post World Series.” Despite his ATL hat, he is listed as a potential first-round pick for the Boston Red Sox by MLB reports. Where will he end up? Christian spent a summer in the neighboring Boston town (Cape Cod), where he played for the Hyannis Hawks. He has a marketable value to both the North and South locations. It will be CMO  in the show before long. Get ready. A GM’s dream come true, 

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3. Quiet heroes always win. It is no surprise to me that in the age of NIL and collective boosters, the most pivotal players on the ‘24 team were the quiet ones in the social marketing world of college athletics. People on campus at Tennessee didn’t even know Kavares Tears by sight. In one episode clip of TPL’s baseball show. A man on the street didn’t even know he was talking to KT. I bet he knows his name now.Hunter Ensley is another. No surprise here that Tennessee boys Hunt, Kirby (with an all-time record appearance on the mound), and Cal Stark let the work do the talking and not the social posts asking for support. In the end, the world was saying their name and knew their image. The game is still pure, and I’m looking for those Tennessee boys from nowhere to make their mark, based on merit that starts this summer. Competition breeds greatness. This is what I’m watching for out of the new locker room. 

Speculation is always the fun part of the offseason. Fans will follow along with all the rumors and rival banter. Just know, Tony Vitello is not slowing down anytime soon. Sit back and pop your popcorn. For anyone who got to watch along this season with TPL, I hope you read the book first. It was a movie, but the details were in the season-long experiences. It’s great to be a Tennessee VOL.