Tennessee Adds Senior Catcher via Transfer Portal
Tennessee Baseball added senior transfer catcher Jack Alexander via the transfer portal on Thursday, Alexander announced on Twitter.
Alexander is transferring from Austin Peay State University, where he played the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Alexander previously played for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in 2019 and 2020. Alexander's first and only year on Rocky Top in 2023 will be his last as a collegiate athlete, as the former Governor is choosing to spend his final year of eligibility in orange.
Alexander stands at 6'0", 212 pounds and gives Tennessee more depth at their weakest position in catcher. The Vols are losing super-senior Evan Russell, who started the vast majority of games behind the dish in the historic 2022 season. Utility man Jared Dickey can play catcher but is valuable in other ways. Charlie Taylor is fine behind the plate but struggled mightily on offense in his freshman season, so Alexander's addition gives Tony Vitello another option to plug in at one of the most important positions in the game.
And Alexander excelled at the plate for Austin Peay in 2022, hitting .346 and crushing 14 home runs on 72 hits with 55 RBIs. Alexander started 54 games all at catcher, serving as one of the anchors of the Governors offense and defense. The Belton, Missouri, native had two multi-home run efforts on the year. Behind the plate, Alexander caught 23 runners stealing on the season.
Tennessee’s addition of Alexander via the portal is their second addition of June, as Kansas transfer shortstop Maui Ahuna committed to the Vols on June 10. And that won’t be all, as Tony Vitello and the Vols staff will undoubtedly stay busy in the portal throughout the remainder of the summer.
The Mount Paran Christian School (Ga.) product put together a breakout season in 2022, and Tennessee took notice. Now, Alexander will keep his talents in Tennessee and head about three-and-a-half hours east to play for the Tennessee Volunteers in his final year of college play.
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Feature photo credit: Austin Peay Athletics