Breaking Down Tennessee Baseball's Great Start to the 2028 Recruiting Class

Tennessee baseball head coach Josh Elander is preparing for his second season at the helm, following an impressive first season in which he led the team to a 38-22 record and earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament before they were ultimately eliminated in the Chapel Hill Regional.

Elander has excelled as a high school recruiter so far in his short career as a head coach, landing the third-ranked recruiting class in 2026 and currently holding the ninth-ranked class for 2027, according to Perfect Game.

The Volunteers are off to an extremely hot start in the 2028 recruiting class, landing seven commitments since September 7th, including three players ranked inside the Perfect Game top 100. Tennessee baseball's 2028 commits include Keelan Zumwalt, Hudson Oliver, Ian Jansen, Logan Arnett, AJ Dungan, Mason Little, and Trigg Listerman.

Keelan Zumwalt 1B/OF/LHP

Tennessee baseball — A Tennessee fan salutes during the singing of the national anthem while fireworks shoot from Lindsey Nelson Stadium at the start of the NCAA college baseball game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Texas Longhorns in Knoxville, Tennessee on May 8, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Keelan Zumwalt committed to Tennessee on September 25th via Instagram, making him the Volunteers' fourth commit of the 2028 class.

Zumwalt is a 6-foot-5, 225-pound two-way prospect who currently attends Lee Summit High School in Missouri. Zumwalt is ranked as the top first baseman in his class, the top overall player in the state of Missouri, and the 17th player nationally in the class of 2028, per Perfect Game.

Zumwalt is a primary first baseman on defense but also has shown an ability to slot in well at either corner outfield spot due to his impressive arm strength, being clocked in at 90MPH from the outfield, and his impressive athleticism for his size, posting a 60-yard dash time of 7.15 seconds.

Although Zumwalt is primarily being recruited as a position player, he has also shown promise as a pitcher, flashing a fastball that tops out at 90MPH with good spin from the left side, along with solid secondary pitches, including a low to mid-70s curveball, and a slider that sits in the mid-70s to the low-80s.

Although promising as a pitching prospect, where Zumwalt really excels is at the plate. The lefty possesses impressive lift and power, along with an ability to square up and drive the ball consistently. Zumwalt has posted impressive exit velos and barrel speeds, posting a 97MPH max exit velo ranking in the 98.8% percentile, and a max barrel speed of 77.508MPH ranking in the 96.49% percentile.

Hudson Oliver OF/LHP

Hudson Oliver committed to Tennessee on October 3rd via X, making him the Volunteers' sixth commit of the 2028 class.

Excited to announce my commitment to the University of Tennessee🍊 pic.twitter.com/m5oET80stI
— Hudson Oliver (@Hudson_Oliver2) October 4, 2026

Oliver is a 6-foot-1, 180-pound outfielder who currently attends Hoover High School in Alabama. Oliver also pitches, but is mainly known as an outfielder, ranking 16th among outfielders nationally, 2nd overall in Alabama, and 45th overall nationally in the class of 2028, per Perfect Game.

Oliver has the potential to be extremely good defensively, due to his plus speed, posting a 60-yard dash time of 6.71 seconds, which ranks in the 97.21% percentile, and his elite arm strength from the outfield, posting outfield velos up to 95MPH, which ranks in the 99.71% percentile.

Although not as well known for his pitching, the lefty from Hoover, Alabama, showcases smooth mechanics and an impressive ability to change speeds, keeping hitters uncomfortable. Oliver's pitch mix includes an 88 MPH fastball with good spin, a low to mid-70s changeup, and a low-70s curveball.

Oliver is very efficient from the left-handed batter's box, possessing a mature approach to the plate, demonstrating patience and an impressive ability to recognize pitches. The lefty has shown the ability to make hard contact consistently and drive the ball to all parts of the field. As Oliver develops physically, he should be able to produce more extra base hits, as he already showcases a 93MPH max exit velo, which ranks in the 95.22% percentile, and a max barrel speed of 69.985MPH, which ranks in the 86.11% percentile.

Ian Jansen SS/3B

Ian Jansen committed to the Volunteers via an Instagram post on October 6th. Jansen's commitment made him the second player in his class from Cambridge Christian to commit to Tennessee, and the Vols' 7th commit of the 2028 class.

Jansen is a 6-foot-4, 210-pound shortstop from Cambridge Christian High School in Tampa, Florida. Jansen also plays third base, but is known primarily as a shortstop, being ranked by Perfect Game as the 19th shortstop nationally, the 11th overall player from Florida, and the 63rd overall player nationally in the class of 2028.

Jansen is a good defender at shortstop despite his size and could potentially stay there at the next level, due to his solid speed, posting a 60-yard dash time of 6.94, which ranks in the 91.04% percentile, his impressive arm strength, posting infield velos of 89MPH, which ranked in the 97.35% percentile, his ability to throw from multiple arm slots, and his ability to get his glove down early.

The right-hander has showcased impressive power, posting a 95MPH max exit velocity that ranks in the 97.41% percentile, and a 71.719MPH max barrel speed that ranks in the 89.72% percentile. Jansen sometimes gets long with his swing path, although he is at his best when he keeps it short. Jansen is a very smart player who is quick to make adjustments and should continue to grow and improve as time moves forward.

Logan Arnett C/1B/OF

Logan Arnett committed to Tennessee on September 7th via Instagram, making him the Volunteers' first commit of the 2028 class.

Arnett is a 6-foot-2, 190-pound catcher who currently attends Harrison High School in Kennesaw, Georgia. Perfect Game ranks Arnett as the 11th catcher nationally, the 1st catcher in the state of Georgia, and the 125th overall player in the class of 2028.

Arnett is primarily a catcher due to his impressive defense behind the plate, but also plays outfield and first base when needed. Arnett's versatility is largely due to his above-average athleticism, having posted a 7-second 60-yard dash, which ranks in the 88.89% percentile. Arnett's defensive success behind the plate is largely due to his ability to receive the ball well with pocket awareness, his ability to work under the ball from his right-knee-down stance, and his ability to replace his feet quickly after receiving the ball. Some other aspects that contribute to Arnett's defensive success as a catcher include his elite arm from behind the dish, recording a catcher velo of 82MPH, ranking in the 99.03% percentile, and his impressive pop time of 1.85 seconds, ranking in the 97.27% percentile.

Arnett's bat from the right side of the plate is almost as impressive as his defense, possessing impressive power up the middle and to the pull side and a mature approach at the plate. Arnett posted impressive numbers at the 2026 PG National showcase, including a 96.44% percentile max exit velocity of 94MPH and a 90.21% percentile max barrel speed of 71.946MPH.

AJ Dungan RHP

AJ Dungan committed to Tennessee on September 29th via Instagram, making him the Volunteers' fifth commit of the 2028 class.

Dungan is a 6-foot-4, 185-pound pitcher who currently plays for Lipscomb Academy in Tennessee. Perfect Game ranks Dungan as the top right-handed pitching prospect in the state of Tennessee, the 34th right-handed pitcher nationally, and the 167th overall player in the class of 2028.

Dungan has a three-pitch mix headlined by an impressive fastball that sits in the low to mid-90s and can touch up to 96MPH with spin rates between 2300RPM and 2400RPM. The right-handed pitcher also showcases two impressive off-speeds that he uses effectively, including a hard-breaking slider that sits in the mid to high-80s with a spin rate of 2300 RPM that consistently baffles hitters and a changeup that drops off the table and sits in the low 80s.

Dungan consistently shows good extension, sound mechanics, and consistent velocity, leading many to believe he could be a Tegan Kuhns-type player for the Volunteers.

Mason Little RHP/3B

Mason Little committed to Tennessee on September 22nd via Instagram, making him the Volunteers' third commit of the 2028 class.

Little is a 6-foot, 190-pound two-way player from Gulfport High School in Mississippi. Little is listed as a primary third baseman on Perfect Game, where he is ranked as the 4th best player in the state of Mississippi, the best third baseman in the state of Mississippi, and the 177th overall recruit in the class of 2028. Little is listed as a primary right-handed pitcher on Prep Baseball, where he is ranked as the 7th player in the state of Mississippi, the 112th right-handed pitcher nationally, and the 376th overall player nationally in the class of 2028.

Little is a primary third baseman on defense, showcasing an impressive ability to field the ball out front and to field backhands cleanly. The two-way player also displays exceptional arm strength, recording infield velos of 86 MPH, which ranks in the 93.12% percentile, and above-average athleticism, running a 6.97-second 60-yard dash, which ranks in the 89.88% percentile.

Although listed as one of the best third basemen in the state of Mississippi, Little stands out as a pitcher. The right-handed pitcher has a three-pitch mix, which includes a low 90's fastball that touches up to 93MPH with a spin rate around 2100RPM, a high 70s to low-80s curveball, and a mid-80s changeup with a spin rate around 1600RPM.

Little bats from the right side, where he showcases quick hands, middle of the field line drive contact, and a high contact approach, getting the bat into the zone on time due to his elite barrel speeds. The righty posted a max barrel speed of 82.375MPH, which ranks in the 98.75% percentile, and a max exit velocity of 88MPH, which ranked in 85.62% percentile.

Trigg Listerman RHP

Trigg Listerman committed to Tennessee on September 20th via Instagram, making him the Volunteers' second commit of the 2028 class.

Listerman is a 6-foot-2, 175-pound right-handed pitcher who attends Cambridge Christian High School in Tampa, Florida. Perfect Game ranks Listerman as the 11th right-handed pitcher in the state of Florida, the 93rd right-handed pitcher nationally, and the 370th player in the 2028 class.

Listerman currently has a four-pitch mix, including a low-90s fastball that tops out at 93 with an over 2400RPM spin rate and arm side run, a changeup that pairs nicely with his fastball that sits around 80MPH with heavy fade and has an over 1500RPM spin rate, a slider that sits around 80MPH with an over 2100RPM spin rate and tight lateral movement, and a curveball that sits in the mid-70s with an over 2100RPM spin rate and a deep vertical drop with sweep.

The righty possesses compact and up-tempo mechanics, along with good control over all four pitches, but is particularly efficient at locating his fastball.

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