Photo via Tennessee Athletics

Tennessee baseball’s starting pitching plan for the opening weekend of the 2026 season, head coach Josh Elander revealed during his Monday press conference.

Sophomore right-handed pitcher Tegan Kuhns will start on Friday night, Rutgers transfer right-handed pitcher Landon Mack will start on Saturday and Virginia transfer left-handed pitcher Evan Blanco will start on Sunday.

The right-handed Kuhns was Tennessee’s Sunday starter as a true freshman a season ago, posting a 2-4 record, 5.40 ERA and 1.61 WHIP in 36.2 innings pitched. It was an up-and-down season for Kuhns.

Illness early in the season slowed his progression. Kuhns then flashed while winning the Sunday job in the middle of the season before struggling down the stretch and not pitching for Tennessee in the NCAA Tournament. Despite the shaky ending to his freshman season, Kuhns projects as a weekend starting pitcher for the Vols this season.

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Mack was one of the biggest wins for Tennessee baseball in the portal last summer, committing to the Vols over LSU after a standout freshman season at Rutgers.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pound pitcher was a weekend starter for the Scarlett Knights a season ago, posting a 6-5 record, 4.03 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 80.1 innings pitched. He totaled 70 strikeouts for a 20% strikeout rate while posting a fantastic 4.9% walk rate. Mack began the season as Rutgers’ Saturday starter before moving into the Friday role to end the season.

Blanco posted a 3-5 record, 6.23 ERA and 1.72 WHIP in 39 innings pitched while dealing with an injury during his junior season at Virginia. Blanco was much more effective during his sophomore season when he posted an 8-3 record, 3.62 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in 99.1 innings pitched. During the 2024 season, Blanco was the Friday night starter on a Cavalier team that made the College World series.

The small left-handed pitcher was perhaps Tennessee’s most effective pitcher over the course of the fall. He doesn’t have overwhelming stuff but is a fierce competitor and mature pitcher.

Tennessee baseball opens up its 2026 campaign on Friday, Feb. 13 at 4:30 p.m. ET in a three-game series against Nicholls.