The start of the Josh Elander era for Tennessee baseball is just under a month away and the preseason accolades have begun to roll in.

Baseball America was the latest to release thier preseason rankings on Monday morning and the publication tabbed the Vols at No. 13 in the country to begin the new season. Tennessee checked in at No. 14 for D1 Baseball last week and has been preseason ranked as high as No. 3 by Perfect Game thus far.

Our 2026 College Baseball Preseason Top 25 Rankings!

See more details + previews for all 25 teams: https://t.co/4zBKndZXk2 pic.twitter.com/LcWfq3McwO

— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) January 19, 2026

“Josh Elander steps into the Tennessee head coaching job with an unusually strong runway. The roster he inherits is deep, experienced and balanced, the final imprint of Tony Vitello, whose abrupt departure to manage the San Francisco Giants reshaped the program’s future,” Baseball America wrote on Tennessee. “For a coach thrust unexpectedly into a pressure role, the circumstances could be far harsher. Tennessee enters the season with continuity, talent and a structure designed to win now. That matters because expectations in Knoxville no longer reset with coaching changes. The standard was raised quickly and publicly, and the 2026 roster reflects a program intent on sustaining it rather than recalibrating.”

Perfect Game has Tennessee starting the 2026 campaign as the No. 3 team in the country as the publication unveiled their preseason rankings on last Thursday. Earlier last week, Perfect Game also named Tennessee transfers Henry Ford (first team) and Brady Frederick (third team) as Preseason All-Americans.

Tennessee has reached five-straight super regionals in NCAA postseason action, topped with a national championship in 2024. Former skipper Tony Vitello resigned from his post in October to accept the managerial position with the San Francisco Giants – becoming the first sitting college head coach to make the jump to the majors.

With the move came a flurry of coaching changes. Elander got the promotion from associate head coach to head coach. Support staffer Josh Reynolds replaces Frank Anderson, who followed Vitello to the Giants. Florida associate head coach Chuck Jerolomon joined Elander on Rocky Top and assistant coach ross Kivett added the tag of recruiting coordinator.

Additionally, Keegan Knoll takes over as strength coach for Quentin Eberhardt – who also left for San Franscisco. Craig Bell was also hired away from Florida to be the team’s Director of Program Development.

Tennessee’s roster, that was released last week, consists of 39 players – five more than the 34 number set by the recent passing of the house settlement. The additional five players added are a result of ‘designated student athletes’ tags that were put in place to protect a portion of new signees.

Tennessee will go to work with 18 position players, 18 pitchers and three 2-way athletes who will play both the field and pitch. The roster consists of 16 freshmen, 12 sophomores, eight juniors, two seniors and one graduate student.

Elander released the entirety of the 2026 slate in November and Tennessee will play at the newly renovated Lindsey Nelson Stadium a total of 38 times with 15 away bouts and three contests on a neutral field.

The 30-game Southeastern Conference slate was previously announced earlier in the offseason, as were the three games set to be played in Arlington, TX. at Globe Life Field for the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series. Tennessee is set to play UCLA, Arizona Sate and Virginia Tech in what will be its second trip in three years to the Major League Baseball Stadium.   

Tennessee’s nonconference slate consists of 38 games with the season-opener against Nicholls State on February 13. The first midweek contest will be against UNC Asheville on February 17. Tennessee will host three nonconference weekend series at home (Nicholls State, Kent State and Wright State) to go along with 14 midweek home bouts. 

Tennessee in Preseason Rankings

Perfect Game: No. 3
Baseball America: No. 13
D1 Baseball: No. 14

Preseason Accolades for Vols

INF/OF Henry Ford: First-Team All-American (Perfect Game)

RHP Brady Frederick: Third-Team All-American (Perfect Game)