Thomas Crabtree Announces Commitment to Tennessee Baseball.
After visiting Knoxville on Monday, right-handed pitcher Thomas Crabtree quickly made his official commitment to Tennessee, announcing on his X account on Wednesday, “I am going to be a University of Tennessee Volunteer. My childhood dream of wearing the Power T is real.”
The 6-foot-4, 195-pound Tennessee native recently concluded an impressive freshman season at Pearl River Community College. Crabtree earned First Team All-MACCC honors with a 10-2 record, a 2.96 ERA, and 105 strikeouts, becoming the first Pearl River Community College pitcher to exceed 100 strikeouts since 2008. He also came close to a perfect game, pitching a flawless eight-inning stretch last season.
Crabtree’s commitment arrives at a critical moment for Tennessee’s pitching staff. Head coach Tony Vitello is preparing for the potential departures of several pitchers, including Drew Beam to the MLB draft, and the graduation of Zander Sechrist, Kirby Connell, and Chris Stamos. Additionally, the Vols might face the loss of AJ Causey and Aaron Combs to the draft after their outstanding seasons, while AJ Russell is expected to be out for 12 to 14 months following Tommy John surgery.
