A trio of Tennessee baseball players earned First Team All-American honors from Baseball America Friday. Left-handed ace Liam Doyle, first baseman Andrew Fischer and middle infielder Gavin Kilen all landed on Baseball America’s first team.Tennessee landed all three players out of the transfer portal a season ago and the trio were a major reason why the Vols made it back to the super regionals for a fifth straight season. The Vols were the only team to put three players on the first time while LSU put three combined players on the first and second team.Doyle is one of three finalists for the Golden Spikes Award, posting a 10-4 record, 3.20 ERA and 0.99 WHIP while striking out 164 batters in 95.2 innings pitched. The left-handed flame thrower was the SEC Pitcher of the Year and was nearly unhittable outside a trio of rough outings in the final month of the season.
Armed with one of the best fastballs in the country and an explosive delivery, Doyle simply overpowered hitters all season,” Baseball America’s staff wrote. “He very well could come off the board within the first five picks of this year’s draft.”
Like Doyle, Fischer transferred to Tennessee from Ole Miss last offseason and took his already strong game to another level in his lone season at Tennessee. Fischer slashed .341/.497/.760 while bashing 25 home runs on his way to 64 RBIs.A model of consistency, Fischer reached base safely in all 65 games Tennessee played while tying the single-season walk record with 63 base on balls.“He stands out for his advanced approach, but Fischer also possesses plus power to the pull side and a feel for the barrel.”
Kilen landed as the second base selection on Baseball America’s All-American team but spent the final six weeks of the season starting at shortstop for Tennessee.
The left-handed contact hitter hit .357 with 15 home runs, 13 doubles, four triples and 46 RBIs in his lone season at Tennessee despite missing multiple weeks in SEC play with a hamstring injury. A Louisville transfer, Kilen finished the season hitting in the leadoff spot for Tennessee.
“He tapped into more power this spring to go along with his advanced feel to hit. Kilen could be a first-round pick this July
All three Tennessee All-Americans are draft eligible next month and will be off the board by the end of the first night of the MLB Draft. The Vols are looking to replace the trio’s high production in both the transfer portal and with returning players on the roster.
