(Updated 8/2/2022) 2022 MLB Draft and Roster Management Discussion Thread

Is Sechrist more valuable as a midweek starter or as a strong lefty, coming out of the pen?
Unless he improves, I say midweek starter. He looked very comfortable in that role throughout the season. He was given a chance against Florida in Hoover and they teed off on him unfortunately. Some of that could have been rust or inexperience against SEC competition but I would keep him as the midweek starter to keep the rest of the staff fresh for the weekends.
 
Everything may be on the table next season. I can see Sechrist coming out of the pen.
Me too. Dolly, Burns and Beam(all righties)
Followed by Kirby and Sechrist(lefties)
I think Halvorsen is the wild card next year.
He could be a starter, middle reliever or the shut down closer.
It should be very interesting/fun to see what we have with some of the new guys and how they develop.
GBO!!
 
Me too. Dolly, Burns and Beam(all righties)
Followed by Kirby and Sechrist(lefties)
I think Halvorsen is the wild card next year.
He could be a starter, middle reliever or the shut down closer.
It should be very interesting/fun to see what we have with some of the new guys and how they develop.
GBO!!

We are of the same mindset, cobb. I also think Halversen is next season's wild card. I'm curious what role Zach Joyce will have. Wyatt Evans can be added to long middle relief. While there are currently many unknowns, it'll be fun to see who emerges in fall ball. I had no idea about Drew Beam this time last year.

Unless he improves, I say midweek starter. He looked very comfortable in that role throughout the season. He was given a chance against Florida in Hoover and they teed off on him unfortunately. Some of that could have been rust or inexperience against SEC competition but I would keep him as the midweek starter to keep the rest of the staff fresh for the weekends.

While Sechrist was comfortable as a midweek starter, he certainly could've gotten a few late innings on the weekends. I recall Coach V saying he felt bad that he couldn't give Sechrist more opportunities on the weekends. I think his performance in Hoover was due to rust and lack of SEC experience. Personally, I think he makes the jump to the pen next year.
 
I’m not counting on Joyce next year, I think the staff will bring him along slowly and if he contributes then that would just be a plus.

Yes, I'm with you in that they will bring him along slowly. Zach said that Coach A already put him on a plan to get him ready for fall ball and next season. We've seen him working with Jared this summer.
 
Unless he improves, I say midweek starter. He looked very comfortable in that role throughout the season. He was given a chance against Florida in Hoover and they teed off on him unfortunately. Some of that could have been rust or inexperience against SEC competition but I would keep him as the midweek starter to keep the rest of the staff fresh for the weekends.

I think we should try to get the best starter we can and have four high-quality starters. That would send Sechrist to the pen. He pitched well in those mid-week games, but we should be a) playing stronger competition in some of those games, and b) throwing a pitcher who is just an injury away from starting on the weekends, and c) throwing a pitcher in midweek games who is being groomed to start next season. Imagine if we had Skenes to commit. That would probably put Beam in the midweek starter role for his sophomore year, and available for starting weekends his draft year, and ready to fit into the weekend his soph year in case of injury. That may be too much to ask, but we would be in the catbird seat if we could pull that off.
 
Good news about Stanwich:


Stanwhich looks like a baller!!!
28105-2-Gold-20.jpg
 
Re: our bullpen - I went through our current roster, incoming class, and JUCOs, and here is the list of pitchers we have: (I'm not including Sewell or Ethan Smith - as I'm assuming they'll turn pro)

Current roster:

LHPs
Gavin Brasosky
Kirby Connell
Wyatt Evans
Drew Patterson
Jake Fitzgibbons
Kaleb Meredith
Zander Sechrist

RHPs
Chase Dollander
Seth Halvorsen
Chase Burns
Drew Beam
Hollis Fanning
Andrew Kribbs

Incoming class:

LHPs
Andrew Behnke
Bradley Gagen

RHPs
Jerry Garcia
Austin Hunley
Caden Marcum
Bennett Myers
Dillon Orr
Brady Robertson
AJ Russell
Hunter Sloop

JUCO signees:

LHPs
Jacob Bimbi

RHPs
Aaron Combs
Bryce Jenkins (OF)
Zach Joyce
Turner Swistak

On a related note, I just received an e-mail indicating that Drew Patterson's mom Stacey, who is currently a Vice President for Research at UTK, will be moving to Florida State.
 
Are we sure Ortega is gone? $300K is a lot to turn down, but I could see him jumping up a couple rounds next year. Sounds like from reading through this thread, Jorel has played his last season in Knoxville. You guys know a ton more about this than me, but just seems to me he could increase that slot value a couple hundred grand.

Seth would just have to really love college to come back.

I need one of y'all die hards to put together another projected depth chart / lineup for me now that we're through a big chunk of the draft.
 
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Don't consider it a big deal since an athlete is unlikely to leave just because their mom does, but there would seem to be less attachment if there are other factors at play.
From another perspective, would he lose in state tuition? I assume he’d probably lose reduced tuition from his mother no longer being a UT employee.
 
I think we should try to get the best starter we can and have four high-quality starters. That would send Sechrist to the pen. He pitched well in those mid-week games, but we should be a) playing stronger competition in some of those games, and b) throwing a pitcher who is just an injury away from starting on the weekends, and c) throwing a pitcher in midweek games who is being groomed to start next season. Imagine if we had Skenes to commit. That would probably put Beam in the midweek starter role for his sophomore year, and available for starting weekends his draft year, and ready to fit into the weekend his soph year in case of injury. That may be too much to ask, but we would be in the catbird seat if we could pull that off.
Yeah Skenes would be a huge get and that would definitely present more options. I was just going off what we currently have. We have no way of knowing what the incoming pitchers will be. We didn’t know two true freshman would help lead the pitching staff to being the most dominant staff in baseball. It’s really difficult to predict how everything will fall into place.
 
From another perspective, would he lose in state tuition? I assume he’d probably lose reduced tuition from his mother no longer being a UT employee.
Not for this upcoming school year at least. If she has lived in the state of Tennessee for the majority of the year then this upcoming Fall/Spring semester will not be affected. Next year’s tuition might be a different story though.
 
Re: our bullpen - I went through our current roster, incoming class, and JUCOs, and here is the list of pitchers we have: (I'm not including Sewell or Ethan Smith - as I'm assuming they'll turn pro)

Current roster:

LHPs
Gavin Brasosky
Kirby Connell
Wyatt Evans
Drew Patterson
Jake Fitzgibbons
Kaleb Meredith
Zander Sechrist

RHPs
Chase Dollander
Seth Halvorsen
Chase Burns
Drew Beam
Hollis Fanning
Andrew Kribbs

Incoming class:

LHPs
Andrew Behnke
Bradley Gagen

RHPs
Jerry Garcia
Austin Hunley
Caden Marcum
Bennett Myers
Dillon Orr
Brady Robertson
AJ Russell
Hunter Sloop

JUCO signees:

LHPs
Jacob Bimbi

RHPs
Aaron Combs
Bryce Jenkins (OF)
Zach Joyce
Turner Swistak

Ethan Smith is turning pro?
 
From another perspective, would he lose in state tuition? I assume he’d probably lose reduced tuition from his mother no longer being a UT employee.

Hmm, not sure how that would work. It’s possible that those would be retained due to fairly long service at UT. Also, I won’t delve too far into finances, but the VP salaries tend to be quite good!
 
Yeah Skenes would be a huge get and that would definitely present more options. I was just going off what we currently have. We have no way of knowing what the incoming pitchers will be. We didn’t know two true freshman would help lead the pitching staff to being the most dominant staff in baseball. It’s really difficult to predict how everything will fall into place.

True that.
 
Yeah this was my question too. I didn't realize that was likely?
He’s been pitching for the Owls this summer. We have had scouts at games, including when he’s pitched. However I’ve not asked any scouts who all they are there to see.

I think getting drafted is in the back of the mind of anyone who plays in college.
 

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