2018 Tennessee Baseball Position Preview: Infielders/Catchers

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2018 Tennessee Baseball Position Preview: Infielders/Catchers

January 24, 2018 | Baseball

As we approach Opening Day of the 2018 Tennessee baseball season, each week UTSports.com will preview a position group for the upcoming season. This week we'll preview the team's infielders and catchers.

The Volunteer's infield will feature a bevy of young players comprised primarily of freshmen and sophomores, while senior Benito Santiago is likely to hold down the starting catcher role. Find out more about each player below.

Returners (In order of games played in 2017)

#13 Andre Lipcius (So. | Williamsburg, Va.)
After starting all 52 of Tennessee's games at first base last season, Lipcius is likely to take over as the Vols starting shortstop in 2018. The Virginia native was one of the team's most productive players in 2017, earning a spot on the All-SEC Freshman team as well as earning Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Freshman All-America honors. The sophomore leads all returners after recording 53 hits, 32 runs, 11 doubles, 26 RBIs, 71 total bases and nine stolen bases last year. Lipcius started his UT career by reaching base in 21 straight games.

#10 Pete Derkay (So. | Acworth, Ga.)
Derkay also returns after a strong freshman campaign in 2017, finishing third on the team with a .288 batting average and leading the Vols with a .440 on-base percentage and 37 walks. The Acworth, Ga., native started 50 of 52 games a year ago and is one of the team's most versatile players. He will likely see playing time at a number of positions in 2018, including first base, third base, catcher, designated hitter and may even see some time in the outfield. Derkay had an impressive summer while playing for the Anchorage Bucs of the Alaska Baseball League, earning a spot on the ABL American Team All-Star roster.

#31 Benito Santiago (Sr. | Pembroke Pines, Fla.)
Santiago enters the 2018 campaign as one of only two seniors on the team and the Volunteers most experienced player with 119 career games played and 102 starts. Santiago is the favorite to start at catcher this season and is the program's active career leader in games played, games started, runs (56), hits (96), doubles (18), triples (seven), RBIs (39) and stolen bases (15). The Florida native's best season came in 2016 when batted .309 with 56 hits and 33 runs scored. He set a new career high with 20 RBIs last season despite missing nearly 20 games. Santiago is primed for a big senior season and should be one of the top contributors on the roster in 2018.

#40 Luc Lipcius (So. | Williamsburg, Va.)
The twin brother of the aforementioned Andre Lipcius, Luc started the final 19 games of the season in 2017 after starting just one of the first 33. Lipcius primarily played right field or was as the designated hitter in 2017 but is battling to be the Vols' starter at first base this year. The Virginia native had a solid showing over the summer with the Front Royal Cardinals in the Valley Baseball League. Lipcius ranked 11^th in the league with a .336 batting average while recording 10 doubles, blasting four home runs and driving in 21 runs.

#4 Jay Charleston (So. | Longwood, Fla.)
Another versatile player who can play multiple positions, Charleston will likely split time between second base and the outfield in 2018. Charleston is one of the fastest players on the team and should be among the team leaders in stolen bases this season. The Longwood, Fla., native had very good summer in the Valley Baseball League with the Staunton Braves, leading the league by a wide margin in stolen bases with 39 in 37 games played. He also racked up 39 hits – including seven doubles – and drove in eight runs for the Braves. Charleston played in 25 games as a freshman for the Vols last season, finishing the year with a .250 batting average, 12 hits, nine runs and five steals. Expect those numbers to see a significant jump this season.

#8 Brandon Chinea (So. | Miami, Fla.)
Chinea is another young player that is expected to see a significant increase in playing time this season after appearing in just 20 games a year ago. The Miami native recorded a pair of doubles, drew three walks and scored three runs in three games during the team's Orange and White Fall World Series. Chinea also had a productive summer in the Alaska Baseball League with the Matsu Miners, recording 20 hits, scoring 12 runs and stealing eight bases. He will be in the mix to start at second base for UT this season.

#35 Nico Mascia (R-So. | Knoxville, Tenn.)
A local product from Farragut High School, Mascia will compete for playing time at catcher behind Santiago. The redshirt sophomore had a solid showing during the Orange and White Fall World Series with a pair of hits – including an RBI triple – three runs and two RBIs. Mascia appeared in only one game for UT last season after redshirting in 2016.

#2 Alex Sosnowski (R-Fr. | Orange, Calif.)
Following a redshirt season in 2017, Sosnowski has a chance to be one of the primary reserve players in the Tennessee infield this season. The California native played shortstop during all three of the Orange and White Fall World Series games after having a productive summer for the Gastonia Grizzlies of the Coastal Plains League, batting .297 in 17 games.

Newcomers (In alphabetical order)

#6 Evan Russell (Fr. | Jackson, Tenn.)
Russell hails from Jackson, Tenn., where he earned all-state honors and helped lead Scotts Hill High School to a Tennessee Class A state title in 2016. He batted .428 with a .537 on-base percentage and a .624 slugging percentage while also posting a 2.80 ERA with 93 strikeouts over 63.0 innings pitched for the Lions in 2016. Russell also helped lead Team Tennessee to the Junior Sunbelt National Championship in 2016 and was named Team MVP. Russell was ranked as the No. 2 catcher and 30th overall player in the state of Tennessee by Perfect Game. On top of being a top baseball prospect, Russell was also an all-state performer in football for Scotts Hill.

#12 Wyatt Stapp (Fr. | Keller, Texas)
Stapp comes to Tennessee from Keller, Texas, where he starred at Southlake Carroll High School and helped lead the Dragons to a 32-11-1 record and a trip to the Texas Class 6A state semifinals as a senior in 2017. Stapp batted .396 with 34 RBIs and hit over .500 in the state playoffs on his way to earning All-District honors in 2017. He was also named a Perfect Game Underclass Honorable Mention as a junior in 2016. The freshman infielder had arguably the most impressive showing on the team during the Orange and White Fall World Series, leading the Vols with a .571 batting average and eight hits, including a 5-for-5 performance to helped lead the Orange Team to a win in Game 1. Stapp should contend for immediate playing time this season, likely at third base.

#26 Brandon Trammell (Fr. | Knoxville, Tenn.)
Trammell, a Knoxville native and son of former Vol and big leaguer Thomas Bubba Trammell, chose the Vols over big-name programs Vanderbilt, North Carolina and Florida State. Trammell will be a two-way player for UT as he will also see time on the mound for the Vols. He was named a 2017 Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American and was the No. 8 rated overall player in the state of Tennessee by Perfect Game. Trammell was also named to the 2017 All-USA Tennessee Baseball first team. As a junior, he batted .395 and had a .617 slugging percentage to go with 34 RBIs, 23 walks and seven stolen bases to earn Perfect Game Underclass Honorable Mention honors.

#18 Chase Wallace (Fr. | Sevierville, Tenn.)
Wallace hails from nearby Sevierville, Tenn., where he attended Sevier County High School and will primarily pitch for the Vols but could also see time in the field. The Tennessee native chose the Vols following a sophomore season in which he helped lead Sevier County to its first state tournament appearance in school history. He was named a 2017 Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American and was ranked as the No. 9 right-handed pitcher and 14^th overall player in the state of Tennessee by Perfect Game.

#23 Riley Watkins (Fr. | Eads, Tenn.)
Watkins is another Tennessee native and two-way player who could see time on the mound and in the field. He starred at Evangelical Christian School where he pitched and played shortstop. Watkins was named USA Today First-Team All-State, TSWA All-State, and a Tennessee Mr. Baseball Finalist as a senior in 2017. He was also a 2017 Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American and helped lead Evangelical Christian to two state titles (2013 & 2017).

#14 Nick Woods (Fr. | Chattanooga, Tenn.)
Woods enters his freshman season at UT after starting all four years of his prep career and serving as team captain at East Hamilton High School. He was named a Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American as a senior in 2017 after batting .405 that season. During his junior campaign with the Hurricanes, Woods hit at a .387 clip with 28 RBIs and 14 stolen bases to earn All-District 5-AAA and All-Region 3-AAA nods for a third consecutive year. The Chattanooga native was also a team captain on the East Hamilton football team and took home Region 4A Quarterback of the Year honors in 2016. A two-time Underclass High Honorable Mention by Perfect Game, Woods played travel ball for Team Tennessee, the Georgia Rebels and Exposure Baseball, participating in over 10 showcase and national championship competitions.

Make sure to check back next week as we preview Tennessee's outfielders.