University of Tennessee Athletics
Tennessee freshman RHP and 2018 MLB Draft pick Elijah Pleasants
Photo by: Maury Neipris/Tennessee Athletics
Tennessee Baseball Newcomers to Watch: Part I
October 23, 2018 | Baseball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee baseball team returns 22 players from last year's team but will also feature a handful of newcomers who could make an immediate impact for the Volunteers in Year 2 under head coach Tony Vitello.
With the Vols' annual Orange and White Fall World Series beginning next week, we'll highlight some of the newcomers to keep an eye on heading into the spring. In the first of two installments this fall, we'll highlight a trio of freshmen newcomers on the mound (Camden Sewell, Elijah Pleasants, Hunter Dreves) and a junior college catcher (Landon Gray).
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Camden SewellÂ
Hometown: Cleveland, Tenn.
High School: Cleveland High School
Position: RHP
Class: Freshman
Height: 6-5
Weight: 185
About Camden: Sewell comes to Rocky Top from nearby Cleveland, Tenn., after a dominant prep career at Cleveland High School. The tall right hander averaged 14.8 strikeouts per seven innings and allowed just one earned run as a senior in 2018. Sewell was rated as the second-best right-handed pitcher in the state of Tennessee and the 51st-ranked righty in the country by Perfect Game. He garnered Rawlings-Perfect Game Third Team All-America status as a senior and was a two-time Perfect Game Preseason All-American (2017 & 2018). Over his final two seasons of prep baseball, Sewell allowed just 44 hits and 10 earned runs while totaling 142 strikeouts in 92.2 innings pitched.
Vitello on Sewell: "Camden has an electric arm. He's a loyal Vol fan and a great kid. The most exciting attribute he brings to the table however is potential. There is a ton of it."
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Elijah Pleasants
Hometown: Clarksville, Tenn.
High School: Rossview High School
Position: RHP
Class: Freshman
Height: 6-5
Weight: 180
About Elijah: Pleasants was a two-sport athlete at Rossview High School in Clarksville, Tenn., starring on the baseball and basketball teams. The righty helped lead Rossview High to a state title as a senior in 2018 and earned TSSAA All-State honors while also being named to the USA Today All-Tennessee Team. Pleasants was selected in the 36th round of the 2018 MLB Draft by the Kansas City Royals, but decided to put the pros on hold to come to Tennessee. He was rated the No. 5 right-handed pitching prospect in Tennessee by Perfect Game and was a Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American in 2018. Pleasants posted a perfect 8-0 record as a junior with a 2.13 ERA. He was also a prolific hitter in high school, batting .437 with 64 hits and nine home runs as a senior.
Fun Fact: Both of Elijah's parents, Latonya and Mark, served in the military for over 20 years. Pleasants has lived in five different states (Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, Washington) as well as in Germany.
Vitello on Pleasants: "Elijah is a rarity in this class because he is the only draft pick that did not sign. Obviously, the Royals saw the same thing we did. He has a lean frame that will only get stronger and when it does he could have big league stuff. The fact that he has a strong makeup made him a well-rounded prospect out of high school."
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Hunter Dreves
Hometown: Fort Thomas, Ky.
High School: Highlands High School
Position: RHP
Class: Freshman
Height: 6-3
Weight: 185
About Hunter: Dreves hails from Fort Thomas, Kentucky, where he starred on the diamond for Highlands High School, earning All-State honors as a senior in 2018. Dreves was rated as the sixth-best overall prospect and top overall right-hand pitcher in the state of Kentucky according to Perfect Game. In addition to earning All-State honors as a senior, Dreves also was named a Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American in 2018 after posting a 3-1 record with 54 strikeouts in eight starts on top of batting at a .394 clip.Â
Vitello on Dreves: "Out of all of the early season bullpens, Hunter may have had some of the most impressive. He is still waiting on his first innings this fall, but if they are anything like what he showed earlier this semester he could make an immediate impact."Â
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Landon Gray
Hometown: Granbury, Texas
Previous School: Weatherford College
High School: Granbury High School
Position: C
Class: Junior
Height: 6-0
Weight: 205
About Landon: Gray had a prolific two-year junior college stretch at Weatherford College, where he totaled 199 hits, 95 runs, 13 homers, 36 extra-base hits, 87 RBI and 70 walks during his career. Gray was named to the 2017 Second Team All-North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference and was also a Third Team Academic All-American as a freshman. The Granbury, Texas native was a two-sport athlete at Granbury High School, starring on the gridiron as well as the diamond before attending Weatherford College. Gray was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 38th round of the 2017 MLB Draft.
Fun Fact: Landon loves to hunt and fish and was bitten by a rattlesnake once. Â
Vitello on Gray: "With Landon, you are getting a mature, athletic catcher that pitchers really enjoy throwing too. I think they really like him as not just a player but also a teammate. He not only brings depth to the catching position but also could potentially be the catcher we rely on the most."
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With the Vols' annual Orange and White Fall World Series beginning next week, we'll highlight some of the newcomers to keep an eye on heading into the spring. In the first of two installments this fall, we'll highlight a trio of freshmen newcomers on the mound (Camden Sewell, Elijah Pleasants, Hunter Dreves) and a junior college catcher (Landon Gray).
Â
Camden SewellÂ
Hometown: Cleveland, Tenn.
High School: Cleveland High School
Position: RHP
Class: Freshman
Height: 6-5
Weight: 185
About Camden: Sewell comes to Rocky Top from nearby Cleveland, Tenn., after a dominant prep career at Cleveland High School. The tall right hander averaged 14.8 strikeouts per seven innings and allowed just one earned run as a senior in 2018. Sewell was rated as the second-best right-handed pitcher in the state of Tennessee and the 51st-ranked righty in the country by Perfect Game. He garnered Rawlings-Perfect Game Third Team All-America status as a senior and was a two-time Perfect Game Preseason All-American (2017 & 2018). Over his final two seasons of prep baseball, Sewell allowed just 44 hits and 10 earned runs while totaling 142 strikeouts in 92.2 innings pitched.
Vitello on Sewell: "Camden has an electric arm. He's a loyal Vol fan and a great kid. The most exciting attribute he brings to the table however is potential. There is a ton of it."
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Elijah Pleasants
Hometown: Clarksville, Tenn.
High School: Rossview High School
Position: RHP
Class: Freshman
Height: 6-5
Weight: 180
About Elijah: Pleasants was a two-sport athlete at Rossview High School in Clarksville, Tenn., starring on the baseball and basketball teams. The righty helped lead Rossview High to a state title as a senior in 2018 and earned TSSAA All-State honors while also being named to the USA Today All-Tennessee Team. Pleasants was selected in the 36th round of the 2018 MLB Draft by the Kansas City Royals, but decided to put the pros on hold to come to Tennessee. He was rated the No. 5 right-handed pitching prospect in Tennessee by Perfect Game and was a Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American in 2018. Pleasants posted a perfect 8-0 record as a junior with a 2.13 ERA. He was also a prolific hitter in high school, batting .437 with 64 hits and nine home runs as a senior.
Fun Fact: Both of Elijah's parents, Latonya and Mark, served in the military for over 20 years. Pleasants has lived in five different states (Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, Washington) as well as in Germany.
Vitello on Pleasants: "Elijah is a rarity in this class because he is the only draft pick that did not sign. Obviously, the Royals saw the same thing we did. He has a lean frame that will only get stronger and when it does he could have big league stuff. The fact that he has a strong makeup made him a well-rounded prospect out of high school."
Â
Hunter Dreves
Hometown: Fort Thomas, Ky.
High School: Highlands High School
Position: RHP
Class: Freshman
Height: 6-3
Weight: 185
About Hunter: Dreves hails from Fort Thomas, Kentucky, where he starred on the diamond for Highlands High School, earning All-State honors as a senior in 2018. Dreves was rated as the sixth-best overall prospect and top overall right-hand pitcher in the state of Kentucky according to Perfect Game. In addition to earning All-State honors as a senior, Dreves also was named a Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American in 2018 after posting a 3-1 record with 54 strikeouts in eight starts on top of batting at a .394 clip.Â
Vitello on Dreves: "Out of all of the early season bullpens, Hunter may have had some of the most impressive. He is still waiting on his first innings this fall, but if they are anything like what he showed earlier this semester he could make an immediate impact."Â
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Landon Gray
Hometown: Granbury, Texas
Previous School: Weatherford College
High School: Granbury High School
Position: C
Class: Junior
Height: 6-0
Weight: 205
About Landon: Gray had a prolific two-year junior college stretch at Weatherford College, where he totaled 199 hits, 95 runs, 13 homers, 36 extra-base hits, 87 RBI and 70 walks during his career. Gray was named to the 2017 Second Team All-North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference and was also a Third Team Academic All-American as a freshman. The Granbury, Texas native was a two-sport athlete at Granbury High School, starring on the gridiron as well as the diamond before attending Weatherford College. Gray was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 38th round of the 2017 MLB Draft.
Fun Fact: Landon loves to hunt and fish and was bitten by a rattlesnake once. Â
Vitello on Gray: "With Landon, you are getting a mature, athletic catcher that pitchers really enjoy throwing too. I think they really like him as not just a player but also a teammate. He not only brings depth to the catching position but also could potentially be the catcher we rely on the most."
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