Tennessee reserve infielder Camden Bates officially entered the transfer portal on Wednesday, a UT spokesperson confirmed to RTI.
Bates was a backup middle infielder in his freshman season at Tennessee, totaling just eight at-bats in 10 games played. The Washington, Oklahoma native recorded two hits on the season including a three-run homer against Alabama A&M.
While Tennessee loses starting second baseman Christian Moore and third baseman Billy Amick to professional baseball this offseason, the Vols return starting shortstop Dean Curley and have talented rising sophomore Ariel Antigua returning and poised for a bigger role.
Tennessee is in hot pursuit of Louisville infield Gavin Killen and will continue to look at players in the transfer portal as they look to reload after winning the program’s first ever National Championship last season.
The Vols have now lost seven players to the transfer portal this offseason including infielders Zane Denton and Bradke Lohry. Utility bat Robin Villeneuve also entered the transfer portal earlier this week.
Tennessee has lost a trio of pitchers to the transfer portal this offseason including left-handed pitchers Wyatt Evans and Matthew Dallas as well as right-handed pitcher Derek Schaefer.
Evans and Denton are the only Tennessee transfers that have committed to new schools to date. Evans landed at South Carolina and Denton landed at Austin Peay after taking the year off from baseball. The Vols have landed just one player in the transfer portal to date— Kennesaw State right-handed pitcher Tanner Franklin.
The transfer portal officially closed on Tuesday with Bates filing his paper work then before it officially came in on Wednesday. With the portal officially closed, those are the only seven players that Tennessee lost to the transfer portal this offseason.
