Manny Marin, a 6‑foot‑1 shortstop from the 2024 draft class, is set to leave Tennessee for Arkansas, marking a pivotal move in his collegiate career.
A Strategic Shift in the SEC
During his sophomore season with the Vols, Marin posted a .291 batting average, hit nine home runs and drove in 43 runs across 55 games, while maintaining a .976 fielding percentage at shortstop. As a freshman in 2025 he hit .283 with three homers and 23 RBIs, appearing in 113 games and starting 97 of them.
The transfer places him in the conversation for the 2026 MLB Draft, where teams could select him as a high‑upside middle‑infielder, though he also remains eligible to develop further at Arkansas under new coaching staff.
His departure coincides with a wave of movement in the SEC, as pitcher Brayden Krenzel also headed to Arkansas, while infielder Ethan Moore chose Missouri and utility player Jay Abernathy committed to Oklahoma, reshaping several programs' lineups.
The Vols, under first‑year head coach Josh Elander, finished a strong 38‑22 overall record and went 15‑15 in SEC play, highlighted by series victories over top‑10 opponents such as Mississippi State and Texas, and an unbeaten 14‑0 mark in midweek games.
The season concluded in the Chapel Hill Regional, marking the team’s seventh straight postseason appearance and setting the stage for a 2027 shortstop search that will test the program’s depth.