Former Louisville Shortstop Gavin Kilen Commits to Tennessee from NCAA Transfer Portal
Former Louisville shortstop Gavin Kilen has found a new home at Tennessee after committing to the Volunteers out of the NCAA Transfer Portal. The talented lefty-batting middle infielder announced his decision on Instagram, revealing that he still has multiple years of eligibility remaining.
During his time with the Cardinals, Kilen showcased his skills in 102 games, starting 94 as the team’s regular shortstop. He boasts an impressive .309 batting average across his two college seasons and saw a surge in power numbers with all 10 of his career college home runs coming in 2024. Kilen is considered one of the top available shortstops in the transfer portal.
In other baseball news, the Texas A&M Aggies recently concluded their coaching search by naming Michael Earley as their new head coach. However, before settling on Earley, reports surfaced that the Aggies were aggressively pursuing Tennessee’s Tony Vitello and Virginia’s Brian O’Connor for the position.
According to baseball insider Kendall Rogers, Texas A&M made a strong push for Vitello, but the Tennessee head coach ultimately decided to remain loyal to the Volunteers program. Vitello has been instrumental in transforming Tennessee into a powerhouse baseball program, culminating in a national championship victory in the 2024 College World Series.
Both Vitello and O’Connor have impressive coaching resumes, with Vitello boasting a record of 295-112 at Tennessee and O’Connor leading Virginia to a national championship in 2015. Despite their credentials, they proved too difficult for Texas A&M to lure away from their respective programs.
Ultimately, Texas A&M settled on Earley as their new head coach, with other potential candidates like Link Jarrett and Rob Vaughn not strongly considered for the role. The coaching search process shed light on the competitive landscape of college baseball coaching and the dedication of coaches to their respective programs.
