AJ Russell, who started the very first game of Tennessee’s national championship baseball season, plans to return to the Volunteers in 2025.
The 6-foot-6, 207-pound pitcher from the Nashville suburb of Franklin battled arm soreness after his dazzling debut against Texas Tech in February and underwent Tommy John surgery on June 11. It was the less invasive version of the surgery, according to the Knoxville News-Sentinel, so the right-handed sophomore is facing a recovery time closer to eight months compared to a full year.
Russell appeared in just six games this past season, with his final outing against LSU in the championship game of the Southeastern Conference tournament lasting one inning.
“That’s what I’m working toward, and that’s what I want to do,” Russell told reporters at the recent College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. “I don’t want that LSU game to be the last time I pitch in the orange and white.”
In Tennessee’s 6-2 victory over Texas Tech on Feb. 16, Russell faced 16 Red Raiders batters and struck out 10 of them. He never matched that effectiveness again, finishing the year with a 5.06 earned run average.