Jay Abernathy entering transfer portal to leave Tennessee baseball

Jay Abernathy is entering the transfer portal after two seasons with Tennessee baseball, according to a source with direct knowledge of the situation told Volquest.

The sophomore hit .255 with four homers, 27 RBIs and 17 stolen bases in two seasons. He played in 106 games with 66 starts between second base and center field.

Abernathy split time between the two positions as a sophomore in 2026, but more often started in center field. He hit .236 with three homers, nine doubles and 16 RBIs. He led the Vols with nine stolen bases.

He struggled in SEC play, hitting .154 and posting a .241 on-base percentage. Abernathy hit leadoff for a stretch early in the season but spent most of the season hitting ninth when he was in the lineup.

The 5-foot-10 Abernathy chose to come to Tennessee from Acworth, Georgia, instead of going in the 2024 MLB Draft. He was ranked the No. 61 overall prospect and the No. 16 shortstop in the nation in the 2024 class, according to Perfect Game.

The Vols went 38-22 in coach Josh Elander‘s first season. They went 15-15 in SEC play with notable series wins against top-10 opponents in Mississippi State and Texas. They were the only program in the nation to go unbeaten in midweek games with a 14-0 record. UT’s season ended in the Chapel Hill Regional after it reached the postseason for the seventh straight season.

The portal opened Monday and is open until June 30 for Division I baseball players. Players have to submit paperwork in that window in order to transfer. They do not have to commit to a school during that window and programs can continue to add players following the transfer portal window.