Why did Liam Doyle transfer from Ole Miss? Tennessee ace leading Vols into super regionals
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Miami coach Brian Smiley, Tennessee's Tony Vitello on Vols NCAA win
Miami coach Brian Smiley, Tennessee's Tony Vitello on Vols NCAA win
Tennessee baseball's Liam Doyle has been the best pitcher in college baseball this season, but it wasn't always easy for the southpaw.
Doyle, a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award and the nation's leader in strikeouts, is a rare three-time transfer. He started his career at Coastal Carolina, before transferring to Ole Miss and then the Vols. It was in 2025 he developed into a likely top-10 pick in the upcoming 2025 MLB Draft.
The 21-year-old from Derry, New Hampshire tossed 6 2/3 innings against Miami (Ohio) in the Knoxville Regional, allowing one run on four hits with 11 strikeouts. Three days later, he pitched 2 1/3 innings for Tennessee in relief, striking out five hitters and allowing no runs.
REQUIRED READING: 2025 MLB draft prospects: Top college players in NCAA baseball tournament
Doyle will almost certainly receive the ball for Game 1 of the Fayetteville Super Regional against Arkansas, looking to get the Vols back to the College World Series after the Vols won the national championship last season.
Here's a look at Doyle's path in 2025, including why he transferred from Ole Miss in the offseason:
Why did Liam Doyle transfer from Ole Miss?
To put it in simplest terms, Doyle didn't showcase his best stuff for the Rebels in 2024.
The left-hander served as Ole Miss' Saturday starter in 2024, but turned in a 5.73 ERA in 55 innings, despite possessing high-end strikeout numbers with 84 punchouts. His transfer to Ole Miss came after spending his freshman season at Coastal Carolina, where he had a 4.15 ERA in 56 1/3 innings.
Doyle transferred to Tennessee alongside former Ole Miss teammate Andrew Fischer, with Fischer also potentially being a first-round pick alongside Doyle in 2025. Fischer and Doyle were roommates at Ole Miss, and Fischer has slugged 24 home runs at Tennessee this season.
"We transferred out of Ole Miss together trying to just better our careers and success in the future," Doyle told GoVols247 after Tennessee played Ole Miss earlier this season. "We both feel as if we did that."
Doyle added:
"It is what it is. College sports are how they are nowadays, and I had to do what was best for me to better my career. It sucked. I loved Oxford. It was cool. But I'm so blessed and fortunate to be where I am now, knowing I made the right move for my career and this season."
Doyle was electric in his lone start against Ole Miss this season, allowing two runs on three hits across 8 1/3 innings, striking out 14.
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