Reese Chapman back with Tennessee baseball as student assistant coach

Reese Chapman has returned to the Tennessee baseball program as a student assistant coach, according to a team spokesperson speaking to Knox News on August 25th. The graduate student at UT had exhausted his college eligibility last season after four years with the Vols. Despite not being selected in the 2026 MLB Draft nor signing with an organization as an undrafted free agent, Chapman was entitled to a fifth year of eligibility due to a July 31st injunction by U.S. District Court of Colorado judge Charlotte Sweeney.

However, the NCAA subsequently sought a stay in the case on August 21st, meaning Chapman will need to secure an injunction or temporary restraining order by a state or local court in order to participate in the 2027 season. Chapman had been Tennessee's starting right fielder for the past two seasons. During the 2026 campaign, he posted a career-high .317 batting average, with 11 home runs and 46 RBIs.

His contributions also included 20 doubles, 31 walks and seven stolen bases. Emmett Siegel, a Tennessee baseball reporter for Knox News, contributed to this coverage.