Junior college star Tyler Myatt ‘just knew’ Tennessee Baseball was the program for him

It was Sophomore Day for the Walters State Community College softball team earlier this spring. Emma Myatt, a pitcher for the squad, was allowed to hit that day. She homered and it brought tears to her brother’s eyes as he watched from the stands.

The brother is named Tyler Myatt, Tennessee’s new baseball pledge from the same junior college in Morristown, Tenn. He announced his commitment to Tony Vitello and the Tennessee baseball program on Tuesday, but it was in this moment – watching his sister cap her Walters State career in style – that he knew where he was going to play baseball next.

“Right after she hit the home run, coach Kiv [Ross Kivett] texted me and I started crying because I knew. I knew that’s where I wanted to be,” Myatt told Volquest this week. “It was just a bittersweet moment. I was ready to go, but I was so thankful to everyone that’s helped me along the way. It’s just an awesome feeling. I get to stay home, 40 minutes from the house, and just get to play baseball.”

Myatt attended Claiborne County High School. He’s always watched the program from a far, but was locked in when Tennessee began to rise to national prominence under Tony Vitello a couple of years ago.

But coming out of high school, the 5-foot-11, 205-pound athlete didn’t have many opportunities. His Perfect Game player profile did not have a ranking listed. Despite being great at the prep level, Myatt knew he needed some development. That’s how he ended up at Walters State, which boasts one of the best junior college baseball programs in the country.  

“It’s definitely an emotional roller coaster,” the slugger said looking back. “Struggled my freshman year last year. Coming in, just the speed of the game, of everything. Going into the summer, I kind of still struggled a little bit – seeing 90-97 mph arms every day, it still got to me a little bit just because the most I saw in high school was maybe 90 mph and that kid [former Virginia Tech commit Brady Smith] got drafted for the third round for the Dodgers.”

Myatt ended up redshirting in 2024 with no role on the playing field for the Senators.

“I let a lot of the hype get to me from my town and I knew I could not do that here. I knew I just needed to have fun and just play the way that I’m supposed to play,” the infielder said. “God gave me the talent to play it, so might as well just do it in His name and have fun out there, hopefully win some games.”

He trusted the process and continued working. The grind paid off.

This past spring, the redshirt freshman not only led Walters State in average (.484), home runs (31) and runs batted in (110), Myatt led all of junior college baseball in the categories – paving the way for the Senators to a national championship game appearance while hitting for the JUCO triple crown.  

“He [WSCC HC David Shelton] always talked about the year that I was going to have,” Myatt reflected. “Even when I wasn’t doing good last year, he was like, ‘I see you putting up very good numbers and going wherever you want to’. I was like, ‘you know what? I’m going to believe you and I’m going to stick to it.’”

With the help of Shelton, the entire Walters State staff and teammates like Daniel Ortiz, who was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals last summer, Myatt turned himself into one of the best players at the junior college level. Next week, the National Player of the Year Award will be announced, and it would come as a surprise if he does not win it.

So, what was Tennessee’s recruiting pitch? Just get here and let’s figure it out.

“That’s exactly what they said, actually,” laughed the slugger.

Myatt was primarily the designated hitter for the Senators this season but did start at second base for a few games. There’s questions regarding where he best fits around the diamond defensively, but the bat can play. Texas A&M and LSU sure thought so, too, as Myatt picked the Vols over the fellow Southeastern Conference foes.   

Infield is most likely the path for the new Tennessee commit, but he will still have a chance to get plenty of work in at different positions this summer when he will begin his play in the Appalachian League.

“Needed some older guys to come in. There’s so many freshmen they were starting this year and they need some experienced guys,” Myatt said of what the Tennessee staff told him. “I was one of the ones on their top board and hopefully I can give them what they saw. I’m going to go out there and do the best that I can, no matter what.”

With great players comes great risk and Myatt will be no exception. The JUCO triple crown winner has seen his MLB Draft stock soar the past few months as he ended the season ranked as the No. 14 JUCO prospect, per Perfect Game.

He’s going to be one to keep an eye on this summer, but right now, the focus is on playing for Tennessee.

“I’m not really thinking too much of it. Me and my family have talked. If it happens, it happens,” the new Vol concluded. “Just the numbers, they have to be right just for me to live. When you get drafted, you’re kind of signing your life away a little bit for seven years, no matter what. I need to make sure that if I’m ready for that, the money is okay for me to live off of for seven years.

“But right now, I’m wanting to wear orange.”