Brady Frederick details 'dream' of pitching for Tennessee baseball

Growing up in East Tennessee and pitching for nearby Bearden High School, Brady Frederick dreamed of playing for the University of Tennessee. That dream is going to become a reality as the former East Tennessee State hurler committed to the Vols out of the transfer portal.  

“I mean, hometown guy [who] grew up in Knoxville. I grew up watching those games and they always meant a lot to me and my family and those around me,” the pitcher told Volquest prior to his commitment. “So, to get a chance to go play on that stage is something that’s always been on my heart. But now that I have a chance to, I think it’s something super special.” 

Frederick was a two-time All-District player with the Bulldogs as a prep athlete. He won the silver slugger award for his district and reeled in ETBCA First-Team honors as a senior prior to attending ETSU.

Being able to come home and play for a coach like Tony Vitello was something he simply could not pass up once entering the NCAA transfer portal.

“He’s super upfront. He’s an honest guy. He is super fun to be around,” Frederick said of the skipper. “He’s always cracking jokes and we got along instantly. He’s a super nice guy, but at the end of the day, he cares about winning and he cares about moving his team where they need to be. That’s important.”

Not only will Frederick be able to play for a national championship winning head coach, but he’s also going to be able to learn from and be developed by one of the best pitching coaches in the country – one who has a proven track record of producing draft picks.

“He appreciated the competitor side of me, which I thought was pretty cool,” the pitcher said of his conversations with Frank Anderson. “He said he had seen it before, he had seen it in high school that he saw there’s a huge competitor side of me. Obviously, that translates over to pitching. He knows that no matter what, I’m going to go get my all for a certain day.” 

Frederick was named the Southern Conference Pitcher of the Year in 2025, compiling an impressive 8-2 record with a 2.67 ERA and 0.88 WHIP, making 24 appearances out of the bullpen with no starts. The righty tossed starter-like innings with 77.2 on the year, striking out 76 batters while walking 19. The new Vol pledge allowed 25 runs (23 earned) on 50 hits and gave up a combined 23 extra-base hits on the campaign.     

It’s a tough look in the batter’s box when squaring off against the righty as Frederick throws in a sidearm motion, coming inches away from the ground in delivery. The throwing motion is something he adopted not too long ago and it started out as a joke.     

“It actually started in high school. I was kind of messing around with my friends. My arm was tired from throwing up top and I told my coach – just messing around – if I get in today, I’m going to throw under. I’m going to throw sidearm,” the hurler reflected. “I thought that was something just kind of messing around, but he ended up putting me in. That was the first time I ever threw sidearm even in a bullpen. It was first time I’ve ever done it and ended up working out. I talked to my coach about it and they said that it actually might be a pretty great option.” 

Tennessee is no stranger to these mechanics as AJ Causey, a transfer into the program as well, won double-digit games pitching for the Vols in 2024 using this type of delivery. For those who can do it, there’s definite advantages to the look.  

“The original benefit is just that it’s a different look. It’s unique. Hitters spend all day against the guys who throw overhand and up top,” Frederick explained. “You have the same spin access and the same movement plots. So, when you give them a different look and you mix up the way that ball spinning in the way it looks on their eyes, it’s something they’re not used to seeing. You can give them a little bit of trouble to begin with.”

The pitcher is now the fourth transfer portal commit of the cycle for Tennessee as Frederick joins fellow right-handed hurlers Clay Edmondson, Mason Estrada and Bo Rhudy. The sidearm pitcher has two years of eligibility with his hometown Vols.