PGCROSSCHECKER COLLEGE TEAM SCOUTING REPORT

26. TENNESSEE (31-24, did not qualify for NCAA post-season play).

Conference/Projected Finish: Southeastern/6^th (11-18, 10^th in 2006).

Coach: Rod Delmonico (665-371, 17 years).

First Game: Feb. 2 at Florida State .

OVERVIEW: There isn’t a team in the country that can match Tennessee ’s trio of top prospects for this year’s draft. LHP James Adkins (8-6, 4.50), C J.P. Arencibia (.352-11-52) and OF Julio Borbon (.366-1-30, 19 SB), all juniors, are all potential first-round picks in June, with Arencibia and Borbon given an excellent shot of going in the initial 10 selections. Sophomore SS Tony Delmonico (.335-3-36) and senior RHP Craig Cobb (9-3, 3.31) also return, but the Volunteers finished well out of contention in the SEC a year ago with those same players in the lineup.

X-Factor: The Vols roster has experienced significant turnover from last year’s disappointing season. Among those purged was sophomore RHP Josh Lindblom (4-6, 5.01), the highest unsigned pick from the 2005 draft (Astros, third round). He’s now at Purdue. Sophomore LHP Lance McClain, who helped Walters State (Tenn. ) to a national junior college title in 2006, takes Lindblom’s spot in the rotation. Newcomers will also start at five positions in the field. 

TOP FRESHMAN: Yan Gomes, of. Three freshmen from Miami —Gomes, RHP Ryan Butner and LHP Nick Hernandez--are all scheduled to play pivotal roles for the Volunteers. The hard-hitting Gomes will start in right field.

TOP SOPHOMORE: Tony Delmonico, ss. The son of the Tennessee coach, Delmonico is a premium talent who is advanced in all phases of the game, especially the glove. He’ll be one of the first college shortstops drafted in 2008.

TOP JUNIOR: Julio Borbon, of. Scouts have described the 6-foot-1, 190-pound lefthanded-hitting center fielder as a Johnny Damon clone—with power potential. Borbon has no real weaknesses in his swing, has been clocked in the 60-yard dash in 6.28 seconds and can chase fly balls down with the best. Like Damon, his biggest weakness is his arm strength.

TOP SENIOR: Craig Cobb, rhp. At 5-foot-10, Cobb doesn’t profile for pro ball. He doesn’t throw hard enough, either, but he’s effective at getting college hitters out and he’ll be used ahead of the 6-foot-6 Adkins in the Tennessee rotation.