Eric Rataczak commits to Tennessee baseball as Niagara transfer slugger

Former Niagara first baseman Eric Rataczak committed to Tennessee baseball, he announced Monday on social media.

Rataczak was the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference player of the year in 2024 after hitting .396 with 17 homers and 71 RBIs. The left-handed hitting first baseman has one year of eligibility remaining and is eligible for the MLB draft, which starts Sunday. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Rataczak recently took part in the MLB draft league.

Rataczak led the MAAC in batting average, RBIs, and on-base percentage (.485). He set Niagara program records for home runs, RBIs, hits (88) and runs (59). He also had 31 walks with only 25 strikeouts in 222 at-bats.

Eric Rataczak commits to Tennessee baseball as Niagara transfer

Rataczak is the third player to commit to Tennessee via the transfer portal this offseason. Former Kennesaw State pitcher Tanner Franklin was the first transfer to commit to UT. Former Louisville infielder Gavin Kilen followed on July 4.

Rataczak has a unique path through college baseball, having played club baseball at San Diego twice, with stints at Wabash Valley Community College in Illinois and Arizona Western Community College in between.

Tennessee has received commitments from draft-eligible transfers in each of the past two seasons. UConn two-way transfer Reggie Crawford was taken by the San Francisco Giants with the No. 30 pick in the 2022 MLB Draft and signed. Wofford transfer infielder Ryan Galanie signed with the Chicago White Sox in 2023 after he was picked in the 13th round.

Rataczak is a draft risk, but likely less so than Crawford and Galanie.

Tennessee baseball has had major success in transfer portal

Tennessee has been to back-to-back College World Series with a big boost from transfers in both seasons.

BOOK:Celebrate Tennessee baseball's epic CWS national championship with our special new book

The Vols added third baseman Billy Amick and his 23 homers as the biggest offensive addition. Dalton Bargo and Cannon Peebles also were key transfers who will be back in the 2025 season on the offensive side. AJ Causey, Nate Snead and Chris Stamos had pivotal roles on the pitching staff. Causey was one of two pitchers in the nation to win 13 games.

In 2023, Andrew Lindsey emerged as Tennessee's Friday night starter as a transfer. Maui Ahuna, Zane Denton, and Griffin Merritt were key cogs in the lineup. Denton's three-run homer at Clemson was the biggest swing of the season. The 2023 team also benefited from two 2022 transfers in pitchers Chase Dollander and Seth Halvorsen.

Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it