Carson-Newman Baseball Position Previews: Outfielders
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – We begin our 2026 Carson-Newman baseball position previews with a look into the team’s outfielders with help from sophomore outfielder Braxton Smith.
VIDEO: Braxton Smith Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – We begin our 2026 Carson-Newman baseball position previews with a look into the team's outfielders with help from sophomore outfielder Braxton Smith.
Among the three previews, this group takes the biggest hit. C-N will have to replace multi-year starters in centerfielder Trey Miller and right fielder Spencer Williams. Miller made 132 appearances and hit .280 for his career and swiped 33 bags, while Williams was a career .300 hitter in 148 games and was third on the team with 57 hits in 2025. That outfield duo combined to steal half of C-N's bases in 2025 as well.
"It was a great experience to play with those veterans," Smith said. "They brought energy and helped me out being young and figuring out how things were run here. It was really good to have them."
Smith is one of a handful returning outfielders for 2026. Smith made 23 starts in left field, three in right field and just one in center but with the void in center, may be asked to spend most of his 2026 season manning the outfield.
"I've got experience there because I've played there growing up," Smith said. "I don't think it will be a problem transitioning. Having Trey still around on the staff and him being able to coach me up and show me his techniques. Being able to learn from him is big."
Smith was a valuable weapon in his split time on the field, hitting .283 in his 36 appearances. He drove in 15 runs and reached base more than 40 percent of the time.
Joining Smith as a returning outfielders are redshirt-junior Ryan Bolton and graduate student Seth Benner. Bolton made 25 starts in left field this past season, the most on the club. The Knoxville native posted a .297 batting average, driving in 14 runs in 39 appearances.
Battling injuries throughout the year, Benner appeared in just 28 games and hit .237. Despite just 59 at bats, the graduate student drove in 10 runs and hit two home runs. Benner's .430 on-base percentage was one of the highest on the team.
"Bolton is a veteran guy that brings great energy," Smith said. "It's good to have him still and Seth was a big bat for us last year. It's good to have him back as well."
Junior Wade Carruthers and redshirt sophomore Kylan Hornbuckle are in the mix for time in the outfield as well. Mainly as a pinch runner, Hornbuckle went two for two in stolen bases and recorded his first career hit in his first career at bat versus Mars Hill on April 26.
The Eagles bring in two transfers to add to this outfield group.
Bradley Soto Diaz joins Carson-Newman after spending 2025 at William Penn and the prior two seasons at Cayuga Community College. With William Penn, Soto Diaz hit .385 and tied their program's single-season home run record with 17 long balls to pair along with 42 RBI. At Cayuga CC, Soto Diaz was an all-conference player hitting nearly .400 at the plate.
Ian Hubbard joins C-N after one season at Radford. The Oak Ridge native had 12 at bats in seven games with the Highlanders and recorded one RBI.
Jack Wyatt is the only freshman outfielder, joining C-N from Clarksville.
"I think the good thing about this year is that we have so much depth," Smith said. "There is a lot of guys that can play. Ian, Bradley and Jack Wyatt all really shined over the fall. I know Ian and Bradley are two power bats, so it will be good to have them in the lineup.
The Carson-Newman baseball position previews continue on Wednesday, January 21st with a preview of the team's infielders with Aiden Gibson.
