Outfielder Spencer Jones, first baseman Dominic Keegan and right-hander Chris McElvain are almost certainly gone. For tips and comments, feel free to reach out to: The Commodores played their home games at Hawkins Field.Coach Tim Corbin led the Commodores in his 19th season with the program, reaching the 2021 College World Series finals, finishing . Head coach Mark Kingston's bunch outlasted North Carolina A&T (3-5) squad 11-3 on Tuesday afternoon at Founders Park to remain as one of just . After posting a team-high .345 batting average last year, Keegan will be the key to the Commodores offensive success. So take our prediction with a grain of salt. He can be reached at [emailprotected], Peabody EDI Office responds to MSU shooting with email written using ChatGPT, SAE bids students affiliated with former DKE chapter after denouncing underground organizations, GUEST EDITORIAL: Vanderbilt Chose Not to Expel My Rapist, Bubble Watch? It seems like Vaz might start at second base, but the senior should still get looks in left field, given his incredible speed and big-play ability out in the open. The senior infielder committed just two errors in 43 games played last season. The freshman out of Powell, Tennessee was the ninth-ranked player and the second-ranked catcher in the volunteer state. Former Vanderbilt baseball ace Kumar Rocker had shoulder surgery in fall | Report, Where every Vanderbilt baseball player is playing summer ball, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. One can assume Corbins decision will most likely come down to who plays better at the start of the season and maintains consistent play. Vanderbilt unveils 2023 baseball schedule. Maldonado attended Seton Hall Prep like his brother before him and was a Perfect Game Top 150 prospect. But Vanderbilt returns several pitchers who were part of the rotation last season. Little Rock Central (Ark.) OF, Junior All rights reserved. He led the nation with 47 stolen bases and posted a .336 batting average, good for second overall on the team. Rounding out the group is redshirt freshman Colton Regen. Johnson was a freshman All-American for the Dores in 1996 as an outfielder and earned All-American honors two years later. Full Vanderbilt Commodores roster for the 2022-23 season including position, height, weight, birthdate, years of experience, and college. These batters are lucky if they even get a foul ball against his stuff. In previous years, Tate Kolwyck has gotten plenty of time at second base, but with Dominic Keegan moving behind the plate, Kolwyck has been taking reps at first most of the spring. 2016 roster. After posting a team-high .345 batting average last year, Keegan will be the key to the Commodores offensive success. He played in 66 of 67 games his sophomore year and appeared in 48 last season. Though his game action has been infrequent to this point, McKenzie sports a .287 career batting average as well and figures to be a key veteran presence in 2023. The Georgia duo made themselves known early in the 2021. , with Mallory Jr. driving in Smith for the first run of Game 1. Corbin has said that he could play a number of different positions moving forward, but first base is where he could land sooner rather than later. McKenzie flashed power in his limited opportunities last season and followed up on that with a promising fall, positioning the senior to crack the starting lineup for the first time. Despite the ever-present chill thats still in the Nashville air, its almost baseball season. His greatest asset, however, is his patience at the plate. Head coach Tim Corbin acknowledged that [Vastine] is one of the best pure athletes on [the] team, and the feeling within the VandyBoys locker room is that the sophomore is ready to make a jump. Nashville Tennessean. this offseason. Sophomore left-hander Ryan Ginther showed promise in a high-leverage relief role at the end of the season. Corbin has admired Berkwichs drive to attack the strike zone and not back away from anyone at the plate, no matter who it may be. A number of different players could receive time at first base if Kolwyck finds his way elsewhere, including Keegan and Jack Bulger. The MLB Draft, which begins in two weeks, will trim the roster further. The deadline to enter the transfer portal was July 1 in order to be eligible immediately for the 2023 season. The Florida native accumulated a 9-3 record as a freshman and finished his season by tossing six shutout innings in Vanderbilts lone regional final win over Oregon State. And valuable upperclassmen such as, But life goes on for Corbin and the VandyBoys, and in place of the losses, the Commodore skipper has added plenty of underclassmen talent and has high hopes for a number of experienced Commodores. Reilly has been so close to solidifying the Sunday starter spot since he started with the program, but has never been given the conclusive nod. The speedster swiped five bases last season with just 42 at-bats and boasted a .396 on-base percentage. Nonetheless, his raw power and potential should make him an opening day starter. Some of the draft-eligible players will likely come for another year as well. mostly utilized a two-pitch mix as a freshman, with an arsenal more predicated on control than velocity. . While each only boasted ERAs of 4.98 and 5.48 respectively, their best baseball is undoubtedly ahead of them. The power-hitting righty appeared in 42 games last season but saw his power numbers take a hit after battling two wrist injuries throughout the year. Many experts project Young to be the first shortstop selected in the 2022 MLB Draft. With the departure of Carter Young, we expect Diaz to slide over into his natural position in the middle of the field. His greatest asset, however, is his stellar defense- hallmarked by a career .972 fielding percentage.Yet, the greatest impact Noland has on the VandyBoys is far greater than his on the field talents. TRANSFER STRATEGY:Should Vanderbilt baseball, Tim Corbin take more transfers? Feb 12 @ Tennessee, Vanderbilt (13-11) Loss vs. Tennessee, 64-73 . The Vanderbilt Hustler Sports staff provides their position-by-position expectations ahead of the VandyBoys season opener on Feb. 18. Here are all the former Vanderbilt baseball players on MLB Opening Day rosters. Diaz may not see much action this season, but he will learn an exceptional amount as a backup player for a soon-to-be MLB player and could move around the infield to other positions this season as well. Feb 8, Vanderbilt (13-10) Win vs. Missouri, 70-62; 24. 7 Oklahoma State. OF/RHP, Freshman The departures of Dominic Keegan, Spencer Jones, Tate Kolwyck, and Carter Young leave the Commodores without four of their top five home run hitters from last season and winning games is a whole lot harder when you dont leave the ballpark. RHP, Junior Powered by WMT Digital. Junior Enrique Bradfield Jr. figures to be one of the top players in the country in 2023. Corbin has credited him with his patience, his defensive improvement and his ability to always play the game at a fast pace. DET. Vanderbilt and Vanderbilt logos are registered trademarks of Vanderbilt University, 2022 Vanderbilt University . 6-4/225. With the departure of Carter Young, we expect Diaz to slide over into his natural position in the middle of the field. Sophomore OF . Many experts project Young to be the first shortstop selected in the 2022 MLB Draft. This site is not affiliated with Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt University Athletics, or Vanderbilt Baseball. College World Series appearance will begin on Feb. 18 when they host No. If he improves his control while retaining his dominant, electrifying pitching style, we expect to see No. Last season, while still a limited sample size, Hewett had an On-base Percentage (OBP) of .427 and an On-Base + Slugging (OPS) of .931. He totaled 45.2 innings last season and notched 58 strikeouts, while allowing 27 walks. For the first time since the 2020 season, Vanderbilt will open the campaign on the road when the Commodores begin their spring slate with their first appearance in the College Baseball Showdown at Globe Life Fieldhome of the Texas Rangers. Through two college seasons, Bradfield Jr. has looked like what would happen if former 14-year MLB veteran Juan Pierre added plus-plus defense and a bit of juice in his bat to his game. Robbins led Vanderbilt with a career-high 15 points and 6.8 rebounds per game this season. The. [emailprotected] The VandyBoys will start the campaign with a Friday matchup against TCU on Feb. 17 before facing off against Oklahoma State and Texas to round out the weekend. While Vastines freshman numbers a .196 batting average may not exactly pop out, he spent the summer sharpening his game in the Northwoods league. Junior IF Cooper Davis 3. The Hustler reserves the right to remove comments that contain vulgarity, hate speech, personal attacks or that appear to be spam, commercial promotion or impersonation. Miguel Beristain. Bradfield Jr. is the fastest player on the team, but in situations where he may be off the field, Corbin very well may look to put in McKenzie. 7 Vanderbilt battles back against Austin Peay to pick up sixth win of the season, 11-7, Three up, three down: VandyBoys beat the Bruins, Weekend Update: Vanderbilt wins two out of three against UCLA, No. High School Reunion Tournament, Vanderbilt admits 15.7% of early decision applicants, record low, VandyBoys Series Preview: Battling the Big Ten at the Cambria College Classic, No. Diaz posted an unreal .353 OBP, having almost as many walks as hits and getting beaned 8 times last year. The Vanderbilt Commodores will head to Arlington, Texas this weekend for the College Baseball Showdown at Globe Life Field to kick off their 2023 season. The comment sections are moderated by our Editor-in-Chief, Rachael Perrotta, and our Social Media Director, Chloe Postlewaite. Vanderbilt Baseball plays in the 2020 Black and Gold Series. Matthew Polk 1. Vanderbilt does not have any players who are out of eligibility, but regardless it will lose several to the draft. . To go along with his athleticism, Vastine has an exceptional combination of power and contact as a hitter. He rang in 64 hits for the team, which was the fourth most for Vanderbilt. A 61 frame and springy swing allows the Florida native to uncork his plus-power, which should translate to doubles and home run potential from the corner spot. 5 (0.6126) SOS. Collegiate Data ( about ) courtesy SABR's Collegiate Committee. 46 (0.5437) Quadrant Records . Fans may recall his clutch 2-run bomb in the bottom of the ninth against Indiana State last season, setting up Enrique Bradfield Jr. to eventually steal home and win the game in the bottom of the 11th. Hehad 12 strikeouts to two walks in 7 innings. His 2-3 record is a slight dip from the 4-2 record he posted in his freshman year, despite his ERA remaining relatively the same. Poteet is an interesting case. Whether its at first, second or even designated hitter, he will be a central figure in this years lineup. With 38 players on the fall roster, almost everyone will get a chance to contribute to . (Vanderbilt Athletics), Justin Hershey, Kavi Jakes, Sam Curtis, Andrew Wilf and Andy Carr February 13, 2022. Kevin Ziomek. Any of the three could also be lockdown relievers. Vanderbilt will most likely split time at designated hitter between outfielder Calvin Hewett and utility man Matthew Polk. When not writing for The Hustler, Bowman can be found exploring Nashville, defending 2019 LSU football as the greatest college football team of all time and watching the New Orleans Saints choke in another playoff appearance. If Vanderbilt Athletics gave out a Most Improved Player award, Diaz wouldve been a finalist last year. That leaves six contributors who are gone: bullpen arms Donye Evans, Brett Hansen and Greysen Carter, shortstop Carter Young, first baseman Gavin Casas and most notably, right-hander Christian Little, who transferred to LSU. It seems the prolific junior is out of words to describe him, but Ill try to start with this: EBJ is one of the most talented players to. So we will slot in Javier Vaz, the transfer from LSU Eunice Junior College who became a fan-favorite last summer during the College World Series. Still, he tallied 25 RBIs and finished the year with nearly a .900 OPS. NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Vanderbilt will host 32 games at Hawkins Field and play 55 contests, highlighting the complete 2023 schedule unveiled by head coach Tim Corbin. Hes also a solid baserunner, stealing four bags and scoring 40 runs for the VandyBoys. Look for him to truly come onto the scene as he settles into his starting role. Senior OF CJ Rodriguez 5. IF, Freshman He was excellent last year in 15 starts, finishing 8-4 with a 3.14 earned-run average (ERA), an impressive strikeout rate of 10.9 per nine innings and kept the walks down to just 3.2 per nine. Bryce Smith ('23) is majoring in human and organizational development in Peabody College with a minor in business. Davis Diaz and Matthew Polk are the most experienced of the sophomore position players and both will need to improve in their second year. Holton is the favorite to be the Friday starter. Player B/T Pos Ht/Wt Cl. The shortstop from California had a remarkable senior year at Orange Lutheran in Long Beach, California, where he had a .375 batting average, 26 RBIs and helped his team achieve their most successful season in school history. over Stanford. L/L. 219. A bottleneck has developed in the veteran quarterback market, as two needy teams the New York Jets and Las Vegas Raiders appear to be in low gear as they await word on Rodgers. Before writing for The Hustler, Andrew worked for FanWide. Hes also a solid baserunner, stealing four bags and scoring 40 runs for the VandyBoys. He began his Commodore career as a reliever, but quickly became one of the arms Coach Corbin turned to whenever he needed a ringer. . TJ McKenzie and Troy LaNeve got minimal playing time in 2022, making them unlikely to be drafted, but could still break out as seniors. The anchors of Vanderbilt's 2023 team will be center fielder Enrique Bradfield Jr., already a two-time All-American, and freshmen All-American starting pitchers Carter Holton and Devin Futrell . As such, the Vanderbilt Hustler has you covered with our projected lineup ahead of the opening weekend tournament: The expectation is for Jack Bulger to start the season at catcher. The pair are both draft-eligible, but after missingtime to Tommy John surgery (Hliboki last pitched in a game in April 2021 and Doolin in March 2020), they seem unlikely to be drafted. Freshman OF Vince Conde 3. last spring. If Corbin feels keeping Maldonado in the bullpen is important, expect senior Thomas Schultz or freshman Carter Holton to step into a weekend starter role. High School Reunion Tournament, Vanderbilt admits 15.7% of early decision applicants, record low, VandyBoys Series Preview: Battling the Big Ten at the Cambria College Classic, No. RHP, Sophomore Kavi enjoys running and competes vicariously through the Vanderbilt cross-country and track and field teams. His greatest asset, however, is his stellar defense- hallmarked by a career .972 fielding percentage.Yet, the greatest impact Noland has on the VandyBoys is far greater than his on the field talents. He led the nation with 47 stolen bases and posted a .336 batting average, good for second overall on the team. Vanderbilt and Vanderbilt logos are registered trademarks of Vanderbilt University, 2022 Vanderbilt University , The Vanderbilt Hustler welcomes and encourages readers to engage with content and express opinions through the comment sections on our website and social media platforms. Name Pos. Tim Corbins 2023 squad features many new faces after the departures of program stalwarts like Spencer Jones, Dominic Keegan and Christian Little this offseason. C, Senior Powered by WMT Digital. Diaz will be able to learn from one of the greatest shortstops in all of college baseball as a backup for Young. 1 overall pick in the MLB Draft by years end. Stats; Season; Roster; Games . The freshman will have a large hole to fill on the right side of the infield with the departure of Tate Kolwyck, who. But Vaz himself told reporters last Friday that he doesnt even know where he will end up playing. 6-0/200. Although the junior only appeared in four games last season, he has been used at times as a pinch runner because of his speed. Head coach Tim Corbin will have a tough choice on his hands as neither player has received ample playing time to this point. 7 Oklahoma State. He currently serves as a staff writer for the Sports section. The Official Athletic Site of the Vanderbilt Commodores. Senior IF Cooper Davis 3. Noland tallied 43 RBIs and seven home runs last season. Powered by WMT Digital. Senior IF Rob Gordon 3. Berkwich, a talented sophomore, made 10 appearances last season, totaling 14 2/3 innings, but most impressive were his 19 strikeouts to just three walks. If Kolwyck doesnt maintain his standing over at first base, expect him to likely start at second instead. With two seasons as a Commodore under his belt, McKenzie may see more time in a reserve-level role in center field or a corner outfield position in 2022. The most comprehensive coverage of the Vanderbilt Baseball on the web with highlights, scores, game summaries, schedule and rosters. Vanderbilt University is a top school for some of the most talented aspiring collegiate baseball players in the country. Backstops CJ Rodriguez and Maxwell Romero Jr. have found new homes. Seven of those 11 inactive players have since entered the portal. When hes off, its a way different story. In previous years, Tate Kolwyck has gotten plenty of time at second base, but with Dominic Keegan moving behind the plate, Kolwyck has been taking reps at first most of the spring. The deadline to enter the transfer portal was July 1 in order to be eligible immediately for the 2023 season. On Wednesday, Vanderbilt baseball released their 2023 conference schedule. throughout the year. The talented sophomore was one of two Commodores selected to the Baseball America Preseason. February 14: Michigan L, 4-3; February 15: UConn W, 6-1; February 16: Cal Poly L, 9-8; . 7 Vanderbilt on Friday. Aria Gerson. McKenzie could get some looks in right field with center firmly occupied, but expect the bulk of the non-Jones reps to go to Mallory Jr. and Smith. Hliboki, who last pitched in April 2021 due to injury, could follow that path. 2022 Vanderbilt Baseball Commit List NAME XIV Stars POS. Anderson, Vaz, Noland,Bulger, LaNeve and McKenzie are other draft-eligible players who are unlikely to be picked in the first 10 rounds and could opt for another year at Vanderbilt. LaNeve came on strong in 2021 after getting his opportunity in May. If all goes according to plan, Bradfield Jr. will be in the mix for the Golden Spikes Award and the No. Look for Vanderbilts Rich Hill equivalent to keep on improving in 2023. Keegan returns to Vanderbilt for a fourth year on West End after being taken by the New York Yankees with the 573rd pick in the MLB Draft last spring. Plus Ciaja Harbison thoughts and VandyBoys weekend roundup, FELLAS: Vanderbilts ChatGPT email is automated hypocrisy, Two Vanderbilt students compete in Jeopardy! IF, Sophomore He gave the team an offensive spark in key moments and was truly a revelation for Corbin at the midseason mark with a playoff push coming. 2016. He does have a home run to his namea solo shot he hit in his most recent game against Florida International University, so if the sophomore gets a chance, its possible he cements a spot in the lineup going forward. You can reach him at lucas.f.rollfinke@vanderbilt.edu. Freshman C Karl Ellison 25. 2020 Vanderbilt Baseball Roster No. However, like many of the VandyBoys, LaNeve slumped in the College World Series, bringing into question whether his run down the stretch was a fluke. Nebraska baseball took a massive step forward Friday, topping No. Young enters his junior campaign as one of college baseballs best shortstops. You can reach him at[emailprotected], Sam Curtis (24) is majoring in human and organizational development and French and minoring in data science in Peabody College. Baseball; Football; Basketball . He brought power and a clutch gene to the Commodore lineup, exemplified by a. against Kentucky on May 20. He can spray the ball all over the field, hit with powerhe was second on the team last season with 15 home runsand finds his way onto the bases nearly half the time (.427 OBP last season). Ben Bowden. Though Keegan will likely remain behind the plate, he has spent time at first base and is a backup option there for the Commodores should the need arise. He was rewarded for his efforts by being named to the 2021 Freshman All-SEC team. R/R. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on Twitter @aria_gerson. McElvain, a junior, made 22 appearances on the mound last season, the third most on the team, including one start. Juniors Patrick Reilly and Hunter Owen and sophomore Bryce Cunningham all have starting experience and are pitching in the Cape Cod League this summer. The power-hitting righty appeared in 42 games last season but saw his power numbers take a hit after battling. Jones flashed strong offensive and defensive tendencies last year, and seems to have earned a secure spot in the lineup heading into 2022. Patrick Reilly is one of the more electric pitchers in the Vanderbilt staff, and its within good reason. Roster turnover is present each and every year in college baseball, but his 20th year on West End will mark a new challenge for head coach Tim Corbin. In his free time, he enjoys golfing. Before the. For the first time since the 2020 season, Vanderbilt will open the campaign on the road when the . One College World Series team shows how, Where every Vanderbilt baseball player is playing summer ball, Vanderbilt baseball transfer tracker: Who has entered the portal, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Last season, Kolwyck mashed 9 home runs and hit 36 RBIs to go along with a .330 OBP and a .812 OPS. UTL, Senior The Official Athletic Site of the Vanderbilt Commodores. The 2021 Vanderbilt Commodores baseball team represented Vanderbilt University during the 2021 NCAA Division I baseball season.Vanderbilt competed in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Young enters his junior campaign as one of college baseballs best shortstops. This is kind of a cop-out answer, but these two work best as a junior-senior tandem. The sophomore has earned a right to more opportunities, but his path is obstructed by two stalwarts in Keegan and LaNeve. Frankie Sheehy ('24) writes for The Hustler Sports section and is a student in the College of Arts and Science with a major in law, history and society. The Commodores are set to play exhibitions against Arizona State and Samford, plus a Black and Gold intrasquad game, as they look to . He will provide leadership and experience to a hopeful Commodore squad that looks to make a splash come June. 2023 Vanderbilt University Commodores (Southeastern Conference) batting and pitching stats + roster + season information. . The Commodores will face a trio of Big Ten opponents in Minnesota (March 3), Nebraska (March 4) and Maryland (March 5). with the Los Angeles Angels as an undrafted free agent in July. 2022 Vanderbilt Baseball Roster 2022 Vanderbilt Baseball Roster. He attacks hitters with a fierce fastball, trying to get ahead before whipping out his offspeed to keep his opponents on their front leg. The talented freshman was a top 20 prospect in Florida, tallying 15 RBIs while hitting .418 as a senior. Vanderbilt's Enrique Bradfield Jr. gets on base against Army on Feb. 26, 2021. Tyler Campbell 2. The senior infielder committed just two errors in 43 games played last season. NO. That was certainly the case for Futrell last year despite his progress and the inconsistency in the Sunday starting role. This composure at the plate, as well as a year of experience under his belt, has Vastine poised to do big things this season. While players doenter the portal in the fall, the majority of those not currently in the portal who are not draft-eligible will be on the team next season. Though he doesnt have an overwhelming fastball, his swing-and-miss stuff was consistent all year, and his command was fantastic. Barcelona's Alejandro Balde, left, and Real Madrid's Nacho fight for the ball during the final of the Spanish Super Cup between Barcelona and Real Madrid in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Jan. 16 . Vanderbilt's relief corps took a heavy hit, as the majority of its bullpen arms in 2022 are either draft-eligible or in the portal. Aces of old, have moved on. don the Black and Gold and has a chance to put together one of the most decorated individual seasons in VandyBoys history in 2023. Whether he was batting eighth or batting second, he found a way to impact the team on the offensive end, a quality that all great players want to have. The 7-footer racked up an SEC-best 82 blocks, which averaged out to 3.2 blocks per game. Beyond just the experience and consistency, Bulger posted a very solid .269 batting average last season to go along with 57 hits and 25 RBIs. In addition to writing, Aiden is an avid New York sports fan, and he loves playing sports, spending time outdoors and trying new foods. Last season, he often batted first, as his ability to steal bases proved to be a huge difference maker for the Commodores. DATE DAY MATCHUP RESULT/TIME GAME INFO; Feb 19: Fri: Wright State: Postponed: SEC NETWORK + Feb 20: Sat: Wright State: Postponed: SEC NETWORK + Feb 21: Sun: Wright State: Postponed: SEC NETWORK + Feb 22: Mon: Wright State: W 14-1: SEC NETWORK + Feb 22: Mon: Wright State: W 1-0 . As with all freshman thrust into a crucial role with a top-tier program, Maldonado will have his freshman moments but should inspire confidence in Commodore fans as the season progresses. C, Freshman , The Hustler Sports Staff provides a detailed breakdown of Vanderbilts projected lineup and key reserves: In one of the most interesting preseason position battles, it seems that senior Tate Kolwyck will take over for Dominic Keegan at first base this season. And valuable upperclassmen such as Jayson Gonzalez and Isaiah Thomas are no longer in the mix, either. Junior His maturity, leadership, and experience will be invaluable to the Commodores, especially in the postseason. Polk, a sophomore, posted roughly similar figures across his 36 ABs last season, with an OBP of .372 and OPS of .733. 9 (0.5907) Non-Conference RPI. But after struggling offensively at times in 2022, the Commodores are likely to lose their two best hitters. Its possible he is playing things close to the chest; its equally possible that he truly doesnt know who will take the hill next weekend against Oklahoma State. Unlike many of the other hitters in the starting lineup, Noland is a Vanderbilt veteran with the game experience to back it up. He can be reached at [emailprotected], Andrew Wilf ('24) is from Livingston, New Jersey, and is majoring in history and minoring in business. The first wave of Vanderbilt baseball's offseason attrition is done. Jams that Ive seen him get out of before, but jams nonetheless. He is an avid fan of the Mets, Knicks, Rangers and Vikings. That comfortability, I believe, will cause an increase in his fielding percentagewhich already sits at an incredible .930as well as the other aspects of his game. C, Junior Sophomores Rob Gordon and Jonathan Vastine are other infielders who will look to have a larger impact. Senior right-handerMichael Doolin, who missed the last two seasons after undergoing two elbow surgeries, will return, according to Robbie Weinstein of 247Sports. The Bruins took the first-ever meeting in the series, on Feb. 26, 2010 at Jackie Robinson Stadium as Gerrit Cole out-dueled Sonny Gray in a 9-2 UCLA win.