Hailing from Chicago, Bryce is a die-hard Bears and Cubs fan who is also hoping that the Bulls and Blackhawks may one day rekindle their dominance. 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. Vanderbilt baseball: What we learned from first fall practice 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. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on Twitter @aria_gerson. 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 . LHP, Junior Whether its at first, second or even designated hitter, he will be a central figure in this years lineup. Sophomores Rob Gordon and Jonathan Vastine are other infielders who will look to have a larger impact. Freshman C Karl Ellison 25. The lefty was the No. The. . Robbins led Vanderbilt with a career-high 15 points and 6.8 rebounds per game this season. 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. from last years roster, look for McElvain to be the first player out of the bullpen for the Commodores this year. Examining Vanderbilt baseball's roster options after transfer portal If Young stays healthy and boosts his batting average, he may emerge as one of the great shortstops Vanderbilt has ever seen. They are two of only five returning pitchers who threw 40-plus innings last season and two of only four pitchers who started games last year. 2022 Roster Position Players. Find out the latest on your favorite NCAAB players on . 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. A number of different players could receive time at first base if Kolwyck finds his way elsewhere, including Keegan and Jack Bulger. Full Schedule Announced. While the role of closer may be handed back to Nick Maldonado this spring, Schultz should still be one of the first names Tim Corbin turns to when the going gets tough. Patrick Reilly got the nod for the Commodores on Tuesday, making his 11th career start. 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. Jones flashed strong offensive and defensive tendencies last year, and seems to have earned a secure spot in the lineup heading into 2022. Last season, he often batted first, as his ability to steal bases proved to be a huge difference maker for the Commodores. How to watch Vanderbilt baseball vs TCU live stream in season opener Schultz was one of the pleasant surprises on last years Vandy Boys team when, after appearing in just 18 games over his first two seasons, he took over as the teams primary closer, posting a 2.88 ERA with a 3.3 K/BB ratio. Keegan played nearly every game last year and has become a cornerstone of this VandyBoys program. share. The annual Battle of the Barrel against Louisville will be renewed on May 3, as the Commodores will face the Cardinals on the road on May 9. Jonathan Vastine enters his sophomore year looking to build off of a solid foundation from the 2021-22 season. TJ McKenzie and Troy LaNeve got minimal playing time in 2022, making them unlikely to be drafted, but could still break out as seniors. For Vanderbilt's two freshman phenoms, success is a family affair 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. 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. Outside of sports, he enjoys traveling and learning about history and philosophy. Vanderbilts second baseman will almost entirely depend on Vanderbilts first base situation. Roster; Games . The speedster swiped five bases last season with just 42 at-bats and boasted a .396 on-base percentage. This year, he is expected to move into the closer role and should shine, with a fast ball in the low-90s and a devastating curveball that peaks around 75 mph. McElvain, a junior, made 22 appearances on the mound last season, the third most on the team, including one start. Projecting the third starter is no doubt the challenge, but we will project former reliever Nick Maldonado to step into that role. LaNeve came on strong in 2021 after getting his opportunity in May. UTL, Sophomore The most comprehensive coverage of the Vanderbilt Baseball on the web with highlights, scores, game summaries, schedule and rosters. If all goes according to plan, Bradfield Jr. will be in the mix for the Golden Spikes Award and the No. 17 UCLA. 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). September 14, 2022. Diaz will be able to learn from one of the greatest shortstops in all of college baseball as a backup for Young. Announce Sports dropdown. Ben Bowden. UTL, Junior Here's the Vanderbilt baseball roster. 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. 2013-2. C, Freshman As a freshman, Espinal saw only six games of action due to the extraordinary depth at catcher last season, but he might get some looks this year if Keegan moves to first base or takes on a designated hitter role at some point. Vanderbilt's Enrique Bradfield Jr. gets on base against Army on Feb. 26, 2021. 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. With 38 players on the fall roster, almost everyone will get a chance to contribute to . He has been training as a starter this offseason and will likely get a chance to do so this year. 1 (0.5870) Non-Conference SOS. He totaled 45.2 innings last season and notched 58 strikeouts, while allowing 27 walks. After posting a team-high .345 batting average last year, Keegan will be the key to the Commodores offensive success. Whether its at first, second or even designated hitter, he will be a central figure in this years lineup. Now he will bring his three-pitch mix, which features a powerful two-seam fastball and a devastating slider, back to Nashville to don the black and gold for one more season. Nashville Tennessean. Junior OF CJ Rodriguez 5. Vanderbilt University is a top school for some of the most talented aspiring collegiate baseball players in the country. OF, Senior IF, Sophomore (Vanderbilt Athletics), Justin Hershey, Kavi Jakes, Sam Curtis, Andrew Wilf and Andy Carr February 13, 2022. Before the. If you scrolled down to read about Enrique Bradfield Jr. first, I cant exactly blame you (but trust me, go back up and read about the rest of this offense). For years, Tim Corbin has nurtured and developed freshmen pitchers in the midweek starter role who have gone on to become elite college arms (Mason Hickman, Kumar Rocker, Jack Leiter just in the last few seasons) and even World Series winners (Walker Buehler comes to mind). 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. , 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. Jones got some run late last year in a designated hitter and outfielder role and proved to be a dependable player. Behind him are junior Alan Espinal and incoming freshmen Logan Poteet and Cade Law. Player B/T Pos Ht/Wt Cl. McKenzie who is the younger brother of Cleveland Guardian pitcher Triston McKenzie was selected in the 39th round of the 2019 MLB Draft (St. Louis Cardinals) before enrolling at Vanderbilt. He will provide leadership and experience to a hopeful Commodore squad that looks to make a splash come June. 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. 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. Maldonado attended Seton Hall Prep like his brother before him and was a Perfect Game Top 150 prospect. I was fortunate enough to be in the press box for the Davis Diaz breakout game against Missouri, including his first collegiate home run and a back pick at third that got the attention of Chris Rose and Jomboy Media, and I was amazed by his skill and his mind. In 2023, rosters will be going back to 35 with a caveat: a team can have up to 40 players if the five extra players lost their 2020 season. Vanderbilt baseball is slated to have another top pitching rotation in 2023 after relying largely on freshmen in 2022. If all goes according to plan, Bradfield Jr. will be in the mix for the Golden Spikes Award and the No. 24 overall prospect in the class of 2021 according to Perfect Game and pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings in Game 1 of the. Backstops CJ Rodriguez and Maxwell Romero Jr. have found new homes. The first wave of Vanderbilt baseball's offseason attrition is done. Outfield is also the position where draft-eligible players are most likely to return. Coach Corbin even stated that, The best gift a program receives is when a senior player returns for their final year. While it seems unlikely that Poteet will play as soon as this weekend, hell likely get more time down the line, and the future seems bright for the young catcher. IF, Junior 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. . mostly utilized a two-pitch mix as a freshman, with an arsenal more predicated on control than velocity. 2023 www.tennessean.com. 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. Jr. Lynn English (Mass.) 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. 0:36. The freshman will have a large hole to fill on the right side of the infield with the departure of Tate Kolwyck, who signed with the Los Angeles Angels as an undrafted free agent in July. Vanderbilt opens SEC play at home for the third year in a row, as the squad welcomes Ole Miss to Hawkins Field from March 17-29. 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. NO. IF, Freshman 2021 Vanderbilt Baseball Commit List NAME XIV Stars POS. Although Young had a batting average of .252 last season, he capitalized in clutch moments, such as scoring two of Vanderbilts four runs in the NCAA Super Regional game. The talented sophomore was one of two Commodores selected to the Baseball America Preseason All-American Team this season, and his raw speed and athleticism make him a valuable asset to have in the field and at the plate. IF, Senior Aria Gerson. He posted a .213 batting average that, at one point, peaked at over .400 before dropping back down to Earth. He is an avid fan of the Mets, Knicks, Rangers and Vikings. IF, Freshman Kevin Ziomek. The power-hitting righty appeared in 42 games last season but saw his power numbers take a hit after battling. Sophomore IF Ro Coleman 1. Despite the ever-present chill thats still in the Nashville air, its almost baseball season. 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. 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. The VandyBoys will open their 2023 season on February 17 against TCU (Hustler Multimedia/Lindsey Jorda). This is kind of a cop-out answer, but these two work best as a junior-senior tandem. Johnson was a freshman All-American for the Dores in 1996 as an outfielder and earned All-American honors two years later. 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 . Feb 5, Vanderbilt (12-10) Win vs. Louisiana State, 75-66; 23. Real Madrid and Barcelona Face Off in First Leg of Copa Del Rey EBJ might swipe the program record for career stolen bases (96) over the weekend and is 12 triples away from tying the legendary Tony Kemps Vanderbilt record for three-baggers. 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. That mix includes a low-90s fastball that Futrell pinpoints on the corners of the strike zone and a sweeping curveball designed to miss bats. Last season, Futrell earned freshman All-American honors behind a 3.41 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 63.1 innings of work. Holton, however, is one of Vanderbilts most prized freshmen and adds a dimension that the VandyBoys have not had in a number of years: a potentially dominant southpaw. As the lefty enters this season with a year of experience under his belt, the Commodores will likely lean on him more and expect more innings from him. Hes a national award winner in the Greatest Save PSA Contest for his film, Domino, and released his first short film, Park Bench, Lindsey Jorda (23) is double majoring in neuroscience and psychology in the College of Arts and Science. On a warm afternoon at Hawkins Field, the Commodores fell to the Bears, 5-4. 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. And valuable upperclassmen such as Jayson Gonzalez and Isaiah Thomas are no longer in the mix, either. 88 in olive green each week. Junior IF . 2023 Vanderbilt Baseball Commit List - SEC Football, Basketball and 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. Regardless of where, Kolwyck will be an everyday player for the first time in his Vanderbilt career. He played in 66 of 67 games his sophomore year and appeared in 48 last season. The Georgia duo made themselves known early in the 2021 Black and Gold series, with Mallory Jr. driving in Smith for the first run of Game 1.