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. Head coach Tim Corbin will have a tough choice on his hands as neither player has received ample playing time to this point. HT WT Class City ST; 99: Jack Anderson: RHP: 6'5" . Polk enters his first season with the Commodores after a noteworthy high school career. The 6-footer from Bowie, Maryland is the definition of consistency: In 2022, he started 57 of the 58 games he played. 2023 www.tennessean.com. 10 Vandy's Maldonado slams the door on No. Maldonado attended Seton Hall Prep like his brother before him and was a Perfect Game Top 150 prospect. , 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. Whether its at first, second or even designated hitter, he will be a central figure in this years lineup. Here's an early look at how Vanderbilt's roster could shape up next year ahead of the MLB Draft starting July 17: Fifteen players have entered the transfer portal so far, but nineof them played in fewer than five games in 2022. 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. He was previously the Sports Podcast Producer. UTL, Sophomore Vanderbilt University Athletics - Official Athletics Website . 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. 2023 Vanderbilt - Roster - The Baseball Cube | Stats and Data 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. Corbin said as late as this past Friday that he and pitching coach Scott Brown still had discussions to have regarding Vanderbilts starting location. The 6-foot shortstop started 61 games last season and led the team with 16 home runs and had 52 RBIs, which was the second most for Vanderbilt. Look for him to truly come onto the scene as he settles into his starting role. If all goes according to plan, Bradfield Jr. will be in the mix for the Golden Spikes Award and the No. The third annual tournament is scheduled for Feb. 1719 and features six of the nations top programs. 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. Backstops CJ Rodriguez and Maxwell Romero Jr. have found new homes. OF, Sophomore Vanderbilts second baseman will almost entirely depend on Vanderbilts first base situation. The growth of these two sophomores might determine Vanderbilts ceiling this season. The Official Athletic Site of the Vanderbilt Commodores. After a long offseason, its finally time for the VandyBoys to begin their quest to return to Omaha. Kolwyck, who took home the VandyBoys most valuable teammate award at Saturdays baseball banquet, is the definition of a utility man. He will provide leadership and experience to a hopeful Commodore squad that looks to make a splash come June. 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. The Commodores will face a trio of Big Ten opponents in Minnesota (March 3), Nebraska (March 4) and Maryland (March 5). Put simply, the Commodores will go as far as 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. 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. RHP, Sophomore 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. 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. Corbin has credited him with his patience, his defensive improvement and his ability to always play the game at a fast pace. 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. Vanderbilt's SEC Tournament seeding scenarios entering Saturday Kavi enjoys running and competes vicariously through the Vanderbilt cross-country and track and field teams. Matthew Polk 1. With the departure of Carter Young, we expect Diaz to slide over into his natural position in the middle of the field. Vanderbilt vs. Mississippi State: Preview, schedule for the 2021 Men's Vanderbilt baseball transfer tracker: Who has entered the portal TJ McKenzie and Troy LaNeve got minimal playing time in 2022, making them unlikely to be drafted, but could still break out as seniors. In his free time, he enjoys golfing. 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. 2019 Record: 59-12. Vanderbilt unveils 2023 baseball schedule. 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. Whether its at first, second or even designated hitter, he will be a central figure in this years lineup. Vanderbilt baseball roster options after transfer portal deadline He had offseason shoulder surgery after an injury in May, which limited him in the fall. Bryce Smith ('23) is majoring in human and organizational development in Peabody College with a minor in business. Vanderbilt Baseball - 2022 - Roster 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). Vanderbilt Baseball roster preview - The Vanderbilt Hustler Bulger is likely to start if he returns. , is the definition of a utility man. 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. Unless LaNeve comes out of the gate hot, expect to see a platoon between LaNeve and Bulger at designated hitter. He brought power and a clutch gene to the Commodore lineup, exemplified by a walk-off home run against Kentucky on May 20. He played in 66 of 67 games his sophomore year and appeared in 48 last season. 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. The Official Athletic Site of the Vanderbilt Commodores. LaNeve, a strong hitter and reliable defender, started games both as an outfielder and a designated hitter last season. After posting a team-high .345 batting average last year, Keegan will be the key to the Commodores offensive success. (Vanderbilt Athletics), Justin Hershey, Kavi Jakes, Sam Curtis, Andrew Wilf and Andy Carr February 13, 2022. Designated Hitter Calvin Hewett / Matthew Polk. (Hustler Multimedia/Miguel Beristain) Andrew Wilf, Deputy Sports Editor. Vanderbilt Baseball Insights Coming off a phenomenal freshman season that earned him unanimous Freshman All-American honors, southpaw Carter Holton will be the ace of the VandyBoys 2023 rotation. Devin Futrell is the latest in that group and the now-sophomore is poised to build upon a sensational freshman campaign as the midweek starter by locking down the Saturday spot this year. If Young stays healthy and boosts his batting average, he may emerge as one of the great shortstops Vanderbilt has ever seen. Vanderbilt baseball standout announces he is stepping away from the program The junior has a ton of experience under his belt with 108 career games played through his first two seasons. 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. 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). 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. 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. A number of different players could receive time at first base if Kolwyck finds his way elsewhere, including Keegan and Jack Bulger. You can reach him at lucas.f.rollfinke@vanderbilt.edu. Ben Bowden. 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. Junior IF . For tips and comments, feel free to reach out to: 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. He began his Commodore career as a reliever, but quickly became one of the arms Coach Corbin turned to whenever he needed a ringer. 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. He played in 96 games over his three years with the Commodores. Devin Futrell is the latest in that group and the now-sophomore is poised to build upon a sensational freshman campaign as the midweek starter by locking down the Saturday spot this year. For Vanderbilt's two freshman phenoms, success is a family affair Unlike many of the other hitters in the starting lineup, Noland is a Vanderbilt veteran with the game experience to back it up. 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. 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. Reserve: Kenny Mallory Jr. and Christian Smith. . On Wednesday, Vanderbilt baseball released their 2023 conference schedule. 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. Find out the latest on your favorite NCAAB players on . NFL combine: Jets, Raiders, Packers all stuck in Aaron Rodgers holding In addition to writing, he hosts The Hustler Sports 30 Podcast, enjoys playing golf and is waiting for his hometown Philadelphia 76ers to complete The Process. The scouting site describes him as having a strong and accurate throwing arm with solid athleticism in the field and the ability to hit to all fields at the plate. Game time: 3 p.m. CT on Friday, Feb. 17 Location: Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas Online live stream: FloSports One can assume Corbins decision will most likely come down to who plays better at the start of the season and maintains consistent play. Last season, Kolwyck mashed 9 home runs and hit 36 RBIs to go along with a .330 OBP and a .812 OPS. The VandyBoys will open their 2023 season on February 17 against TCU (Hustler Multimedia/Lindsey Jorda). February 14: Michigan L, 4-3; February 15: UConn W, 6-1; February 16: Cal Poly L, 9-8; . 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. While Maldonado will likely have offers to be drafted, his brother, Chris Maldonado, recently committed to Vanderbilt and he could choose to return to play with his brother. with the Los Angeles Angels as an undrafted free agent in July. Dates, opponents and game times for the Commodores 2023 slate are subject to change. These batters are lucky if they even get a foul ball against his stuff. 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. 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. 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. That may even involve a touch more nuance designed to limit the load on Keegan, with Bulger slotting in at catcher and Keegan at DH when the VandyBoys face a southpaw. Young enters his junior campaign as one of college baseballs best shortstops. Aiden Rutman ('25) is a student in Peabody College majoring in HOD and minoring in Communication Studies. He played in 66 of 67 games his sophomore year and appeared in 48 last season. His maturity, leadership, and experience will be invaluable to the Commodores, especially in the postseason. Sophomores Rob Gordon and Jonathan Vastine are other infielders who will look to have a larger impact. Rankings / Strength of Schedule (SOS) RPI. The younger Bradfield says Vanderbilt baseball's diversity was certainly a factor in his decision to play there, but certainly not the decider. 7 Oklahoma State. After having a year under his belt and more experience, his home run numbers should go up. Hes already shown that he can flourish in any role hes put in and with the increased role of the shortstop position, Im confident Diaz will see great success. (KLKN) - Nebraska secured its first top-10 win in four years after upsetting No. The speedster swiped five bases last season with just 42 at-bats and boasted a .396 on-base percentage. In his two years at Vanderbilt, the Junior has posted a 4.99 ERA with a 1.94 BB/K ratio thats steadily climbing. The . He currently serves as a staff writer for the Sports section. Vanderbilt baseball is known for the number of players it sends to . The lefty was the No. Posting a .274 average and a .445 slugging percentage in 2022, Noland has the potential to be a threat at the plate. 24 overall prospect in the class of 2021 according to Perfect Game and pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings in Game 1 of the Black and Gold Series back in October. He had offseason shoulder surgery after an injury in May, which limited him in the fall. 2023 Vanderbilt Baseball roster preview - The Vanderbilt Hustler Vanderbilt baseball ended its season with a loss to Oregon State in the final game of the Corvallis Regional.Afterward, players had three weeks to determine whether they want to stick around. To start, the New Jersey Native stands at an intimidating 63 and 208 lbs with a fearsome stare from 60 feet away. Vanderbilt University is a top school for some of the most talented aspiring collegiate baseball players in the country. He figures to be a spark plug at the bottom of the Commodore batting order and also will likely slot into left field at some point too, where he showed last year that. Diaz is a true five-tool with a smooth glove and a bat that has a knack for finding the holes in the defense. IF, Sophomore 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. South Carolina baseball vs. NC A&T baseball score, stats | The State The Georgia duo made themselves known early in the 2021. , with Mallory Jr. driving in Smith for the first run of Game 1. 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 . OF/RHP, Freshman He has been training as a starter this offseason and will likely get a chance to do so this year. Vanderbilt Baseball - 2020 - Roster Projected Starter: Troy LaNeve or Javier Vaz. Maldonado attended Seton Hall Prep like his brother before him and was a Perfect Game Top 150 prospect. this offseason. 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. Schultz is a known commodity, as hes now started 10 games over his two years at Vanderbilt. Behind him are junior Alan Espinal and incoming freshmen Logan Poteet and Cade Law. Named last years SEC Freshman of the Year as well as an All-American and unanimous Freshman All-American, Bradfield Jr. will certainly get the starting nod this year as the Commodores center fielder. Aces of old Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker have moved on. 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 . Many experts project Young to be the first shortstop selected in the 2022 MLB Draft. Unlike many of the other hitters in the starting lineup, Noland is a Vanderbilt veteran with the game experience to back it up. Husker baseball upsets Vanderbilt in first game of Cambria College Classic You can reach them at, Despite the ever-present chill thats still in the Nashville air, its almost baseball season. 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. HT WT CITY ST COMMIT; Dylan Lesko: RHP: 6'-3" 195: R-R: Buford: GA: Andruw Jones If all goes according to plan, Bradfield Jr. will be in the mix for the Golden Spikes Award and the No. 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. For the first time since the 2020 season, Vanderbilt will open the campaign on the road when the . Freshman Bowman Talbot ('24) is a student in the College of Arts and Science studying political science and history. 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. 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.