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. Here is the schedule for the championship series . Though he doesnt have an overwhelming fastball, his swing-and-miss stuff was consistent all year, and his command was fantastic. share. 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. The. The speedster swiped five bases last season with just 42 at-bats and boasted a .396 on-base percentage. UTL, Freshman LHP, Sophomore Find out the latest on your favorite NCAAB players on . Seven of those 11 inactive players have since entered the portal. 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. Freshman UTL Javier Vaz 2. 2016. 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 sophomore from California wasnt a day-one starter but found his way onto the field as a consistent third baseman, a position he shined in. Kolwyck, who took home the VandyBoys most valuable teammate award at. Powered by WMT Digital. That kind of velocity difference between pitches is ideal for a closer that needs to keep hitters off balance in clutch situations. 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. Before the. IF, Freshman Bullpen stalwarts Nick Maldonado and Thomas Schultz will have draft offers, and so could draft-eligible sophomore Grayson Moore. OF, Junior Sophomore left-hander Ryan Ginther also seems in line for a bigger role. But Vaz himself told reporters last Friday that he doesnt even know where he will end up playing. With a roster full of gifted players, Vanderbilt has not only produced a tremendous amount of success on the field, but . If Young stays healthy and boosts his batting average, he may emerge as one of the great shortstops Vanderbilt has ever seen. Bulger saw time at first base, catcher and designated hitter last season and posted sturdy offensive marks, batting .274 with an OPS of .783. Aiden Rutman ('25) is a student in Peabody College majoring in HOD and minoring in Communication Studies. Noland tallied 43 RBIs and seven home runs last season. LaNeve came on strong in 2021 after getting his opportunity in May. 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. However, all indications are that Dutkanych will be a starting option for Tim Corbin, and a formidable one at that. 24 overall prospect in the class of 2021 according to Perfect Game and pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings in Game 1 of the. Freshman C Tate Kolwyck 6. 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. Diaz is a true five-tool with a smooth glove and a bat that has a knack for finding the holes in the defense. He is an avid fan of the Mets, Knicks, Rangers and Vikings. The third annual tournament is scheduled for Feb. 1719 and features six of the nations top programs. . HT WT Bats/Throws CITY ST COMMIT; Maxwell Clark: OF: 6'-1" 190: L-L: Franklin 10 Vanderbilt dominates against UAB with 13-1 win, Vanderbilt falls to Central Arkansas 5-4 in home opener, Three up, three down: VandyBoys go 2-1 at College Baseball Showdown, PODCAST: Magic in the air for mens, womens basketball, plus the long-awaited return of baseball, VU Sports Wired, Feb. 17: Mens Basketball Continues Surge, VandyBoys 2023 Season Preview, Vanderbilt Hall of Fame Class of 2022: Honoring a Tradition of Excellence and Groundbreakers, VandyBoys series preview: A clash with the Big 12 in Arlington, PODCAST: South Carolina preview, WBB resurgence and VandyBoys roster outlook mega-episode, Operation Omaha: Previewing Vanderbilt Baseballs 2023 schedule, Press Conference Notes: Corbin speaks to media three weeks before opening day, The official student newspaper of Vanderbilt University, 2023 | The Hustler is not operated by Vanderbilt University. IF, Sophomore In his last two years with the Duke Blue Devils, the Harvard-Westlake High School grad slashed .314 with 26 home runs and 89 RBIs in addition to recording 19 stolen bases. The deadline to enter the transfer portal was July 1 in order to be eligible immediately for the 2023 season. 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. Tyler Campbell 2. But Vaz himself told reporters last Friday that he doesnt even know where he will end up playing. You can reach him at lucas.f.rollfinke@vanderbilt.edu. 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. Roster; Games . 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. 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. 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 he can excel. Among the transfer losses in the outfield were two-year starter Isaiah Thomas, reserve outfielder Kenny Mallory and redshirt freshman Christian Smith. Vanderbilt Baseball plays in the 2020 Black and Gold Series. Freshman Jones flashed strong offensive and defensive tendencies last year, and seems to have earned a secure spot in the lineup heading into 2022. Kevin Ziomek. Parker is that gift. Although down in production during his junior season, the 2023 campaign looks bright for the Farragut High School product. Diaz posted an unreal .353 OBP, having almost as many walks as hits and getting beaned 8 times last year. 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. 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 . Reserve: Kenny Mallory Jr. and Christian Smith. 1 (0.5870) Non-Conference SOS. The talented sophomore was one of two Commodores selected to the Baseball America Preseason. Schultz is a known commodity, as hes now started 10 games over his two years at Vanderbilt. The comment sections are moderated by our Editor-in-Chief, Rachael Perrotta, and our Social Media Director, Chloe Postlewaite. Davis Diaz and Matthew Polk are the most experienced of the sophomore position players and both will need to improve in their second year. Aces of old Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker have moved on. But after struggling offensively at times in 2022, the Commodores are likely to lose their two best hitters. Holton was named SEC Co-Freshman of the Week twice, and finished the regular season with three straight scoreless starts. 5 (0.6126) SOS. But this is our stab at projecting the rotation, and it starts with Patrick Reilly and Christian Little. HT WT CL City ST; 2: Javier Vaz: IF: 5'-9" 151: Jr. Huntsville: AL: 3: Cooper Davis The Knoxville native was drafted by the Miami Marlins in the 31st round in 2019, but has elected to play for the Commodores since then. Hewett should hope to get some experience and knowledge playing behind two impressive veterans, but he likely wont see the field too much more than his freshman campaign when he logged seven at-bats and 15 overall appearances. Chris McElvain, the Friday starter for much of 2022, is likely to begin his professional career, and Christian Little, used as a spot-starter, transferred to LSU. The sophomore from California wasnt a day-one starter but found his way onto the field as a consistent third baseman, a position he shined in. 2023 www.tennessean.com. After a long offseason, its finally time for the VandyBoys to begin their quest to return to Omaha. He currently serves as a staff writer for the Sports section. September 14, 2022. His maturity, leadership, and experience will be invaluable to the Commodores, especially in the postseason. He had offseason shoulder surgery after an injury in May, which limited him in the fall. Diaz is a true five-tool with a smooth glove and a bat that has a knack for finding the holes in the defense. 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. 2013-2. Hes also a solid baserunner, stealing four bags and scoring 40 runs for the VandyBoys. McElvain, a junior, made 22 appearances on the mound last season, the third most on the team, including one start. Robbins led Vanderbilt with a career-high 15 points and 6.8 rebounds per game this season. 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. College World Series appearance will begin on Feb. 18 when they host No. The senior infielder committed just two errors in 43 games played last season. But Vanderbilt's unique position as the lone private school in a power baseball conference, allows them to utilize their institutional resources within the NCAA's 11.7 scholarships limit to . Whether its at first, second or even designated hitter, he will be a central figure in this years lineup. With 20 commits in the incoming freshman class, some are likely to be lost to the draft, but those who join Dutkanych on campus could make an impact right away. The freshman out of Powell, Tennessee was the ninth-ranked player and the second-ranked catcher in the volunteer state. Its possible reliever Chris McElvain also sees some time in Vanderbilts starting rotation, but dont be surprised if Schultz or Holton burst onto the scene. Sophomores Rob Gordon and Jonathan Vastine are other infielders who will look to have a larger impact. Last season, Kolwyck mashed 9 home runs and hit 36 RBIs to go along with a .330 OBP and a .812 OPS. 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 . Overall, both should be in the lineup with LaNeve in left field or the designated hitter position and Vaz either in left field or at second base. 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. Vanderbilt University Athletics, or Vanderbilt Baseball. 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. Still, he tallied 25 RBIs and finished the year with nearly a .900 OPS. If Vanderbilt Athletics gave out a Most Improved Player award, Diaz wouldve been a finalist last year. DET. TJ McKenzie and Troy LaNeve got minimal playing time in 2022, making them unlikely to be drafted, but could still break out as seniors. You can reach him at francis.m.sheehy@vanderbilt.edu. He began his Commodore career as a reliever, but quickly became one of the arms Coach Corbin turned to whenever he needed a ringer. 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. 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. Thomas played 59 games and made 57 starts for Vanderbilt during the 2021 season, batting .305 with 13 home runs and 40 RBIs. 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. Last season, Futrell earned freshman All-American honors behind a 3.41 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 63.1 innings of work. 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. The Series Against Vanderbilt UCLA and Vanderbilt have split the all-time series, 2-2, with all matchups taking place since 2010. Holton is the favorite to be the Friday starter. 0:49. You can reach them at rachael.m.perrotta@vanderbilt.edu and chloe.a.postlewaite@vanderbilt.edu. OF, Freshman A multi-positional, Vanderbilt baseball athlete. Vanderbilt does not have any players who are out of eligibility, but regardless it will lose several to the draft.