Vanderbilt landed its seventh player from the transfer portal on Monday evening when Mike Mancini, a rising junior, who previously played for James Madison University, announced his commitment via social media. Mancini, an Endwell, N.Y. native, was the No. 70 ranked player in the transfer portal and seems poised to make an immediate impact at the plate and in the field for the Commodores. 

Mancini is the second power bat that head coach Tim Corbin has picked up in the transfer portal, the first being Koby Kropf’s commitment in June. Mancini had a breakout season for the Dukes, slashing .329 while collecting 15 home runs, 61 runs, and 41 RBIs. Most notably, he hit four home runs in one day at the Raleigh Regional against South Carolina and NC State (two apiece). JMU played a challenging schedule this season, finishing No. 46 in the RPI rankings, further proving the legitimacy of Mancini’s bat’s power and his potential ceiling. Equally impressive is that Mancini also obtained a 1.00 on-base percentage and stole 29 bags, making him a pure offensive threat at the plate and on the base paths. 

With the likely departure of two-year starters and infielders Jonathan Vastine (SS) and Davis Diaz (3B) via the MLB Draft later this month, Mancinis’s experience as a second baseman and shortstop on a postseason qualifying team is definitely a plus. While it isn’t yet clear where he’ll end up on the field, his versatility as a middle infielder will help keep him in the lineup consistently. 

After the VandyBoys only had two players hit double-digit home runs in 2024, the coaching staff went out and added two more power hitters via the portal. This is just another sign that Corbin and new coaching additions Jayson King and Ty Blankmeyer recognize the need for experienced power hitters to truly compete in the SEC. Going after high-upside and fundamentally talented impact players in the portal who appears to be the Commodores’ focus, as they will look to round out their roster in the coming months.