Vanderbilt outfielder Javier Vaz was drafted by the Kansas City Royals with the 445th overall pick in the 15th round of the 2022 MLB draft. 

For Vaz, the selection is another step in a long journey towards achieving his MLB dreams. After two prolific seasons at LSU Eunice Junior College, Vaz transferred to Vanderbilt before his junior season. Though the Huntsville, Alabama, native began his career with the Commodores as a rotational piece, Vaz broke into the starting lineup toward the end of the season and became an integral piece during Vanderbilt’s 2021 College World Series run. 

After getting settled during his junior year, Vaz came out of the gates in 2022 as a much-improved player. Appearing in 51 games for the Commodores, Vaz improved his slashing numbers across the board, hitting a commendable .280/.402/.490, while driving in 30 runs and stealing 11 bases. He combined his consistency with the plate with defensive excellence, being the only regular Vanderbilt starter to not commit a single fielding error. 

With college eligibility remaining, it will be interesting to see if Vaz elects to make the jump to the pros or returns to play for the Commodores in the coming weeks. 

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