Vanderbilt catcher Alan Espinal was selected with the 318th pick in the MLB Draft by the Colorado Rockies. Espinal is the seventh Commodore to be picked in the 2024 MLB Draft. 

Despite having never appeared in more than 35 games prior to his senior year at Vanderbilt, Alan Espinal wasted no time filling the starting role behind home plate. The Viera, Fla. native appeared in 59 games in 2024 alone, nearly surpassing his prior career total (60). Espinal was the Commodores’ top power hitter throughout the season, as he led the team with 13 home runs. His 49 RBIs ranked second on the team behind only RJ Austin. 

Not only was he a force with a bat in his hand, Espinal was also a stalwart with a glove. A fielding percentage of 99.8% and only one error put him among the best of Vanderbilt’s starting defenders in both stats. 

Espinal’s best game of the season came in perhaps the Commodores’ most important, against No. 1 Tennessee in the SEC Tournament. During that May 22 game, Espinal crushed two home runs. His first, a three-run shot in the top of the third inning, opened the game up and gave Vanderbilt a 5-1 lead. After Tennessee clawed back and made the score 7-4, Espinal ripped a seventh inning two-run homer to put the game away for good. His five RBIs on the day were a career-high as well.

Espinal will take his talents to the Rockies’ farm system, where he will join a long list of former Commodores to be drafted into the majors. 

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