Vanderbilt Baseball’s regular season officially ended with a sweep of Kentucky last weekend. Now, head coach Tim Corbin and Co. turn their attention to the postseason as they attempt to make deep runs in both the SEC and NCAA Tournaments.
The Commodores had another stellar year on the diamond, as they went 39-16 (19-11 SEC) to earn a No. 4 seed in this week’s SEC Tournament. They have also likely locked up a top-eight national seed in the NCAA Tournament — something which Vanderbilt last achieved in 2023.
But as Vanderbilt enters its toughest stretch of the year, what burning questions must be addressed? The Hustler Sports Staff tried to provide some clarity before Corbin and Co. start their hunt for the program’s third National Championship.
Who do you foresee being Vanderbilt’s SEC Tournament MVP?
Henry Oelhafen, Sports Editor: First-year Brodie Johnston is the player to look out for. The third baseman has had a breakout year as one of Vanderbilt’s top power hitters, possessing an incredible eye for the strike zone and coming through in clutch moments. Memorably, Johnston hit the game-tying double against Alabama in the decisive rubber match on May 4. Johnston’s home run total is perhaps his most impressive stat line this year — he leads all SEC first-years with 12 home runs. His fielding at third base has been equally impressive, as he was named to the All-SEC Defensive Team on Monday. Look for Johnston to come up big this week.
Eli Landers, Lead Sports Analyst: RJ Austin has completely flipped the script on his season after a slow start. It’s no surprise that Vanderbilt’s current five-game win streak lines up perfectly with Austin’s five-game hitting streak, his longest since February. His elite speed on the bases has been a total game-changer down the stretch. Austin leads the entire SEC with 21 stolen bags, and when he crosses the plate, good things happen — the VandyBoys are 13-4 in SEC play when he scores. The kid from Atlanta, Georgia, has been playing with some serious swagger the last few weeks, and let’s not forget: he’s already got an SEC Tournament MVP under his belt from 2023. Don’t be shocked if he shows out in Hoover again and delivers some clutch moments when it matters most.
Who has been this team’s unsung hero so far this season?
Tristan Rutman, Sports Podcast Producer: Rustan Rigdon — a.k.a. Rooster — has gone under the radar for the Commodores this season. Only a first-year, Rigdon ranks third on the team in runs scored (42) behind Austin (43) and Riley Nelson (45), arguably two of the team’s best players. Impressively, the Georgia native has done all this in just 141 at-bats compared to Austin’s 206 and Nelson’s 193. He’s second on the team in on-base percentage at .429, trailing only Nelson (.466) in this statistic. His batting stats speak for themselves, but I’ve failed to mention the arm on this guy. According to Perfect Game, Rigdon recorded an infield velocity of 84 miles per hour two years ago. Who’s to say what he throws now? His talent, poise and ability to execute as a first-year player make him Vanderbilt’s unsung hero of the season.
Grace Hall, Deputy Sports Editor: Nelson has been one of the few unsung heroes for Vanderbilt this season. The junior slugger is slashing .358/.466/.539 while also collecting 42 RBIs, 5 home runs and 13 extra-base hits. All season, Nelson has been reliable, knocking in crucial runs when Vanderbilt needs them. Additionally, he has been excellent at first base for the Commodores this season, a traditionally overlooked position, especially among Vanderbilt’s flashy middle infield. Last season proved to the Commodores that a true first baseman was needed, and Nelson has filled that role brilliantly. Nelson’s ever-reliable bat-to-ball skills, paired with his excellent defense, will continue to make Vanderbilt a dangerous team.
What must the Commodores improve as they enter the postseason?
Rutman: As awesome as the nickname “Cardiac Commodores” is, the ‘Dores could certainly benefit from more early-game leads. In three of its last four regular-season home games, Vanderbilt relied on a walk-off home run to secure victory. While walk-offs are one of the most electric things an athlete — let alone a baseball player — can do, they’re not as reliable as retaining a lead throughout a game. Whether the onus is on the Commodores’ starting pitching to keep opposing teams quiet or the bats to generate some early runs, this is a clear area for improvement for the VandyBoys as they head into postseason play.
David Hernandez, Deputy Sports Editor: With the bats heating up and the starting pitching a consistent strength for the VandyBoys, all eyes have to be on the bullpen. As clutch as this team is, a shaky set of relief innings could derail a deep run in devastating fashion. Still, the bullpen is deep with talented arms, including All-SEC Second Team selection Sawyer Hawks. Even with Hawks’ success, there are question marks about who will take the mound in those crucial late innings, especially after Ethan McElvain’s rough outing against Kentucky. Alas, if the bullpen can deliver strong performances — especially when it comes to protecting leads — it would be hard to place a true ceiling on the 2025 Commodores.
What has led to Vanderbilt’s recent hitting success?
Dylan Tovitz, Deputy Sports Editor: Vanderbilt’s offense as of late is a far cry from the one that opened SEC play. Part of that is due to the time it takes for new coaches — Jayson King and Ty Blankmeyer — to fully instill their hitting techniques. The emergence of Braden Holcomb, who spent much of the first half of the season on the bench, also reshaped the lineup’s power threat. More than anything, though, the team is just putting together much better at-bats and driving the ball to all fields with authority. A new opposite-field approach took hold, and with it, Vanderbilt’s offense caught fire from top to bottom.
Hernandez: On top of the opposite field technique that elevated the quality of hits in the past few weeks, there appears to be a major mentality shift. Playing in the SEC brings more pressure to be dominant, especially when the rosters of conference rivals are stocked full of home run machines and explosive offensive output. Yet, the Commodores aren’t trying to be anything they are not. While sticking to the new approach at the plate, Vanderbilt is also playing with momentous swagger and a distinct confidence in the batter’s box that should carry into the postseason. As much as the changes in approach have benefited the VandyBoys, the mental aspect has proven to be just as important. At the plate, Vanderbilt simply looks sharper and more composed and plays with an actual plan with each at-bat.
Can Vanderbilt’s bullpen hold up against the strongest teams in the country?
Landers: The Commodore bullpen has definitely been a rollercoaster this season. At times, they’ve looked lights-out, like when they gave up just six runs over 12.1 innings in the Tennessee series. But in that same series, they also surrendered a pair of multi-run innings, an example of frustrating inconsistency. Down the stretch, Vanderbilt’s bullpen success is going to come down to matchups. Right-handers like Luke Guth, Hawks and Brennan Seiber have shown they can usually keep opponents in check without much drama. The concern lies with the lefties. Miller Green and McElvain have had both excellent and shaky outings, and that’s a red flag heading into games against teams like LSU or Arkansas that are stacked with strong right-handed bats. If the bullpen can find a rhythm and Corbin makes the right calls, this group has the potential. But right now, it’s something to keep an eye on in Hoover.
Oelhafen: Vanderbilt’s bullpen has shown some cracks this season, as each of its relievers faced adversity in SEC play. However, Vanderbilt’s bullpen is still one of the strongest in the SEC. Vanderbilt fans have become accustomed to nearly flawless pitching due to stellar staffs in past years, but that’s just not realistic anymore in this new era of power-hitting baseball. The Commodores have an array of formidable options once their starters run out of steam. Guth holds a 1.08 ERA across 16.2 innings pitched while Hawks has a 1.55 ERA across 40.2 innings. McElvain and Green haven’t performed their best this season, but their stuff is as good as any starting pitcher in the SEC and they love the big moments. With high-velocity fastballs and an array of breaking balls, these two might just figure it out as the postseason grows near. Yes, the bullpen has shown some volatility this year, but Scott Brown’s pitching staff is still a class act.
Who plays shortstop if Jonathan Vastine misses time with the ankle injury?
Hall: If Vastine were to miss some time due to injury, we would likely see either Johnston or Rigdon move to shortstop. Johnston makes the most sense, as he has played several games at shortstop and will likely move to the position next year. In terms of who fills the third base position, I could see either Rigdon or Holcomb playing the corner. Alternatively, Rigdon could move to the shortstop position, which would likely put Mike Mancini back onto the field at second base. However, with a week’s rest, I am doubtful that Vastine will miss any time, especially given that he was the one calling to stay in the Kentucky series.
Tovitz: I’ll agree with Grace here — I would be shocked if Vastine misses any time. The senior is as tough as they come. After ripping an eighth-inning base hit against Kentucky on Sunday, he insisted on staying in the game, despite visibly limping his way into scoring position. But in the unlikely event that Vastine does miss time, I think we’d see Johnston slide over to short, with Rigdon stepping in to man the hot corner. Johnston was recruited as a shortstop and just earned All-SEC Defensive honors, so he’s shown he can handle the defensive pressure. He also made the switch to short when Vastine missed a midweek game against Eastern Kentucky back on March 25. The only other true shortstop on the roster is freshman Ryker Waite, but it’s hard to imagine a path to playing time for him.
