RJ Austin of Vanderbilt baseball was drafted in the third round of the 2025 MLB Draft by the Baltimore Orioles on July 13.
Austin was seen as a potential draft prospect out of high school in 2022, but he withdrew from selection to come to Vanderbilt. In 2023, he was named to the Freshman All-SEC team along with being SEC tournament MVP. He broke out as a sophomore, hitting .335 with an SEC-leading 28 steals. However, Austin regressed as a junior, hitting just .257 with two home runs and 22 steals. He did show his ability to play center field, a position he’d previously played only sparingly, by winning the Rawlings Gold Glove award. He also played through injuries in 2025.
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While Austin is most likely a center fielder at the next level, it’s possible that he could play second base as well, the position he played as a freshman.
Austin’s biggest highlight of 2025 was going 4-for-5 with a home run against Alabama.
The Orioles have drafted and signed several Vanderbilt players recently, most notably Enrique Bradfield Jr., their first-rounder in 2023.
Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on X @aria_gerson.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: RJ Austin, Vanderbilt outfielder, drafted by Baltimore Orioles