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Vanderbilt RHP Connor Fennell (Photo via David Buono/Getty Images via Icon Sportswire)

The 2026 college baseball season is almost here. As such, we’re breaking down every preseason Top 25 team in greater detail. Check out Vanderbilt’s 2026 season preview below.

Quick Hits

Last Season: 43-18 (19-11 SEC); Eliminated in Nashville Regional

Final 2025 Ranking: No. 17

Coach (Record at school): Tim Corbin (964-461-1, 24th season)

College Baseball Top 25 Skinny

Vanderbilt’s standing in the sport is not accidental. Sustained success, rigorous standards and institutional continuity have long defined the program, which is why the abrupt ending to 2025 still resonates. The Commodores entered the NCAA Tournament as the No. 1 national seed, then were eliminated swiftly and decisively by Wright State, losing to a No. 4 seed in a result that cut against expectation and reputation. What happened next was familiar. Significant talent departed via the draft, but Tim Corbin again treated turnover as recalibration rather than reset. Vanderbilt supplemented through the portal, retained several core contributors and retooled its coaching staff, signaling an intent to adjust rather than retreat. The roster that emerges is different in shape, but not in ambition.

Vanderbilt Baseball Strengths

The throughline remains pitching. Vanderbilt continues to assemble deep, high-ceiling staffs, even in the wake of losing frontline arms like JD Thompson and Cody Bowker. The next wave is already in place. Austin Nye, Connor Fennell, Luke Guth, Nate Taylor and Miller Green return with the kind of raw stuff that has long thrived in Nashville. That group offers variety rather than redundancy. There is power, feel and enough depth to manage innings without exposing soft spots. Under pitching coach Scott Brown, Vanderbilt has consistently translated arm talent into production, and this staff again reflects that developmental track record.

There is also reason to watch the lineup more closely than in recent seasons. Third baseman Brodie Johnston brings legitimate raw power, the type that can alter games when it shows up. His challenge is refinement, particularly trimming chase and converting strength into consistent in-game damage. The tools are evident. The question is frequency.

Vanderbilt Baseball Weaknesses

Offensive output remains the defining uncertainty. Vanderbilt has struggled in recent years to generate SEC-level power, with home runs often difficult to come by due to roster construction and approach rather than environment alone. That imbalance has placed a heavy burden on the pitching staff, shrinking margins in postseason play. Corbin addressed that issue directly by reshaping the offensive staff, hiring program alum Jason Esposito to oversee hitting. Corbin has expressed optimism about Esposito’s modern language and approach, but philosophical shifts must translate between the lines. Until they do, the offense remains the variable that separates Vanderbilt from its highest ceiling.

Vanderbilt Baseball Player To Know

Fennell delivered immediate impact in his first season after transferring from Dayton, posting a 2.53 ERA with 84 strikeouts against just 11 walks over 53.1 innings. His success stemmed from command and pitch mix rather than velocity alone, allowing him to dictate at-bats efficiently. With a chance to move into a full-time starting role, Fennell now occupies an important place in shaping how Vanderbilt’s next pitching group takes form.

Vanderbilt Baseball 2026 Projected Lineup, Rotation

PosPlayerYearAVGOBPSLGABHRRBINote/previous schoolCColin BarcziJr..253.307.4391988391BMax JensenG-Sr..284.430.58267515Cornell2BMike ManciniSr..269.398.3931454243BBrodie JohnstonSo..260.297.5342231555SSRyker WaiteSo..000.500.000301OFBraden HolcombJr..275.378.503153934OFLogan JohnstoneG-Sr..337.439.571196940Washington StateOFRustan RigdonSo..259.431.346162225DHMack WhitcombJr..360.485.6492111555Tennessee TechPosGSIPERAWHIPSO%BB%SPAustin NyeSo.1550.23.551.2426.910.2SPConnor FennellJr.753.12.530.8340.85.3SPLuke GuthJr.019.10.930.8329.79.5RPNate TaylorSo.08.11.080.6054.86.5GeorgiaRPMiller GreenJr.023.23.801.5226.210.3RPEngland BryanSo.013.04.151.6937.3%17.9%