NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt matched a national best with four student-athletes recognized as Perfect Game/Rawlings preseason All-Americans including a trio of first-team selections, the publication announced Tuesday.
Relief pitcher Tyler Brown, starting pitcher Kumar Rocker and third baseman Austin Martin were tabbed as Perfect Game preseason first-team All-Americans. Starting pitcher Mason Hickman was a selection to the second team.
Martin, a junior, was a big producer for the Commodores’ offense in 2019. He tied the program record for runs scored in a single season with 87. Martin led the SEC in batting average, hits per game, on-base percentage and runs scored. His .394 batting average was the highest mark for the Commodores since the 2004.
No SEC program won more in the 2010s.#VandyBoys | #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/gV3IxXjdDc
— Vanderbilt Baseball (@VandyBoys) January 6, 2020
Rocker, a sophomore righty, was the Most Outstanding Player at the College World Series and Freshman of the Year by both Baseball America and D1Baseball. In his freshman campaign, he amassed a 12-5 record, a 3.25 ERA and set a College World Series record with 11 punchouts against Michigan. On the brink of elimination versus Duke, he became the first pitcher in NCAA super regional history to toss a no-hitter.
Brown, a junior righty, is looking to improve off of his impressive sophomore season. In 2019 he set the single-season record with 17 saves and was chosen to the All-SEC first team. In 31 appearances, Brown did not allow a run in 27 of them. During the College World Series, Brown notched two saves in 7.2 innings pitched.
Hickman, a junior righty, was the winning pitcher in the College World Series final where he fanned 10 batters and only allowed one run in six innings. In his last seven starts of the 2019 season, he threw five-plus innings in six of his last seven starts.
