Dec. 21, 2015
Baseball season might be two months away but the first preseason poll of the year is out with the Commodores checking in at No. 3 in Collegiate Baseball’s Fabulous 40 poll.
The Commodores are coming off the program’s third straight 50-win season after the program’s second consecutive trip to the College World Series finals. The Dores did lose key players Dansby Swanson, Carson Fulmer, Walker Buehler, Philip Pfeifer, Rhett Wiseman and Zander Wiel to the draft but return 23 lettermen for 2016. Along with 23 returning lettermen, Vanderbilt adds the consensus top recruiting class in the nation.
Vanderbilt hosts 36 home games in 2016 beginning with San Diego on opening weekend February 19-21. The Dores will welcome Mississippi State, South Carolina, Kentucky, Georgia and Auburn during the Southeastern Conference part of the home slate. Season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by clicking here or calling 615.322.GOLD.
The SEC led the way in the Fabulous 40 poll with nine teams ranked. Florida sits atop the poll with Texas A&M and LSU joining the Dores inside the Top 10. Mississippi State (11), Arkansas (24), Kentucky (29), Missouri (34) and South Carolina (35) are all in the first preseason poll of the year.
Collegiate Baseball Fabulous 40
Rank – Team (2015 Final Record)
1. Florida (52-18)
2. Louisville (47-18)
3. Vanderbilt (51-21)
4. Miami, Fla. (50-17)
5. Texas A&M (50-14)
6. Louisiana-Lafayette (42-23)
7. LSU (54-12)
8. Oregon St. (39-18-1)
9. Virginia (44-24)
10. UCLA (45-16)
11. Mississippi St. (24-30)
12. Cal State Fullerton (39-25)
13. California (36-21)
14. Oregon (38-25)
15. TCU (51-15)
16. Florida St. (44-21)
17. Missouri St. (49-12)
18. Houston (43-20)
19. Tulane (35-25)
20. Rice (37-22)
21. Georgia Tech (32-23)
22. North Carolina (34-24)
23. Michigan (39-25)
24. Arkansas (40-25)
25. Oklahoma St. (38-20)
26. Stony Brook (35-16-1)
27. Notre Dame (37-23)
28. Maryland (42-24)
29. Kentucky (30-25)
30. Pepperdine (32-29)
31. Dallas Baptist (46-15)
32. College of Charleston (45-15)
33. Coastal Carolina (39-21)
34. Missouri (30-28)
35. South Carolina (32-25)
36. San Diego St. (41-23)
37. South Alabama (37-20)
38. Winthrop (40-19)
39. Texas Tech (31-24)
40. Texas (30-27)
