Nashville, Tenn. Vanderbilt juniors Jeren Kendall and Kyle Wright have been named first team All-SEC by the league’s coaches.
Kendall enters the postseason hitting .313 with 15 home runs, 56 runs scored and 44 RBIs. His 15 home runs are the most by a Commodore since 2015 when Dansby Swanson, Rhett Wiseman and Zander Wiel all hit 15 homers. Kendall’s season has been one of the most productive in recent Vanderbilt history, filling up the stat sheet with five triples and a league-leading 18 stolen bases. He has saved his best for SEC games, hitting .336 with nine home runs, 29 runs and 25 RBIs. The first team All-SEC honor marks the third time in his career to be honored by the league’s coaches after earning Freshman All-SEC in 2015 and second team All-SEC last season. He also picked up All-Defensive team status from the league’s coaches.
Wright has been dominant down the stretch for the Commodores, ending the regular season 4-5 with a 2.91 ERA in 14 starts. Over his last six starts, Wright has nearly been unhittable allowing just six runs on 17 hits with 62 strikeouts over 46.2 innings. The streak began with a shutout against Florida in mid-April when the right-hander struck out a career-best 13. Since then, Wright has pitched at least seven innings in every start, striking out 11-plus batters in three more games. In league games, the junior has allowed opponents to hit just .176 while striking out 80 in 69.2 innings. The Huntsville, Ala. native has also earned honors from the league coaches all three years of his career, picking up Freshman All-SEC in 2015 and second team All-SEC last season.
The two selections to the All-SEC first team marks the first time two Commodores have been named to the first team since 2014 when Vince Conde and Swanson were both tabbed as the best in the league at shortstop and second base, respectively. Wright and Kendall join Carson Fulmer and Pedro Alvarez as the only Commodores to earn league honors in three consecutive seasons.
Vanderbilt opens the SEC Tournament tomorrow morning at 9:30 a.m. against South Carolina in an elimination game.
Congrats to Kyle Wright for earning All-SEC honors from the league’s coaches. He’s been dominant down the stretch for the #VandyBoys.
Vanderbilt Baseball (@VandyBoys) May 22, 2017
Jeren Kendall picks up 1st team All-SEC and All-Defensive team honors from the league’s coaches for the #VandyBoys.
Vanderbilt Baseball (@VandyBoys) May 22, 2017
