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DAY DATE ROUNDS TIME COVERAGE
1 Sunday, July 11 Round 1/Competitive Balance A 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT MLB Network| ESPN|Watch
2 Monday, July 12 Rounds 2-10 1 p.m. ET/Noon CT MLB.com
3 Tuesday, July 13 Rounds 11-20 Noon ET/11 a.m. CT MLB.com

MLB Draft Day Awaits

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Vanderbilt Baseball program is expecting an exciting few days starting Sunday when the 2021 Major League Baseball Draft begins.

Eleven Commodores are eligible to be selected in the three-day, 20-round event and two of those 11 are likely to go within the first 10 picks.

Right-handed pitcher and junior Kumar Rocker put together one of the best careers in Vandy history in 2+ seasons – his 2020 campaign was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Rocker totaled 28 wins – the third-most in a Vandy career – and 321 strikeouts – the fourth-most ever by a Vanderbilt pitcher.

A graduate of North Oconee High School in Athens, Georgia, Rocker actually gave up five earned runs in just an 1 1/3 inning in his college debut in February of 2019. He rarely struggled after that.

Rocker, projected by MLB.com to be selected sixth overall, would go on to win a national championship by the end of the 2019 Eason, a season highlighted by his no-hitter against Duke at Hawkins Field in an NCAA Super Regional elimination game.

“It’s emotional. Came a long way. I’d like to thank everyone around him for how far he’s came,” Rocker said last week at the College World Series in response to what he would say to his freshman self. “Biggest growth period of my life so far. And I dedicate all that to coach (Tim) Corbin and the Vanderbilt family.”

Rocker’s 2021 season was matched in excellence by Jack Leiter, a sophomore eligible to be drafted and projected by MLB.com to be picked second overall. The New Jersey native went 11-4 with a 2.13 ERA and fanned 179 hitters – the second-most in a single Vandy season (tied with Rocker).

Leiter also added a no-hitter of his own to his resume by shutting down South Carolina at Hawkins Field in March.

Along with Leiter and Rocker, fellow pitchers Nick Maldonado, Luke Murphy, Hugh Fisher, Thomas Schultz, Ethan Smith and Brett Hansen are all eligible. Maldonado and Murphy, both projected by MLB.com to be selected before the eighth round, became two of Vanderbilt’s top relievers this season while combining for 18 saves (nine each) with sub-3.00 ERAs.

Off the pitching mound several other Commodores could see hear their name called.

Junior outfielder Isaiah Thomas is projected by MLB.com to be a top-100 pick after hitting .305 this season with 13 home runs, 40 RBIs and 13 doubles. Dominic Keegan, a junior projected by MLB.com to be a sixth-round pick, hit .324 this season while driving in 57 runs and hitting 15 homers.

Sophomore catcher CJ Rodriguez, noted for his defensive abilities and knack for framing pitches, is projected by MLB.com to go in the first 10 rounds. Rodriguez has hit .257 in 70 career games for Vanderbilt and totaled 48 assists this season from behind the plate.

Tatę Kolwyck, Cooper Davis, Jayson Gonzalez, Javier Vaz and Troy LaNeve are all also eligible to be drafted this week as well.

Vanderbilt, coming off a 49-18 season and runner-up finish at the College World Series, has had a first-round draft picked in five of the past six years.

The MLB Draft is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Sunday live on ESPN.

Leiter to Texas

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt standout Jack Leiter was selected second overall in the first round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the Texas Rangers on Sunday night becoming the seventh Commodore in program history to be taken in the top five.

Leiter is the 11th top-10 overall pick in the Tim Corbin era (2003-present), a mark that is more than every other program in the SEC East combined. He is the 122nd Commodore selected and 18th first-round selection in that timeframe.

Leiter becomes the fifth Commodore to be drafted by the Texas Rangers, and he first since 2015 when the Rangers selected Xavier Turner and Tyler Ferguson.

At Vanderbilt, the sophomore experienced great success over his two seasons, including a standout campaign in year two. Leiter wrapped up his sophomore season by being tabbed as an unanimous first team All-American, while being selected as a finalist for the Dick Howser Trophy and Golden Spikes Award.

The right-hander was also tabbed as the SEC Newcomer of the Year, and received All-SEC first team honors and Newcomer All-SEC recognition, as well.

Leiter entered the season as a consensus preseason All-American, while being

The Summit, New Jersey native, registered 201 strikeouts across his two seasons, including a nation-leading 179 punchouts in 2021. Leiter closed out the season ranking third in the country in hits allowed per nine innings with a mark of 3.93.

Rocker to New York

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt standout Kumar Rocker was selected 10th overall in the first round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the New York Mets on Sunday night.

Rocker is the 12th top-10 overall pick in the Tim Corbin era (2003-present), a mark that is more than every other program in the SEC East combined. He is the 123rd Commodore selected and 19th first-round selection in that timeframe.

Rocker becomes the third Commodore to be drafted by the New York Mets and the first since 1987 when the club selected David Joiner.

At Vanderbilt, the junior experienced tremendous success over his three seasons, becoming one of the most prominent pitchers in all of college baseball. Rocker wrapped up his sophomore season by being tabbed as an unanimous first team All-American, while being selected as a finalist for the Dick Howser Trophy and Golden Spikes Award.

Rocker posted a 14-4 record on the mound this season, including a 3-1 in the NCAA Tournament. The junior right-hander notched 179 strikeouts on the campaign, becoming just the second player since 1988 to lead the nation in both strikeouts and wins in the same season.

The former National Freshman of the Year and Most Outstanding Player of the 2019 College World Series, Rocker has tallied 321 career strikeouts over his three years, good for fourth all-time in Vanderbilt history. His 179 strikeouts in 2021 tie him for the second-most in a single-season with teammate Jack Leiter.

Commodore Duo in the Top 10

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Vanderbilt pitching duo of Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker were both selected on night one of the 2021 MLB Draft on Sunday evening.

Leiter went second overall to the Texas Rangers, while Rocker was picked 10th by the New York Mets. With the selections, Leiter and Rocker became the 11th and 12th top-10 overall picks in the Tim Corbin era (2003-present), a mark that is more than every other program in the SEC East combined.

Vanderbilt has now had multiple top-10 picks for the third time in program history, which marks the most of any school. The Commodores are just one of two programs to have multiple top-10 picks twice, joining Arizona State, who had multiple top-10 selections in 1976 and 1978.

The duo of David Price and Casey Weathers were selected in the top 10 of the 2007 MLB Draft, while Dansby Swanson and Carson Fulmer went in the top 10 of the 2015 MLB Draft.

Leiter and Rocker tied for the nation-lead in strikeouts, posting 179 apiece across the 2021 campaign. The duo became the first teammates in at least 30 seasons to lead the country in strikeouts.

Leiter registered 201 strikeouts across his two seasons. The right-hander closed out the season ranking third in the country in hits allowed per nine innings with a mark of 3.93.

“He became an immediate winner,” said Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin on Leiter. “There was a lot of hype about him coming into school that I tried to downplay a little bit because he had never pitched in the SEC before. He came in and was very comfortable, and he is obviously a refined pitcher. He throws four distinct pitches. He’s a puncher, and I think that’s the best thing you can say about him. He’s more than just a fastball pitcher.”

Rocker posted a 14-4 record on the mound this season, including a 3-1 in the NCAA Tournament. The junior right-hander became just the second player since 1988 to lead the nation in both strikeouts and wins in the same season.

“He’s an alpha and a strong puncher,” said Corbin of Rocker on the set of MLB Network. “I think of him as a Joe Louis type-guy, he’s coming right after you and he’s not messing around. Bottom line, he’s a winner. The kid can win and he loves to win. He pitches for his team and he’s just been enjoyable to be around these last few years.”

Murphy to the Angels

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt right-hander Luke Murphy was selected 110th overall in the fourth round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the Los Angeles Angels on Monday afternoon.

Murphy is the third Vanderbilt player to be taken in the 2021 MLB Draft, joining teammates Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker.

A dominant presence on the mound, Murphy highlighted the backend of the Commodore bullpen during the 2021 season. The right-hander ranked second on the team in appearances with 27 on the season, while tying for seventh in the Southeastern Conference.

His team-leading nine saves placed him fourth in the SEC, while also tying for seventh-most in Vanderbilt single-season history.

Murphy racked up 61 strikeouts on the campaign to place third on the team, marking the most of any Vanderbilt reliever.

Rodriguez to Oakland

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt sophomore CJ Rodriguez was selected 158th overall in the fifth round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the Oakland Athletics on Monday afternoon.

Rodriguez is the fourth Vanderbilt player to be taken in the 2021 MLB Draft, joining teammates Jack Leiter, Kumar Rocker and Luke Murphy.

A strong talent behind the plate, Rodriguez anchored the Vanderbilt pitching staff during his sophomore campaign. The Commodore catcher appeared in 58 games, making 52 starts as the team’s primary backstop.

Rodriguez posted an on-base percentage of .393 to rank third on the team, while registering 36 walks to only 19 strikeouts. He thew out 14 would-be base stealers, while surrendering just 12 stolen bases on the season.

Fisher to Arizona

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt left-hander Hugh Fisher was selected 288th overall in the 10th round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday afternoon.

Fisher is the fifth Vanderbilt player to be taken in the 2021 MLB Draft, joining teammates Jack Leiter, Kumar Rocker, Luke Murphy and CJ Rodriguez.

One of three seniors for the Commodores, Fisher helped lead the Vanderbilt pitching staff across the 2021 campaign. The left-hander made 16 appearances on the season, tying for the fourth-most out of the Vandy bullpen.

Fisher sported a 2.45 ERA across his 11.0 innings of work, surrendering just three earned runs. He struck out 13 batters on the season, averaging 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings.

Three Commodores Selected on Day Two

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Three Vanderbilt student-athletes were selected on day two of the 2021 Major League Baseball Draft on Monday afternoon.

The trio of Luke Murphy, CJ Rodriguez and Hugh Fisher each were chosen on the second day of the draft, pushing Vanderbilt’s total to five players across the first two days. The Commodores had five players selected for the 14th consecutive draft, which excludes the 2020 shortened five-round draft.

Murphy was selected 110th overall in the fourth round by the Los Angeles Angels, while Rodriguez was chosen with the 158th overall pick in the fifth round by the Oakland A’s. Fisher capped the day for the Commodores, going in the 10th round with the 288th pick to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The 2021 MLB Draft concludes tomorrow afternoon with the third and final day. The action begins at 11 a.m. CT, as rounds 11-20 are set to take place.

Gonzalez to Chicago

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt infielder Jayson Gonzalez was selected 515th overall in the 17th round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday afternoon.

Gonzalez is the sixth Vanderbilt player to be taken in the 2021 MLB Draft, joining teammates Jack Leiter, Kumar Rocker, Luke Murphy, CJ Rodriguez and Hugh Fisher.

One of three seniors for the Commodores, Gonzalez appeared in 61 games and was a steady presence in the Vanderbilt lineup during the 2021 campaign. He ranked fourth on the team in batting average with a .280 mark, while also placing fourth on the squad in RBI with 41.

Gonzalez registered nine home runs this season, including three in the NCAA postseason and two in the Men’s College World Series. The Covina, California, native recorded the walk-off hit in the Commodores’ opening game of the CWS to clinch the win over Arizona.

Keegan to New York

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt junior Dominic Keegan was selected 573rd overall in the 19th round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the New York Yankees on Tuesday afternoon.

Keegan is the seventh Vanderbilt player to be taken in the 2021 MLB Draft, joining teammates Jack Leiter, Kumar Rocker, Luke Murphy, CJ Rodriguez, Hugh Fisher and Jayson Gonzalez.

A steady force in the Commodore lineup, Keegan appeared in 60 games during the 2021 season. The junior led the team in batting average with a .345 mark, while also driving in a team-high 57 RBI.

Keegan placed second on the squad in home runs with 15, while finishing sixth in the SEC in slugging percentage with a mark of .638.

The Methuen, Massachusetts, native received second team All-America honors from Perfect Game, while being named to the ABCA All-Region first team. He was tabbed a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award, in addition to being named SEC Player of the Week on March 1.

Today marks the third and final day of the 2021 MLB Draft. The three-day event began on Sunday with the first round, followed by rounds 2-10 on Monday afternoon.

Commodore Duo Goes on Day Three

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The duo of Jayson Gonzalez and Dominic Keegan were selected on day three of the 2021 Major League Baseball Draft on Monday afternoon.

Gonzalez was selected with the 515th pick in the 17th round by the Chicago White Sox, while Keegan went 573rd overall in the 19th round to the New York Yankees.

The two selections on day three increased Vanderbilt’s total to seven players selected across the three days of the 2021 draft, which marks the fourth time in the last five years that the Commodores have had at least seven players drafted.

The trio of Luke Murphy, CJ Rodriguez and Hugh Fisher were chosen on the second day, while the duo of Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker were first-round selections.

Commodores in 2021 MLB Draft
Jack Leiter – Round 1, Pick 2 (Texas Rangers)
Kumar Rocker – Round 1, Pick 10 (New York Mets)
Luke Murphy – Round 4, Pick 110 (Los Angeles Angels)
CJ Rodriguez – Round 5, Pick 158 (Oakland Athletics)
Hugh Fisher – Round 10, Pick 288 (Arizona Diamondbacks)
Jayson Gonzalez – Round 17, Pick 515 (Chicago White Sox)
Dominic Keegan – Round 19, Pick 573 (New York Yankees)

Rocker to New York

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt standout Kumar Rocker was selected 10th overall in the first round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the New York Mets on Sunday night.

Rocker is the 12th top-10 overall pick in the Tim Corbin era (2003-present), a mark that is more than every other program in the SEC East combined. He is the 123rd Commodore selected and 19th first-round selection in that timeframe.

Rocker becomes the third Commodore to be drafted by the New York Mets and the first since 1987 when the club selected David Joiner.

At Vanderbilt, the junior experienced tremendous success over his three seasons, becoming one of the most prominent pitchers in all of college baseball. Rocker wrapped up his sophomore season by being tabbed as an unanimous first team All-American, while being selected as a finalist for the Dick Howser Trophy and Golden Spikes Award.

Rocker posted a 14-4 record on the mound this season, including a 3-1 in the NCAA Tournament. The junior right-hander notched 179 strikeouts on the campaign, becoming just the second player since 1988 to lead the nation in both strikeouts and wins in the same season.

The former National Freshman of the Year and Most Outstanding Player of the 2019 College World Series, Rocker has tallied 321 career strikeouts over his three years, good for fourth all-time in Vanderbilt history. His 179 strikeouts in 2021 tie him for the second-most in a single-season with teammate Jack Leiter.