Vanderbilt Commodores (0-0, 0-0 SEC) vs. Florida Atlantic Owls (0-0, 0-0 AAC)
Game 1: Friday, February 16 @ 1 p.m. CT • SECN+
Update: Friday’s game will now start at 1 p.m. due to inclement weather
Game 2: Saturday, February 17 @ 2 p.m. CT • SECN+
Game 3: Sunday, February 18 @ 2 p.m. CT • SECN+
Nashville, Tenn. • Hawkins Field
UPDATE: Friday’s baseball season opener against Florida Atlantic is now scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. due to inclement weather expected in the Nashville area Friday evening. Fans will be able to use their previously purchased tickets for admission to the game.
Chapter 22: Vanderbilt opens the 2024 campaign this weekend with a three-game series against Florida Atlantic at Hawkins Field.
- Head coach Tim Corbin is in his 22nd season with the Commodores. Vandy owns the nation’s longest active NCAA Tournament streak at 17 consecutive appearances.
- The Commodores and Owls will be meeting for the first time. All three games will be televised on SECN+.
- Vandy will play its first 10 contests at Hawkins Field before competing at the Houston Astros Foundation College Classic March 1-3 at Minute Maid Park.
- Vanderbilt returns 25 student-athletes from the 2023 team and welcomes 21 newcomers including four transfers and 17 freshmen.
Preseason Accolades: Vanderbilt is ranked in the top-10 in all five major preseason polls.
- A pair of Dores landed on the Preseason All-SEC team. Juniors Carter Holton and Jonathan Vastine were both voted to the second team by the league’s coaches.
- The Commodores were picked to finish third in the SEC East in the SEC Preseason Coaches Poll.
- Holton was honored by USA Baseball with a selection to the 2024 Golden Spikes Award Watch List. He is one of just eight players to appear on the watch list in both 2023 and 2024. Vandy has had a student-athlete on the watch list 31 times under head coach Tim Corbin.
- Junior Devin Futrell was named to the Perfect Game Preseason All-America second team. Futrell led the Vandy pitching staff last season with an 8-3 record and a 3.44 ERA.
Returning to the Mound: Vanderbilt returns 10 pitchers from a season ago, including eight that tallied at least 15 innings pitched.
- Junior Devin Futrell was second team All-SEC last season after ranking third in the SEC in ERA (3.44) and BB/9 (2.15).
- Junior Carter Holton is a preseason All-American after making 11 starts last season. Holton dealt with an injury in 2023 after being named a unanimous freshman All-American in 2022.
- Junior Ryan Ginther played a large role in Vandy’s bullpen last season. Ginther finished the year with a 4.01 ERA over 33.2 innings. His 21 appearances in 2023 leads all returners.
- Vanderbilt will also look to Sam Hliboki, Greysen Carter and Bryce Cunningham for roles on the pitching staff this season. The trio combined for 50 appearances in 2023.
1,000-Win Club: Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin is closing in on multiple career milestones.
Corbin currently sits at 989 career wins and 883 wins at Vanderbilt.
Among active coaches, Corbin enters the season ranked No. 10 by most wins. He is second in the SEC behind Arkansas’ Dave Van Horn (1,210).
Experience in the Infield: Vanderbilt projects to have at least two returning starters in the infield in juniors Davis Diaz and Jonathan Vastine.
- The duo anchored the left side of the infield for Vanderbilt in 2023, both starting all 62 games. Vastine primarily played shortstop in 2023 while Diaz was at third.
- According to D1Baseball, Vastine ranked 16th in DI last season among shortstops in defensive runs saved (10.2).
- The duo helped Vanderbilt rank 14th in fielding percentage (.980) in 2023.
- Diaz leads all Vanderbilt returners with 57 RBI last season. Vastine was third on the team in hitting (.287) and led the 2023 team with 18 doubles.
- Vanderbilt also returns experience behind the plate in catchers Jack Bulger and Alan Espinal, both seniors in 2024. Bulger drove in 30 runs last season and homered five times. Espinal hit .275 with five home runs and 21 RBI.
Immediate Impacts: A pair of Vanderbilt sophomores, RJ Austin and Chris Maldonado, look to build upon their respective freshman campaigns.
- Austin finished his freshman year strong and was named SEC Tournament MVP along with All-Tournament team honors.
- Austin has been recognized for his work off the field as well, being selected to the inaugural Lou Gehrig Community Impact Team which recognizes the giving character and community impact of collegiate baseball players.
- Maldonado led Vanderbilt in hitting (.310) last season. He finished with 12 doubles, eight home runs and 32 RBI.
2023 SEC Tournament Champions: Vanderbilt defeated Texas A&M, 10-4, in Hoover last season to claim its fourth SEC Tournament title, third under head coach Tim Corbin.
- Vanderbilt went 4-1 at the tournament and outscored its opponents 39-22.
- Then freshman RJ Austin was named tournament MVP after going 7-for-18 at the plate with a home run, two doubles and five RBIs.
- Fellow freshman Chris Maldonado also had a strong performance, going 7-for-10 with four RBIs in three games.
- The Commodores held opposing hitters to a .215 average while hitting .305 themselves. Thomas Schultz didn’t allow a run through 5.2 innings over two appearances.
- Vandy tallied wins over three 2023 NCAA Regional hosts (Auburn, Alabama, Florida) en route to the championship.
Vintage Commodores Script Returns: The VandyBoys announced a new uniform before the season featuring the Vintage Commodores Script.
- The uniform is a tribute to the uniforms that Vanderbilt debuted in head coach Tim Corbin’s first season (2003).
- The Commodores wore the originals from 2003-05.
