Vanderbilt Commodores (32-24, 14-16 SEC) vs. Kentucky Wildcats (31-20, 13-17 SEC)
Tuesday @ 1 p.m. • SEC Network • 102.5 The Game
Tournament Preview: Vanderbilt will face Kentucky in the opening round of the 2026 SEC Tournament on Tuesday in Hoover, Alabama.
- In the regular season meeting between the two schools, the Commodores won two of three over the Wildcats in Lexington.
- Vanderbilt has won two of the last three SEC Tournaments (2023, 2025).
- A win over Kentucky on Tuesday would set up a meeting with Florida in the second round Wednesday.
Be Like Mike: Mike Mancini is one of two SEC players (Daniel Jackson, UGA) with 15 or more home runs and 15 or more stolen bases.
- Mancini was named to the All-SEC Second Team and the All-Defense team.
- He leads the team in home runs (15) including nine during SEC action and also leads the Dores in walks (41, 5th in SEC) and stolen bases (19-for-20, 8th in SEC).
- Mancini is the first Commodore since Jeren Kendall in 2017 with 15 or more home runs and 15 or more stolen bases.
Holc Smash: Braden Holcomb has 78 hits this season, second-most among SEC players.
- Holcomb ranks 15th in batting average and 13th in RBI. In SEC games, Holcomb ranks 11th in hits.
- The junior has a hit in 17 of the last 19 games since April 14 and owns a .447 average over that span.
- His 21 multi-hit games are tied for first on the team and his 12 multi-RBI games is second.
- Holcomb was ranked as the No. 24 outfielder by D1baseball in their Week 12 position rankings.
Power Surge: Vanderbilt has hit a program record 107 home runs this season.
- Nationally, the Commodores ranks ninth in home runs and 19th in OPS (.924).
- Vandy’s seven homers in the win over North Dakota State on March 6 was the most in a game for the Dores since 2018.
Brodie Barrels: Brodie Johnston is sixth in the SEC in hits, 10th in total bases, ninth in doubles and eighth in runs scored.
- He was ranked as the No. 3 third baseman in D1Baseball’s Week 12 position rankings.
- He has 21 multi-hit games this season including one four-hit performance and eight three-hit games.
- Defensively, Johnston has 11.70 defensive runs saved, good for 10th nationally among third basemen according to D1Baseball’s Synergy Leaderboard.
- Johnston’s 15 long balls in 2025 were the most by a Vanderbilt freshman since Pedro Alvarez hit 22 in 2006.
- He was named MVP of the 2025 SEC Tournament as a freshman.
Brooks Wallace Award Semifinalist: Ryker Waite was named one of 50 semifinalists for the Brooks Wallace Award on April 22.
- Waite has 12.92 defensive runs saved, good for sixth nationally among shortstops according to D1Baseball’s Synergy Leaderboard.
- His 38 walks are second on the team and eighth in the SEC.
Walk This Way: Vanderbilt’s 298 walks rank 22nd among DI programs and third in the SEC.
- Mike Mancini’s 41 walks lead the team and rank fifth in the league. Ryker Waite and Logan Johnstone each have 38 walks, ranking eighth in the league.
- After drawing 10 walks last season, Brodie Johnston has surpassed that total as a sophomore, currently sitting at 34.
Strong Side: Vanderbilt has arguably the nation’s best defensive duo on the left side of the infield.
- Brodie Johnston (3B, 11.70) and Ryker Waite (SS, 12.92) each rank top-10 in defensive runs saved for their respective positions according to D1Baseball’s Synergy Leaderboard.
- D1Baseball ranked Johnston as the No. 3 third baseman in their Week 12 position rankings while Waite came in at No. 25 for shortstops.
Korbin Cannon: Freshman catcher Korbin Reynolds has thrown out 15 runners on the basepaths this season on just 33 attempts.
- He leads all SEC catchers in runners caught stealing. His 10 runners caught on 28 attempts in SEC contests also leads the league.
TGoodi on the Mic: In just 81 at-bats in SEC play, Tommy Goodin has hit seven home runs.
- In SEC contests, Goodin ranks 23rd in home runs.
- The sophomore has 12 homers on the season in just 141 at-bats.
- With Vanderbilt trailing Tennessee by three runs in the ninth on March 29, Goodin launched a pinch-hit grand slam to lead the Dores past the Vols.
- A musician off the field, Goodin’s walk-up music is self-made.
Turning Two: Vanderbilt has turned 47 double plays this season, more than any SEC team and 20th in DI.
