COACH CORBIN QUOTE: “Kyle has been a mature pitching presence since he arrived at Vanderbilt. Along with his personal investment, Kyle has been able to capitalize on his Vanderbilt experiences as well as his summer opportunities to develop into a special baseball player. He is a combination of athletic ability, a special arm, ball skills and mentality all rolled together. We have been able to rely on him in tough situations which he has thrived upon. He loves the arena of competition.”
2017 – Named to the All-Tournament team of Clemson Regional… Turned in seven stellar innings at Clemson 6/3 in win at Clemson Regional, allowing three runs on seven hits with nine strikeouts… Named first team All-SEC by the league’s coaches… Punched out 11 for the second straight week against Alabama 5/19 giving up one run on five hits over 7.1 innings, at least seven innings in six straight starts..Dominated in win at Arkansas 5/13 with his third scoreless outing in his last five, turning in seven scoreless and punching out 11 while allowing just two hits… Named a National Player of the Week by Collegiate Baseball for his 13-strikeout game against Missouri… Matched his career-best with 13 strikeouts vs. Missouri 5/6, allowing one run on three hits over nine innings… Pinned with tough-luck loss against Tennessee 4/29 despite carrying a no-hitter into the seventh inning, allowed four runs on three hits with six strikeouts… Followed shutout with seven more scoreless innings in no decision at Georgia 4/22 in first game of doubleheader, allowing one hit with eight strikeouts in 1-0 VU loss – second time this season VU lost 1-0 with Wright on mound… Named SEC Pitcher of the Week and National Player of the Week by Collegiate Baseball for his three-hit shutout with 13 strikeouts vs. Florida… Dominated Florida 4/14 for the second straight year with a three-hit shutout, striking out a career-best 13 with no walks to earn his second win… Turned in six solid innings for a no decision at South Carolina 4/8 allowing three unearned runs on five hits with three walks and four strikeouts, third no decision of season… Tagged for a season-high seven runs on nine hits over five innings of loss at Kentucky 4/1… Earned his first win of the season against Texas A&M 3/24 allowing three runs on six hits over five innings with six strikeouts… Tough-luck loser at Ole Miss 3/17 despite a season-best seven innings allowing one run on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts… Gave up six runs, five earned, on 10 hits over four-plus innings of a no decision against Saint Mary’s 3/10 with seven strikeouts… Pinned with his second loss of the year after allowing five runs, three earned, on six hits over five innings against CSUN 3/3, struck out season-best eight… Turned in six solid innings in no decision against UIC 2/24 giving up one run on four hits with no walks and seven strikeouts… Tagged with the loss on Opening Day at San Diego 2/16 despite allowing just three runs on four hits over five innings with three walks and two strikeouts.
2016 – Named to the All-SEC second team after going 8-4 with a 3.09 ERA in 16 starts as a sophomore, posted a team-best 1.76 ERA in 10 league starts… Roughed up for second straight outing in NCAA Regional loss to Washington 6/4 allowing seven runs on eight hits with a career-high five walks over 6.2 innings of no decision… Tagged for a career-high 10 runs on a career-high 11 hits in SEC Tournament loss to Texas A&M 5/27 pitching five innings and striking out seven… Punched out nine over six innings in his eighth win of the year against Auburn 5/21, allowing two runs on five hits in his fourth straight win… Named SEC Pitcher of the Week for his three-hit shutout, 10-strikeout performance at Florida… Recorded his first career complete game with a three-hit shutout at Florida 5/14, matching a career-best 10 strikeouts, facing two over the minimum and not allowing a runner to reach second base… Turned in seven scoreless innings allowing only three hits and striking out six to earn his sixth win at Texas A&M 5/6… Earned his fifth win of the year against Georgia 4/30 allowing three runs on five hits over seven innings with one walk and nine strikeouts… Turned in his fourth quality start of the season in a no decision against Kentucky 4/16 allowing one unearned run on five hits with six strikeouts, 0-2 over last four starts despite allowing five earned runs over 27.1 innings… Tough-luck loser for second straight week despite quality start allowing three runs on seven hits over seven innings in loss at LSU 4/8… Gave up two runs over a 7.1 innings vs. South Carolina 4/1 taking his first loss of the season while striking out five and walking three… Punched out a career-best 10 over six scoreless innings at Missouri 3/26 scattering three hits in a no decision… Won his team-leading fourth game of the year despite rocky start vs. Mississippi State 3/20 allowing five runs, one earned, on nine hits with five strikeouts… Earned the win at Stanford 3/6 with five solid innings allowing two runs on four hits with four strikeouts and no walks… Dominated over three scoreless innings, striking out six in win over UIC 2/28… Pitched two innings as planned in season debut against San Diego 2/21, punching out three and allowing two singles… SUMMER BALL Pitched for Team USA, going 2-0 in five games, two starts, with a 2.20 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 16.1 innings.
2015 – Recorded his second save with a clean ninth inning vs. Indiana 5/30 in NCAA Tournament… Twirled 3.2 scoreless innings against Florida 5/24 in SEC Tournament Championship game striking out three and allowing only one hit, longest outing since 3/31… Struck out both batters he faced in 10th inning to pick up win in SEC Tournament vs. Missouri 5/20… Named to the Freshman All-SEC team after leading VU with 10 relief outings in league games and a bullpen-best 21 strikeouts… Recorded his first career save with two perfect innings at Alabama 5/15 with three strikeouts… Turned in his longest outing since a start 3/31 with 2.2 innings against Florida 5/8 out of the bullpen allowing two runs, one earned, on two hits with four strikeouts… Struck out the only batter he faced to strand two runners in eighth inning at Kentucky 5/3… Entered with the bases loaded and struck out the only batter he faced to preserve lead in win at Kentucky 5/1… Stranded an inherited runner at third base and working 1.2 scoreless innings at Belmont 4/28… Punched out two in a scoreless inning vs. Missouri 4/25… Finished off Vanderbilt’s 10th shutout of the season with a scoreless ninth vs. MTSU 4/21 to match the school record set in 2004… Tossed a scoreless inning at South Carolina 4/18 allowing two hits and two inherited runners to score in loss… Worked a perfect ninth inning vs. Belmont 4/14 with a strikeout… Took his first career loss allowing a run in the 16th inning against Ole Miss 4/10, struck out three in two innings… Named co-SEC Freshman of the Week 4/6 for winning two games and pitching 7.1 scoreless innings over two outings… Earned the win out of the pen with 2.1 shutout innings at Georgia 4/5… Tossed five scoreless innings in his third start of the year to notch his third win in 6-0 shutout of Wofford 3/31, extended scoreless innings streak to 17.1 innings… Earned his second win out of the bullpen with three no-hit innings allowing only an unearned run at MTSU 3/24… Turned in a clean frame with one strikeout in loss at Auburn 3/20… Needed just eight pitches to close down the ninth inning in win over Tennessee Tech 3/17… Tossed two scoreless innings out of the bullpen in win over Quinnipiac 3/10 striking out two and allowing one hit… Worked 3.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen allowing only one hit at USC 3/7… Tagged for four runs on five hits in one inning of his start against Illinois State 3/1… Named the TSWA Pitcher of the Week for his six scoreless innings in his first career start against Indiana State… Tossed six scoreless innings in his first career start to earn the win in Port Charlotte, Fla. against Indiana State allowing three hits, striking out six and not allowing a runner to reach third base… Turned in 4.1 solid innings in his collegiate debut against Santa Clara 2/14 in the first game of a doubleheader allowing one unearned run on three hits with four strikeouts.
HIGH SCHOOL – Lettered four years in baseball and one in track… Played for his dad, Roger, at Buckhorn HS… 2012 team won area championship and advanced to the third round of the playoffs… Named All-State 3B and All-Tennessee Valley 3B in 2014… 2013 North-South All-Star Game MVP… Tagged All-State in 2012 as a utility player and Huntsville Times MVP… Played summer ball or high school ball with Kyle Conger (Belmont), Tyler Brown (Lipscomb), Will Gardner (Tenn. Tech), Alex Junior (Tenn. Tech) and Matt Cogen (Old Dominion).
ACADEMICS – Wright is majoring in American studies.
PERSONAL – Kyle Hardy Wright… Born 10/2/95 in Huntsville, Ala…. Son of Roger and Belinda Wright… Has two brothers, Mitchell and Trey… Mitchell is a senior pitcher at Alabama-Huntsville… Favorites include: Miguel Cabrera (baseball player), Atlanta Braves (team), Division 3 Football’s Finest and Billy Madison (movies), The Walking Dead and Family Guy (TV shows), Adam Sandler (actor), burrito bowl from Chipotle (favorite meal), Kid Cudi, Gucci and Billy Currington (music)… Says Channing Tatum would play him in a movie… Uses friendly as the one word to describe himself… Roommates with Jason Delay and Bryan Reynolds… Lists winning the WWBA National Championship as his most memorable athletic moment… Recipient of the Hendrix Athletic Scholarship… Chose Vanderbilt for “the combination of athletics and academics.”