#44 Mason Hickman Season 2019-20

Student-Athlete Features
The Tennessean – College World Series: Vanderbilt’s Mason Hickman in ‘dream’ situation, pitching for national championship (June 2019)
Omaha World-Herald – ‘Normal Mason’ Hickman settles in to remain undefeated, lead Vanderbilt to CWS win (June 2019)
The Tennessean – Vanderbilt freshmen Mason Hickman pitching like a veteran (March 2018)
VUCommodores.com — Looking Back: Mason Hickman outduels LSU (May 2020)

Head coach Tim Corbin on Hickman: “Mason has turned into one of the most dependable and reliable starting pitchers that we have had in our program. He continues to develop and get better as his craft while taking on a leadership role on our pitching staff. He is a quality young man that excels in the classroom as well. Very competitive in everything that he does.”

As a Junior (2020)

• Season canceled due to coronavirus outbreak
• Selected in the fifth round (154th overall) of the MLB Draft by Cleveland
• First Team Preseason All-America by Collegiate Baseball
• Second Team Preseason All-America by Perfect Game
• No. 30 among Baseball America’s Top 150 Overall Players for 2020
• 65th-best 2020 MLB Draft prospect by Perfect Game
• 65th-best 2020 MLB Draft prospect by Baseball America
• Went 2-0 with a 0.48 ERA in three starts
• Posted a 26-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio
• Allowed just one earned run in 18.2 innings
• Limited opponents to a .131 batting average
• Did not permit more than three hits in each start
• Fanned a career-best 12 batters vs. Illinois-Chicago (Feb. 21)
• Struck out 11 hitters vs. Hawaii (Feb. 28)

As a Sophomore (2019)

• Struck out nine-plus batters in five of his final six starts
• Notched CWS-clinching victory, fanning 10 Michigan batters
  • Allowed just one run in six innings
• Finished 13th nationally in strikeouts (129) and 20th in WHIP (0.95)
• 2.05 ERA ranked fourth in the SEC and 24th nationally
• Tossed five-plus innings in six of his last seven starts
• Permitted four-or-fewer hits in his final six starts
  • Permitted four-or-fewer hits in nine of his final 10 starts
• Allowed two-or-fewer runs in 12 of his last 13 starts
• Produced a team-high scoreless inning streak of 25 from Feb. 24-April 2
• Tossed a combined 12 scoreless innings (4 hits) with 20 strikeouts at First Tennessee Park
• In four NCAA Tournament starts, went 2-0 with a 1.57 ERA across 23.0 innings
• Held opponents to a .179 average (24-for-134) with runners aboard
• Tossed six scoreless innings vs. Louisville (June 21)
  • Victory sent Vanderbilt to College World Series finals

As a Sophomore (2018)

• Frequent Sunday starter
• Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American
• Led the Commodores with eight victories
• Tied for third nationally among freshmen
• One of three SEC freshmen to post a shutout
• Tossed a seven-inning complete game shutout vs. LSU (March 25)
• Five or more strikeouts in seven of his 16 appearances
• First collegiate victory came against No. 25 Duke
• SEC Pitcher of the Week after retiring 16 of the final 18 batters vs. LSU
• Held Missouri to four hits and no earned runs (April 21)
• Threw five frames in 19-6 win vs. Clemson in regional play

The Hickman File

• Prepped at Pope John Paul II (Tennessee)
• Lettered two years in basketball
• Three-year all-state selection (2015-17
• Three-year all-region selection (2015-17)
• 2017 Tennessee Mr. Baseball Finalist
• Member of Martha’s Vineyard Sharks summer team
• National Honor Society
• Human and organizational development major
• Recipient of the Donny Everett Scholarship
• Recipient of the Nathan Craig Memorial Fund
• Son of Tyler and Lorie Hickman