RJ Austin Pronunciation
Head coach Tim Corbin on Austin: “I have called RJ a throwback player ever since I first saw him play, and that will not change. He plays the game for the right reasons, and those reasons are hard to find in today’s baseball environment. He spends a tremendous amount of time at our facility working on some part of the game. The game of baseball is very important to him. He has been a mainstay on the field ever since his freshman year. He could virtually play every position on the field if needed. He is passionate, has a high GAS level and wants to compete. His consistency on the field is backed up by his behaviors socially and academically. He gets high marks everywhere.”
Student-Athlete Features
Vanderbilt Hustler – RJ Austin: The VandyBoys’ Next Superstar
The Tennesseean – Vanderbilt baseball’s RJ Austin is a throwback player in an NIL world
As a Junior (2025)
• ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove
• SEC All-Tournament Team
• SEC All-Defensive Team
• SEC Community Service Team
• Drove in three runs on two hits in SEC Tournament win over Oklahoma (May 22)
• 4-for-5 with four RBI and three runs scored vs. #18 Alabama (May 2)
• Tripled, doubled and drove in two runs in win at Florida (April 4)
• Hit walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th inning vs. WKU (April 1)
• Lined the go-ahead, two-run single in seventh inning of win vs. Texas A&M (March 22)
• Two doubles and two RBI in win at #25 Auburn (March 15)
• Hit two doubles, drove in two runs and scored twice vs. Xavier (March 7)
• Three-hit day vs. UConn (March 2)
• Scored three times vs. Tennessee Tech (Feb. 25)
• 3-for-4 with a double, three RBI and two runs scored in win over Saint Mary’s (Feb. 22)
• Hit two triples in win vs. Saint Mary’s (Feb. 21), becoming first Commodore to do so since Tony Kemp in 2012
• Leadoff homer vs. #24 Nebraska (Feb. 15)
• Doubled on first pitch of 2025 season, went 3-for-5 with an RBI at Grand Canyon (Feb. 14)
• Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List
• Preseason All-SEC Second Team
• Baseball America Preseason All-America Third Team
• Ranked as the No. 21 outfielder in D1Baseball’s preseason rankings
• Ranked as the No. 24 junior entering the 2025 season by Perfect Game
As a Sophomore (2024)
• Named to Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List
• 2024 SEC Community Service Team
• Led Vanderbilt in average (.335), hits (81), RBI (54) and stolen bases (28)
• Hit 14 doubles, two triples and five home runs
• Hit .309 in SEC play with three home runs, seven doubles and 22 RBI while going 11-for-12 on stolen base attempts
• 3-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and a stolen base vs. #1 Tennessee at SEC Tournament (May 22)
• 2-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI vs. #1 Tennessee (May 11)
• Hit three-run homer in seventh inning and brought home winning run on bases-loaded hit-by-pitch in 11th inning vs. Tennessee Tech (April 30)
• Recorded three hits, a homer, triple and double, and drove in three runs vs. Florida (April 18)
• Drove in three runs vs. MTSU (April 9)
• Homered and drove in three runs in win at LSU (April 5)
• Went 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and three runs scored vs. Auburn (March 16)
• 3-for-5 with a double, RBI and two runs scored in win vs. Indiana (March 12)
• Drove in two of Vandy’s four runs on a 2-for-3 day with two stolen bases vs. Illinois State (March 10)
• 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI vs. Louisiana (March 1)
• Stole three bases and scored twice vs. Evansville (Feb. 28)
• Drove in four runs and scored twice vs. Indiana State (Feb. 27)
• Went 4-for-5 with a three-run homer on Opening Day vs. FAU (Feb. 16)
As a Freshman (2023)
• Named MVP and All-Tournament at SEC Tournament
• Drove in a pair of runs with a double in SEC Tournament win against Florida (May 27)
• Two-run homer in win over Alabama (May 26) at SEC Tournament
• Went 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBIs vs. Kentucky (April 29)
• Go-ahead RBI single in fifth inning of win vs. South Carolina (April 15)
• Drove in three runs in series-clinching win at Missouri (April 8)
• Two-run double in win over WKU (April 4)
• Homered and tallied three RBIs in win vs. Georgia (March 31)
• Four-RBI day including a three-run homer in 8-0 win over #3 Ole Miss (March 17)
• Homered in consecutive at-bats vs. #18 Maryland (March 4)
• Hit first collegiate home run in win over #18 Maryland (March 4)
• First collegiate hit in win over #9 Oklahoma State, went 2-for-4 with two RBI (Feb. 18)
The Austin File
• Attended Pace Academy (Atlanta, Ga.)
• 2022 Perfect Game All-American Classic Player and Preseason All-Southeast Region first team
• Rated as the No. 59 overall prospect and No. 11 shortstop by Perfect Game
• Ranked No. 7 overall prospect and No. 2 shortstop out of Georgia according to Perfect Game
• U18 USA Baseball alum
• Two-time MBP All-America
• Country All-Stars Player of the Year
• High School All-America first team
• 2021-22 team captain, contributed in back-to-back undefeated region championships, and an Elite 8 and Final 4 appearance
• Hit .450 as a senior with 10 home runs, eight doubles, four triples, 38 RBI and 53 runs scored
• Father, Reggie, played for the Chicago Bears (1999-2003)
• Cousin, Jay Austin, played for the Houston Astros in 2010
• Cousin, Myles Austin, played baseball at Alabama
• Has one brother, Dash
• Hobbies include hanging out with friend, playing video games and modeling
• Full name is Reginald Antonio Austin, Jr.