June 8, 2015
Swanson’s Selection | Fulmer’s Selection | Buehler’s SelectionFive More Commodores DraftedNASHVILLE, Tenn. – For the first time in school history, three Vanderbilt Commodores have been selected in the first round of the MLB Draft with Dansby Swanson, Carson Fulmer and Walker Buehler being selected. It is the fourth time a school has had three top-25 selections in the same year and first since Rice in 2004.Swanson was selected first overall by the Arizona Diamondbacks becoming the second Commodore in school history to be picked first overall joining David Price (2007). The Swanson, Price duo make Vanderbilt just the second college to ever have multiple No. 1 picks along with Arizona State. Swanson becomes the fourth Southeastern Conference player to be selected first overall joining Price, Luke Hochevar (Tennessee) and Ben McDonald (LSU). Swanson is just the second college shortstop to ever be the top pick in the draft and first since Brown University’s Bill Almon went No. 1 to the San Diego Padres in 1974.Swanson has been a steady force in the Vanderbilt lineup for two years, helping lead the Commodores to their first national title last season on his way to earning Most Outstanding Player honors. This season the Marietta, Ga., native backed up an All-American season at second base with an All-American season at shortstop. The junior leads Vanderbilt in hitting, hits, doubles, triples and home runs. He is a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award (top amateur national player) and semifinalist for the Brooks Wallace Award (top collegiate shortstop).MORE ON SWANSONFulmer was picked No. 8 overall by the Chicago White Sox to become the ninth Vanderbilt pitcher selected in the first round and eighth in the Tim Corbin era. Fulmer has posted one of the greatest seasons ever by a Vandy pitcher winning the SEC triple crown leading the league in wins, ERA and strikeouts en route to becoming the third Commodore to win SEC Pitcher of the Year. The Lakeland, Fla., native has shot up the all-time lists at Vanderbilt moving into a tie with Grayson Garvin for the second-most wins in a season with 13. Fulmer’s 152 strikeouts this season rank third behind two David Price seasons with his 298 career strikeouts putting sixth all-time at Vanderbilt.Fulmer becomes the highest drafted VU pitcher since 2009 when Mike Minor was selected seventh overall. Along with Swanson, Fulmer is a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award and is also a semifinalist for National Pitcher of the Year. He is the first player selected by the White Sox since Ryan Rote was selected in the fifth round of the 2005 draft.MORE ON FULMERBuehler joins Swanson and Fulmer as first round picks to give Vanderbilt three first round picks for the first time in school history. He is the 10th Vanderbilt pitcher to be selected in the first round and along with Fulmer becomes the third pair of first round pitchers in the same draft in school history joining David Price and Casey Weathers (2007) and Sonny Gray and Grayson Garvin (2011).Buehler led the Commodores’ national championship team with 12 wins in 2014. This year the Lexington, Ky., native is 4-2 with a 2.97 ERA in 14 starts. He has struck out 81 over 78.2 innings. He is the first player selected by the Dodgers since Spencer Navin was picked in the 11th round of the 2013 draft.MORE ON BUEHLERThe MLB Draft continues tomorrow on MLB.com.
