Alabama Baseball 2025 Opponent Preview: Vanderbilt Commodores
Alabama Baseball 2025 Opponent Preview: Vanderbilt Commodores
Coming off an impressive showing last weekend at home in which they swept Missouri, the Alabama Crimson Tide are now set to hit the road starting this Friday night to face the Vanderbilt Commodores in SEC baseball action.
One of the SEC's premier programs over the last decade, Vanderbilt will come to this weekend sitting very close to Alabama in the latest Top 25 rankings, setting up a big road series as we come down the home stretch of SEC play.
Similar to years' past as well, the Commodores are once again loaded with talent, led by one of more accomplished head coaches in college baseball across the last decade-plus.
Here is a preview of the Commodores ahead of Alabama's trip to Nashville this upcoming weekend.
Vanderbilt Commodores 2025 Team Overview
Conference: SEC
SEC Stadium: Hawkins Field, Nashville, Tennessee
Hawkins Field, Nashville, Tennessee 2025 Record: 32-13 overall (12-9 in SEC)
32-13 overall (12-9 in SEC) Ranking: No. 15 in USA TODAY Sports College Baseball Coaches Poll, No. 15 in D1Baseball Top 25
Vanderbilt enters this weekend ranked as the nation's No. 15 team according to the latest USA TODAY Sports College Baseball Coaches Poll. The Commodores' record currently sits at 32-13 overall, while also 23-4 at home, and are 12-9 in SEC conference play where they most recently dropped two-of-three at Ole Miss last weekend.
Vanderbilt Commodores 2025 Coaching Staff
Head Coach: Tim Corbin
Tim Corbin Associate Head Coach: Scott Brown
Scott Brown Assistant Coach: Jayson King
Jayson King Assistant Coach: Ty Blankmeyer
The head coach at Vanderbilt is long-time leader of the program Tim Corbin, who is currently in year No. 23 at the helm of the Commodores. During his time in Nashville, Corbin has led Vanderbilt to 18 appearances in the NCAA Tournament, five trips to the College World Series, four College World Series Finals' appearances, and two national championships in 2014 and 2019.
Vanderbilt Commodores 2025 Hitting Stats
AVG: .269 (.254 in SEC)
.269 (.254 in SEC) OBP: .380 (.344 in SEC)
.380 (.344 in SEC) SLG: .421 (.404 in SEC)
.421 (.404 in SEC) HR: 42 (23 in SEC)
42 (23 in SEC) RBI: 275 (108 in SEC)
275 (108 in SEC) SB: 82-of-98 (22-of-30 in SEC)
Offensively, Vanderbilt comes into the weekend batting for a combined .269 AVG as a team, and are among the top base stealing teams in the SEC with 82 on the season. That number is significantly less in SEC play however with only 22.
Vanderbilt Commodores 2025 Pitching Stats
ERA: 3.76 (4.68 in SEC)
3.76 (4.68 in SEC) K: 517 (224 in SEC)
517 (224 in SEC) BB: 160 (76 in SEC)
160 (76 in SEC) AVG: .214 (.240 in SEC)
If you had to pick the biggest strength for the Commodores overall, then an argument can be made for their pitching staff which sports a 3.76 ERA for the season while allowing only a .214 AVG to opponents. In SEC play however, the Commodores' ERA stands at 4.68, with opponents owning a combined .240 AVG against.
Vanderbilt Commodores 2025 Hitters to Know
Riley Nelson, Infielder - Junior
- Junior Brodie Johnston, Infielder - Freshman
- Freshman Jacob Humphrey, Utility - Senior
- Senior Jonathan Vastine, Infielder - Senior
- Senior Colin Barczi, Catcher - Sophomore
Leading the Commodores offense is junior infielder Riley Nelson, who owns a by far team-leading .364 AVG across 44 games this season with .526 SLG%, which also leads Vanderbilt. Another notable name to know for Vanderbilt offensively is freshman infielder Brodie Johnston, who leads the Commodores with nine home runs and 42 RBI, while also batting for a .259 AVG.
Vanderbilt Commodores 2025 Pitchers to Know
Cody Bowker, Right-Handed Pitcher - Junior
- Junior JD Thompson, Left-Handed Pitcher - Junior
- Junior Austin Nye, Right-Handed Pitcher - Freshman
- Freshman Sawyer Hawks, Right-Handed Pitcher - Senior
- Senior Connor Fennell, Right-Handed Pitcher - Sophomore
Vanderbilt's pitching staff has multiple names to know, a list that includes starters Cody Bowker, JD Thompson, Austin Nye, and Connor Fennell, the latter two of which own ERA's under 3.00. The Commodores also have one of the top relievers in the SEC in senior right-hander Sawyer Hawks, who owns a 1.34 ERA with a 46:7 K:BB ratio and six saves across 33.2 innings pitched.
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