Vanderbilt Baseball Opens Season on MLB Network Against Grand Canyon
The Vanderbilt Commodores baseball program opens the new season on Friday at 7 p.m. CT against the Grand Canyon Antelopes in the third game of the 2025 MLB Invitational in Phoenix, Ariz. The 'Dores enter the year ranked No. 16 by D1 Baseball and No. 18 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and look to get the season started on a positive note.
Vanderbilt's JD Thompson starts the season on the mound as he enters his third year in the program. Thompson started 12 games and made 14 total appearances going 5-2 with a 4.15 ERA. He struck out 74 batters in his 52 innings of work as a sophomore and opens the season for head coach Tim Corbin's 23rd season in charge of the program.
The Commodores will likely face right-handed pitcher Isaac Lyon for the Antelopes. The junior earned First Team All-WAC as a sophomore and returns for his third season. He started 11 games and made 17 appearances going 6-1 with a 3.97 ERA, striking out 79 batters in 81.2 innings.
The Antelopes and Commodores both qualified for NCAA Regionals in 2024, but neither made it to Super Regionals as Vanderbilt fell to Coastal Carolina and Grand Canyon lost to West Virginia.
Vanderbilt's first two appearances in the 2025 MLB Invitational will be featured on MLB Network and all three can be heard on 102.5 FM.
Full 2025 MLB Invitational Schedule
Feb. 14: 2 p.m. CT: Nebraska vs. UC Irvine (Salt River Fields)
Feb. 14: 6:30 p.m. CT: Austin Peay vs. New Mexico (Sloan Park)
Feb. 14: 7 p.m. CT: Seton Hall vs. San Diego State (Salt River Fields)
Feb. 14: 7 p.m. CT: Vanderbilt vs. Grand Canyon (Brazell Field at GCU)
Feb. 15: 1:30 p.m. CT: New Mexico vs. UC Irvine (Sloan Park)
Feb. 15: 2 p.m. CT: Seton Hall vs. Austin Peay (Salt River Fields)
Feb. 15: 6:30 p.m. CT: San Diego State vs. Grand Canyon (Sloan Park)
Feb. 15: 7 p.m. CT: Vanderbilt vs. Nebraska (Salt River Fields)
Feb. 16: 1 p.m. CT: UC Irvine vs. Vanderbilt (Sloan Park)
Feb. 16: 1:30 p.m. CT: New Mexico vs. Seton Hall (Salt River Fields)
Feb. 16: 6 p.m. CT: Nebraska vs. San Diego State (Sloan Park)
Feb. 16: 6:30 p.m. CT: Austin Peay vs. Grand Canyon (Salt River Fields)
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My name is Joe Gaither and I graduated from the University of Alabama in 2018. I began my sports media career in radio in 2019, working for three years in Tuscaloosa covering the University of Alabama and other local high school sports. In 2023 I began my career with On SI writing and covering predominantly college athletics with a focus on the University of Alabama, University of Missouri and Vanderbilt.