Vandy Boys Earn Baseball America's Preseason #1 Ranking
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The defending College World Series champions are favored to repeat.
Vanderbilt is Baseball America’s preseason No. 1 team, the publication announced Monday. The Commodores, who set an SEC record with 59 victories a season ago, are ranked No. 2 by Collegiate Baseball newspaper, D1Baseball and Perfect Game.
It marks the third time Vanderbilt has taken the preseason’s top spot by the publication with the other instances coming in 2015 and 2019. The 2015 Commodores reached the College World Series finals while last season’s club bested Michigan for the program’s second national title.
The SEC boasts seven teams in the Top 25. The Commodores are joined by Florida (No. 4), Georgia (No. 7), Mississippi State (No. 9), Arkansas (No. 11), Auburn (No. 13) and LSU (No. 14). Michigan, who Vanderbilt faces in the season opener, is ranked No. 8.
The Commodores open the season with a national title rematch at the MLB4 Tournament in Scottsdale, Arizona. Vanderbilt will face Michigan on Feb. 14 before taking on UConn and Cal Poly to cap the event. The Hawkins Field home opener is scheduled for Feb. 18 against South Alabama.
Vanderbilt returns multiple key players from last seasons championship winner including third baseman Austin Martin, a candidate for the Golden Spikes Award and pitchers Mason Hickman, Kumar Rocker and Tyler Brown along with an incredible amount of young pitchers at the disposal of Tim Corbin and his coaching staff.
While last season it was a great offense with above-average pitching early in the season while the 2020 Commodores squad look more like a team that will rely on outstanding pitching and a good offense as the season begins.
Vanderbilt Baseball 2020 Schedule
2/14 Vanderbilt vs. tba (MLB4 Tournament, Scottsdale, Ariz.)
2/15 Vanderbilt vs. tba (MLB4 Tournament, Scottsdale, Ariz.)
2/16 Vanderbilt vs. tba (MLB4 Tournament, Scottsdale, Ariz.)
2/19 South Alabama @ Vanderbilt 4:30 pm
2/21 UIC @ Vanderbilt 4:30 pm
2/22 UIC @ Vanderbilt 2 pm
2/23 UIC @ Vanderbilt 1 pm
2/25 Evansville @ Vanderbilt 4:30 pm
2/26 Saint Louis @ Vanderbilt 4:30 pm
2/28 Hawaii @ Vanderbilt 4:30 pm
2/29 Hawaii @ Vanderbilt 2 pm
3/1 Hawaii @ Vanderbilt 12 pm
3/3 Central Arkansas @ Vanderbilt 4:30 pm
3/6 Vanderbilt @ UCLA
3/7 Vanderbilt @ USC
3/8 TCU vs. Vanderbilt (Dodger Stadium)
3/11 Toledo @ Vanderbilt 6:30 pm
3/13 * Kentucky @ Vanderbilt 6:30 pm
3/14 * Kentucky @ Vanderbilt 2 pm
3/15 * Kentucky @ Vanderbilt 1 pm
3/17 Vanderbilt @ Belmont 6:30 pm
3/20 * Vanderbilt @ Tennessee
3/21 * Vanderbilt @ Tennessee
3/22 * Vanderbilt @ Tennessee
3/24 Lipscomb @ Vanderbilt 6:30 pm
3/27 * Georgia @ Vanderbilt 6:30 pm
3/28 * Georgia @ Vanderbilt 2 pm
3/29 * Georgia @ Vanderbilt 1 pm
3/31 Tennessee Tech @ Vanderbilt 6:30 pm
4/3 * Vanderbilt @ LSU 7 pm
4/4 * Vanderbilt @ LSU 6:30 pm
4/5 * Vanderbilt @ LSU 2 pm
4/7 Western Kentucky @ Vanderbilt 6:30 pm
4/10 * South Carolina @ Vanderbilt 6:30 pm
4/11 * South Carolina @ Vanderbilt 2 pm
4/12 * South Carolina @ Vanderbilt 1 pm
4/14 Indiana State @ Vanderbilt 6:30 pm
4/17 * Vanderbilt @ Ole Miss
4/18 * Vanderbilt @ Ole Miss
4/19 * Vanderbilt @ Ole Miss
4/24 * Alabama @ Vanderbilt 6:30 pm
4/25 * Alabama @ Vanderbilt 2 pm
4/26 * Alabama @ Vanderbilt 1 pm
4/28 Austin Peay @ Vanderbilt 6:30 pm
5/1 * Vanderbilt @ Missouri
5/2 * Vanderbilt @ Missouri
5/3 * Vanderbilt @ Missouri
5/5 Louisville @ Vanderbilt 6:30 pm
5/8 * Vanderbilt @ Florida 6:30 pm
5/9 * Vanderbilt @ Florida 6:30 pm
5/10 * Vanderbilt @ Florida 1 pm
5/12 Middle Tennessee @ Vanderbilt 6:30 pm
5/14 * Mississippi State @ Vanderbilt 6:30 pm
5/15 * Mississippi State @ Vanderbilt 6:30 pm
5/16 * Mississippi State @ Vanderbilt 2 pm
A 29 year veteran of radio in the Middle Tennessee area and 16 years in digital and internet media having covered the Tennessee Titans for Scout Media and TitanInsider.com before joining the Sports Illustrated family of networks.