Our superb freshman Brodie Johnston was phenomenal in the SEC Tournament. (Photo courtesy of You Tube).
A friend of mine in Birmingham, “PW” Watts, emailed me after the San Antonio Spurs, with Coach Greg Popovich, Tim Duncan (the Big Fundamental), Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, had won their fifth NBA Championship in 15 years in 2014, and called the Spurs, “sublime.” I agreed with PW then and I will say the same about Coach Tim Corbin and this Vanderbilt University Baseball Team.
This coach and these group of players are profoundly good and not just on the baseball field, where they are prolific. When Coach Corbin meets with his players, which is frequently, he mainly talks about the players doing everything they can to be “good men.” To Coach Corbin, that’s what’s most important.
If you read the roster bios on each player, Coach Corbin has comments on each one. They’re awesome comments and so accurate, and he closes talking about almost every one of the guys saying, “he was on the Dean’s list in the fall.”
Isn’t that what college athletics is supposed to be about? With Greg Sankey and the Big Ten Commissioner, Tony Petitti, trying to professionalize college football more every day as they now try to institute a 16 team playoff, it’s really nice to see a coach who still cares about academics for his players, and players who care about doing well in all facets of their lives.
This team plays the game the right way. They’re warriors on the field, but they’re also gentlemen. The “heart beat,” as Coach Corbin likes to say, is unified, and together. It leads to successful results on the baseball field and in life for these young men.
I love this 2025 team. I have loved every team we’ve had under Coach Corbin. They’ve all been special. But these guys bring their own uniqueness to Vanderbilt baseball. They’re their own entity. And it’s a special legacy they are in the midst of leaving.
We have a lot of work left. We have a regional to host with three other highly competitive teams. We play Wright State (38-19, 25-5 Horizon), a team that hits .305 and has some pretty decent pitching. Game time tomorrow, Friday, is 5 P.M. CT on the SEC Network. JD Thompson will be on the hill for us, while I’m guesstimating it’ll be sophomore left hander Griffen Paige for them (1-3 with an 8.90 ERA, but had a very good start last time out versus Northern Kentucky, 6 IP, 1 hit, 0 runs, 1 walk, 8 K’s). Louisville (35-21, 15-15 ACC), which defeated us up at their place in mid May, and East Tennessee State (41-15, 14-7 Southern Conf), play at 1 P.M. CT at our regional Friday.
But we played spectacular baseball at the SEC Tournament with superb pitching by JD, Cody Bowker, Connor Fennell and Austin Nye, among others, superb defense, led by some amazing plays by our “sublime” freshman Brodie Johnston, who, when God decided he wanted to create a prototypical baseball player to play for Vanderbilt University and beyond, he turned his attention to Ooltewah, Tennessee on March 13, 2006 and brought one Brodie Kenneth Johnston into the world. Brodie is another gift to this profoundly exceptional baseball team. He made play after play at third, throwing out a runner at home on Saturday in a key moment against Tennessee, making super play after super play at third and hitting a key two run shot on Sunday versus Ole Miss, his 13th homer and 52nd and 53rd Ribeyes of the season.
The whole infield was terrific. Another great freshman, Rustan Rigdon, was turning double plays beautifully. Ruston has found a home and had three hits on Saturday in a huge performance for us. Our spectacular senior, Jonathan “Johnny
V” Vastine, was his typical stellar self at short, and our awesome first baseman, Riley Nelson, was digging’em out at first. Riley is an outstanding defensive first baseman as well as an outstanding hitter for us.
Centerfielder RJ Austin, our inspirational leader along with Johnny V and JD, led us in the outfield along with the great Jacob Humphrey, our right fielder, who hit a crucial home run to right on Sunday. Left fielder Braden Holcomb may not have been known for his defense coming out of high school because his bat was so prolific, but the sophomore made a tremendous grab of a sinking line drive in left on Sunday. Braden is excellent in left and brings a massive stick to the plate.
And our great catcher, Colin Barczi, is just steady and brings greatness to the position, both behind the dish and at the plate.
So, this all adds up to an exceptional baseball team. We’ve got our work cut out for us to make it to Omaha. Watching the Selection Show on Monday, I thought to myself, “Wow, there is a massive amount of talent in this 64 team field.”
But I love this head coach, these coaches and this stellar group of profoundly good players, who also happen to be profoundly great people. It starts at the top and we’ve got the man who has done it at Vanderbilt University for 23 years and counting.
This team is sublime. This coach is sublime. This season could very well end up being sublime. We’ve got the pieces in place to make it that way. It starts Friday at 5 P. M. CT. Can’t wait to tell you all about it.
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