Previewing Vanderbilt Baseball's Stay Or Go Decisions Ahead of MLB Draft
NASHVILLE---Vanderbilt baseball missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 19 seasons in 2026, but it still has a number of draft-eligible players that are likely to be selected next week. None are sure-fire MLB pieces, but Vanderbilt still has some players to worry about losing.
Vanderbilt will likely see Mike Mancini and Logan Johnstone--who will graduate--get their names called, and could lose a few other big names in addition to them.
Here's what the outlook looks like at this stage.
Very likely gone
Braden Holcomb didn’t win like he wanted to in his Vanderbilt baseball career, but his individual development was as good as anyone could’ve expected it to be.
Holcomb had a breakout season in 2026, raised his average from .275 in 2025 to .352 in his junior season. He went from nine homers to 14 as well as nine doubles to 19. It was a significant leap that it makes Holcomb’s decision easy. He’s not going to be a first-round pick, but he’s likely to be drafted high enough to sign.
Every indication from Holcomb–from an Instagram post after Vanderbilt’s final loss and his moment of reflection on the dugout rail in Hoover after that loss to Florida–has indicated that he knows he’s moving on. Now, it’s a matter of finality.
Vanderbilt thought it was lucky to sneak Holcomb through the draft prior to his freshman season, but he needed to become a more complete hitter and put more things on tape defensively. After three seasons, he can confidently say he did that.
Likely gone but could return
Alex Kranzler’s 2026 season is deceptive in that his numbers were actually the worst they’ve ever been, but he was good enough down the stretch to impress evaluators. Kranzler already has a big enough body of work to indicate that his 6.18 ERA is more a product of Vanderbilt putting him in difficult, unfamiliar positions than it is an indicator of true regression. MLB people are also of the belief that his under the hood indicators are better than the surface-level numbers.
It’s not entirely impossible that Kranzler could come back to school, but MLB people like him and he’s another player that doesn’t have all that much to gain from a return to school. He’s not all that likely to join Vanderbilt’s rotation if he comes back, and he put up scoreless outings in six of his last eight outings.
The door isn’t closed on a Colin Barczi return, but MLB people love his combination of bat and ability to play catcher at the next level. An injury held Barczi back in 2026, but he still put together his best offensive season to date with a .263 average, a career-high 11 homers and a .917 OPS–which is nearly .200 points higher than his previous career high.
Barczi quietly put together a breakout year in 2026, and appears to have the highest value to MLB teams that he ever will. He could take another step forward in 2027 if he returns–and could be part of a team that helps to build his Vanderbilt legacy–but coming back would be somewhat of a risk. Vanderbilt also added standout Wake Forest transfer Matt Conte, which may tip Barczi’s hand a bit.
Up in the air
Connor Fennell is somewhere between likely gone but could return and the up in the air categories, and it’s hard to know which one he really fits into. Fennell’s situation this summer feels like Riley Nelson’s a year ago, where he’s open to a return if the right offer doesn’t come.
Industry people lean slightly towards believing Fennell will sign, but none of them are ruling out the possibility that he will decide to make a push at going out on a better note as a college player. Fennell’s unconventional style and underwhelming 2026 season has a few evaluators questioning how high he’ll really be drafted and if he can get through the lineup three times. Fennell will be drafted unless he indicates he’s going back to school, but his positioning may not be as favorable as initially thought.
Don’t rule out the idea that Fennell could come back with the intention of proving that he’s better than what he showed in 2026, although Vanderbilt does have more capable weekend arms that will push him if he does decide to return.
The indication is that Vanderbilt reliever Miller Green–who has his name in the transfer portal–also has a chance to hear his name called.
Likely to return
Vanderbilt is likely to return Mack Whitcomb, Jacob Schulz–who does have an intriguing late-round profile–Deegan Cordova and Nate Teague.
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Joey Dwyer is the lead writer on Vanderbilt Commodores On SI. He found his first love in college sports at nearby Lipscomb University and decided to make a career of telling its best stories. He got his start doing a Notre Dame basketball podcast from his basement as a 14-year-old during COVID and has since aimed to make that 14-year-old proud. Dwyer has covered Vanderbilt sports for three years and previously worked for 247 Sports and Rivals. He contributes to Seth Davis' Hoops HQ, Basket Under Review and Mainstreet Nashville.
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