Vanderbilt Commodores

Vanderbilt Announces Starting Pitchers for Opening Weekend

The Commodores have a talented enough pitching staff to prove the preseason SEC predictions wrong and will show off three of their best pitchers this weekend.
Taylor Hodges|
Vanderbilt University Head Coach Tim Corbin, right, and pitching coach Scott Brown watch sophomore JD Thompson (22) pitch to Coastal Carolina University during the NCAA Clemson Regional baseball game at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
Vanderbilt University Head Coach Tim Corbin, right, and pitching coach Scott Brown watch sophomore JD Thompson (22) pitch to Coastal Carolina University during the NCAA Clemson Regional baseball game at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. | Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images

No. 16 Vanderbilt is a little more than 48 hours away from beginning its 2025 season at the 2025 MLB Desert Invitational against Grand Canyon.

Based on the 2025 SEC Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll and the lack of any Commodores named to the Preseason First-Team All-SEC, Vanderbilt isn’t considered to be one of the conference’s best teams. But nobody will take the Commodores for granted, if only based on the program’s history of success.

But the Commodores have the talent to rise to the top of the SEC and higher than its No. 16 ranking by D1Baseball.com.

A lot of that talent is on the pitching staff that could be dominant enough to prove the preseason predictions wrong and Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin is putting his three best pitchers on display to start the season.

The Commodores announced the starting pitchers for their three games at the 2025 MLB Desert Invitational. The starters, along with their career stats and 2024 season stats are listed below, as well as TV listings to watch Vanderbilt start the 2025 baseball season.

Vanderbilt at Grand Canyon, Friday, 7 p.m., MLB Network

Vanderbilt University sophomore JD Thompson (22) pitches to Coastal Carolina University.
Vanderbilt University sophomore JD Thompson (22) pitches to Coastal Carolina University in the second inning during the NCAA Clemson Regional baseball game at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. | Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images

Starting Pitcher: JD Thompson

  • Career Stats: 7-2, 13 GS, 74 IP, 69 H, 42 R, 38 ER, 8 HR, 31 BB, 97 SO
  • 2024: 5-2, 12 GS, 52 IP, 47 H, 27 R, 24 ER, 4 HR, 18 BB, 74 SO

Vanderbilt vs. Nebraska, Saturday, 7 p.m., MLB Network

Vanderbilt pitcher Ethan McElvain (89) pitches against Evansville during the first inning.
Vanderbilt pitcher Ethan McElvain (89) pitches against Evansville during the first inning at Hawkins Field in Nashville, Tenn., Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024. | Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

Starting Pitcher: Ethan McElvain

  • Career Stats: 1-2, 3.24 ERA, 25 IP, 20 H, 13 R, 9 ER, 3 HR, 15 BB, 29 SO
  • 2024: 1-2, 3.24 ERA, 25 IP, 20 H, 13 R, 9 ER, 3 HR, 15 BB, 29 SO

Vanderbilt vs. UC Irvine, Sunday, 1 p.m., MLB.com

Georgetown Hoyas pitcher Cody Bowker (24) pitches to two batters during the game against the St. John's Red Storm.
Georgetown Hoyas pitcher Cody Bowker (24) pitches to two batters during the game against the St. John's Red Storm during the BIG EAST Baseball Tournament at Prasco Park. St. John’s defeats Georgetown, 4-2. | Matt Lunsford-Imagn Images

Starting Pitcher: Cody Bowker

  • Career Stats: 6-2, 90 IP, 69 H, 33 R, 28 ER, 8 HR, 45 BB, 106 SO
  • 2024 (at Georgetown): 5-1, 48 IP, 40 H, 19 R, 16 ER, 20, 59 SO

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Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas, but he was taken to Razorback pep rallies at Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth before he could walk. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.

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