Is Vanderbilt a Top 8 Team After Series Win Against Tennessee?

The Commodores had one of the nation's toughest schedules last week and came out of that week in a great position to make Nashville a post-season host.

Vanderbilt infielder Jonathan Vastine (13) celebrates with Vanderbilt utility RJ Austin (42) after Vastine hits a home run during a NCAA baseball game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Vanderbilt Commodores at Lindsey Nelson Stadium on May 11, 2025. Vanderbilt won 7-5 against Tennessee. / Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Welcome back to the top 10 Vanderbilt.

The Commodores went 2-2 in their games last week, but each game was against a top 20-ranked team and they did win a close series against then-No. 15 Tennessee over the weekend. Frankly, the short move up was less than some may have expected.

Vanderbilt began the week with a 5-4 road loss to then-No. 20 Louisville and then lost its series opener to the Volunteers on Friday (mostly due to another dominant pitching performance from Tennessee's Liam Doyle). The Commodores then bounced in the series' final two games, beating the Volunteers 10-6 and 7-5.

Vanderbilt is ranked No. 9 in D1Baseball’s Top 25 Rankings and No. 10 in Baseball America’s Top 25 Rankings after being ranked No. 11 in both polls last week. The rankings put Vanderbilt outside of the national top 8, but there’d be an argument for that to change if NCAA Tournament selections were made today.

🚨 NEW COLLEGE TOP 25 🚨

Welcome to the top spot, @LSUbaseball.https://t.co/4zBKndZXk2 pic.twitter.com/I6UwtJRm3c

— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) May 12, 2025

But they’re not and the Commodores have one more SEC series (at home against Kentucky) to lock up their status as a potential NCAA Super Regional host. That’s the sentiment from Baseball America’s ranking comment about the Commodores:

“Vanderbilt faced one of the toughest weeks on the national slate and emerged in strong position, bouncing back from losses to Louisville and Tennessee to claim a crucial weekend series in Knoxville. Braden Holcomb and RJ Austin each drove in three runs in Saturday’s win, while Colin Barczi (two), Jonathan Vastine and Mike Mancini homered to power Sunday’s finale. With a 16-11 SEC record, 15 Quad I wins and the nation’s No. 3 RPI, the Commodores are trending toward a top-eight national seed. A strong showing against Kentucky this weekend would likely cement it.”

Here are the latest top 25 rankings released Monday morning:

D1Baseball Top 25 Rankings

1. LSU (40-12)
2. Florida State (36-11)
3. Texas (40-10)
4. North Carolina (37-11)
5. Oregon (38-13)
6. Auburn (36-15)
7. Oregon State (37-12-1)
8. Arkansas (41-11)
9. Vanderbilt (36-16)
10. Georgia (40-13)
11. Coastal Carolina (41-11)
12. UC Irvine (38-11)
13. NC State (32-16)
14. UCLA (37-14)
15. Clemson (38-15)
16. West Virginia (40-10)
17. Tennessee (39-13)
18. Alabama (39-13)
19. Southern Miss (38-13)
20. Duke (35-16)
21. Louisville (34-17)
22. Troy (37-16)
23. Florida (35-18)
24. Dallas Baptist (36-13)
25. Northeastern (41-9)

Baseball America Top 25 Rankings

1. LSU (40-12)
2. Auburn (36-15)
3. North Carolina (37-11)
4. Georgia (40-13)
5. Florida State (36-11)
6. Texas (40-10)
7. Arkansas (41-11)
8. Coastal Carolina (41-11)
9. Oregon (38-13)
10. Vanderbilt (36-16)
11. Oregon State (37-12-1)
12. UC Irvine (38-11)
13. Florida (35-18)
14. Troy (37-16)
15. Dallas Baptist (36-13)
16. Alabama (39-13)
17. Clemson (38-15)
18. Tennessee (39-13)
19. West Virginia (40-10)
20. UCLA (37-14)
21. NC State (32-16)
22. Ole Miss (34-17)
23. Louisville (34-17)
24. Southern Miss (38-13)
25. UTSA (39-11)

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