The Louisville Slugger All-American list was released Wednesday morning and three Commodores found their names on the list after outstanding freshman campaigns: pitcher Sonny Gray, designated hitter Aaron Westlake and second baseman Riley Reynolds.
Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin said before the Regional that his young team was trying to build a tradition of success in the NCAA tournament. Although the Commodores fell short of advancing, the base of talent that got the team to the championship game remains largely intact.
"Once we get beyond that breaking point, I think these will not be easier, but there'll be more of a path on how to win them," Corbin said.
These three first-year starters could very well be leading them down that path.
Gray, who was drafted by the Chicago Cubs out of high school despite informing the club he would be playing for Vanderbilt, was named to the Freshman All-American list after posting a 5-1 record with a 4.30 earned run average. He began the year as a closer but was converted into a starter Corbin and won his first career start against Georgia. He went on to pitch in the SEC Tournament and then in the NCAA regional, where he threw eight innings of shutout ball to eliminate Indiana. In his four starts, Gray pitched 25 innings with a 3.20 ERA, striking out 32.
Gray also recorded the final five outs against Louisville, striking out the side in the final inning he pitched this season.
Westlake, a redshirt freshman, was the conference batting champion with a .377 average and also hit 10 home runs and drove in 57 runs in his first year of collegiate action. In the Louisville Regional he continued to shine, collecting seven hits, including two home runs and three doubles. His solo home run against Middle Tennessee set the tone early for a 6-0 victory that eliminated the Blue Raiders and kept Vanderbilt's season alive.
Reynolds had a 19-game hitting streak during the season and was among the team leaders with a .332 batting average. He made a name for himself on the team by doing the little things, getting on base, laying down key bunts and getting to the point that Corbin said he 'couldn't 'see a line-up without him in it.' He was named to the All-Regional team after posting a .375 average with four runs scored, including a 2-4, two-run performance in a pivotal win over Louisville that got the Commodores into the championship game.
