NASHVILLE — Perhaps it wasn’t as emphatic as its previous four run-rule victories, but Vanderbilt did enough Sunday to complete a weekend sweep of Marist with an 8-1 victory.
After dropping two of its first three games of the season at the Shriners Children’s College Showdown, the Commodores have responded with five straight wins over Eastern Michigan and Marist. Vanderbilt plated 37 runs across the three-game series this weekend, and the offensive approach — from top to bottom — looks far more refined than it did a year ago.
Here’s what stood out.
Brodie Johnston’s Approach is Catching up to His Raw Power
Perhaps the most encouraging development through Vanderbilt’s first eight games has been Brodie Johnston’s evolution at the plate. As a freshman, Johnston slugged 15 home runs but remained an incomplete hitter, one pitchers frequently exploited by forcing him to chase out of the zone. The third baseman posted just a 3.6% walk rate and a 39.4% chase rate a season ago — both in the 1st percentile among collegiate hitters. He whiffed at a 33.3% clip and struck out 29.1% of the time, ranking in the 7th and 9th percentiles, respectively. In layman’s terms, Johnston did significant damage when he connected — he just offered at too many pitches he couldn’t drive.
“Last year I hardly walked,” Johnston said after the game. “I just struck out a bunch and chased and all that stuff.”
That profile looks entirely different in 2026.
While Johnston’s batted-ball authority has remained entirely intact, his approach appears transformed — a credit both to his offseason development and first-year hitting coach Jason Esposito. Through 33 plate appearances this season, Johnston’s has drawn five walks and struck out just three times. He’s now laying off pitches outside the zone, which not only helps keep his strikeout rate down, but also puts him into advantageous counts at a higher clip. Being in hitter-friendly counts more frequently has allowed Johnston to see more mistake pitches, and when he gets those, he’s not missing them.
“I’m just taking everything I can get,” Johnston said. “If they want to walk me, I’ll make the walks. If they want to leave something to hit, I’m trying to hit it.”
Eight games is a small sample, and baseball rarely moves in straight lines. But Johnston looks like a different hitter right now. If the plate discipline gains hold, his early surge may be more than just a hot start, and his name could quickly enter the Golden Spikes conversation. He’s been that good so far.
Weekend Rotation Setting the Tone
Through 27.2 innings of work this season, Vanderbilt’s weekend rotation of Connor Fennell, Austin Nye, and Nate Taylor have allowed just six earned runs — good for a 2.20 ERA.
That’s an impressive mark, especially considering the quality of bats Vanderbilt faced in Arlington to open the season.
Nye — yet to allow an earned run this season — has been especially dominant. Armed with four above average offerings, Nye has grown into his 6’2” frame and has touched 98 mph on the radar gun. The stuff is loud, but it’s also controlled, which is a combination that makes him devastating to face when he’s in a groove.
On Sunday, Taylor delivered another strong performance, surrendering just one hit across four innings. While he didn’t allow an earned run, the former Georgia Bulldog struggled to command the zone, walking five batters — one of which led to a run scoring on a passed ball.
“He’s not a five-walk guy,” Corbin said after the game. “I know he did that today, but that’s not who he is. He’s a strike thrower, and he’s probably more frustrated than anyone. You know what you’re getting with Nate — he’s a competitor.”
Even so, Taylor showcased plus stuff, headlined by a high-usage sweeper with great glove-side break and a flat approach fastball that generates whiffs at the top of the zone. That’s certainly the starting point of an SEC arsenal, but his consistency within the zone will determine how far he can take it.
Braden Holcomb Deserves his Flowers, too
If it weren’t for Brodie Johnston’s scorching start, Braden Holcomb would be getting a lot more attention for his start to 2026. The right-hander entered Sunday with a .464 batting average and a 1.424 OPS while holding his own in center field for the first time in his collegiate career.
Braden Holcomb’s quietly off to an excellent start at the plate this season.
He just slugged his fourth home run of the season to give Vanderbilt a 7-1 lead.
pic.twitter.com/cWoFOG9pzT
Like Johnston, Holcomb appears to have benefited from Esposito’s teachings, hunting fastballs early in the count without sacrificing contact. Along with Logan Johnstone —who’s emerged as a true leadoff hitter with a .625 on-base percentage entering Sunday — Mike Mancini and Colin Barczi, Vanderbilt’s top of the order looks formidable.
Two Different Blueprints to Relief Success
Jacob Faulkner took over for Nate Taylor in the fifth inning and looked sharp for three innings, holding Marist’s offense scoreless while the Vanderbilt offense increased its lead. Everything about the right-hander is funky. Coming from a side-arm slot, Faulkner throws a mid 80s fastball and low 70s curveball — both of which generate unexpected movement. To right-handed hitters especially, Faulkner’s deceptive delivery generates plenty of weak contact and some swing-and-miss. After allowing six earned runs in his Vanderbilt debut against Oklahoma State, the former Princeton arm has settled in nicely over his last two outings.
“I thought [Faulkner] did a really good job,” Corbin said. “Today was impressive. He fielded his position, threw strikes, and was very active on the mound. He’s going to help us.”
Freshman Wyatt Nadeau relieved Faulkner in the eighth and flashed his elite stuff, throwing two scoreless innings and punching out four batters. While Faulkner succeeds with deception and funkiness, Nadeau does so with two elite offerings — a high 90s fastball and hard gyro slider. Command has been the only true question mark with Nadeau, but he controlled the zone well on Sunday and appears poised to take on a bigger role in the bullpen as the season progresses.
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Dylan Tovitz is a sophomore at Vanderbilt University, originally from Livingston, New Jersey. In addition to writing for Vanderbilt on SI, he serves as a deputy sports editor for the Vanderbilt Hustler and co-produces and hosts ‘Dores Unlocked, a weekly video show about Commodore sports. Outside the newsroom, he is a campus tour guide and an avid New York sports fan with a particular passion for baseball. He also enjoys listening to country and classic rock music and staying active through tennis and baseball.
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