As Vanderbilt prepares for its Super Regional showdown against baseball powerhouse Florida State, several Commodores learned their baseball careers have a chance to extend well past their tenure in Nashville. Senior right-hander Andrew Hayes headlined a group of six players selected in the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft, the fourth consecutive year at least six players have been drafted out of Vanderbilt. The significance of such a feat was not lost on Hayes, who was picked by the Cincinnati Reds in the 11th round.
“It says a lot about (Vanderbilt), a baseball program that was down and Coach (Tim) Corbin came in and turned it around,” Hayes said in an interview with The Jackson Sun’s David Thomas. “We’ve had pitchers taken high in the Draft every year, and we have a high influx of players in Major League Baseball. I’m excited about it.”
Joining Hayes amongst the ranks of the drafted were leftfielder Aaron Westlake (22nd round by the Toronto Blue Jays); pitchers Taylor Hill (30th round by the Cleveland Indians), Russell Brewer (31st round by the Colorado Rockies) and Chase Reid (41st round by the St. Louis Cardinals); and catcher Andrew Giobbi (32nd round by the Seattle Mariners). Information from the Jackson Sun and MLB.com contributed to this report.