Stock up, stock down for Vanderbilt baseball after beating Arkansas

Vanderbilt baseball finally got the marquee series win it's been after, and was it one.

The Commodores (34-16, 14-13 SEC) got a shutout from Carter Holton in the rubber match, 5-0, to become the first team to win a regular-season road series against Arkansas since March 2019 as well as the first SEC team to shut out Arkansas since the same month.

Now, Vanderbilt is in position to host an NCAA Tournament regional with a strong showing against LSU the final week of the regular season. Holding at No. 3 in the RPI, the Commodores now have a marquee road win for the resume.

Here's who's stock rose and fell for Vanderbilt:

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Stock up: Enrique Bradfield Jr.

It's difficult for a player whose resume already includes consensus All-American, SEC Freshman of the Year and First Team All-SEC to see his stock rise, but that's what Bradfield did. He started in the midweek against Indiana State by stealing home to tie the game and then scoring the walk-off run. Against the Razorbacks he went 8-for-13, stole six bases and hit the game-winning three-run home run in extra innings in the series opener. Bradfield began the season not quite at the level of his performance last year, but suddenly he's up to a .342 batting average in SEC games and a perfect 40-for-40 on stolen bases.

Stock down: Spencer Jones

If anything, it's a testament to Jones that it took until mid-May to have his first bad series. But it was admittedly a bad one; he didn't have a single hit in the series, though he did walk twice and get hit by a pitch. He also made two misplays in the outfield that led to runs. Ultimately, Jones is still one of the top outfielders in the SEC and a key part for the Commodores, but this series was forgettable.

Stock up: Parker Noland

Noland, who started all but one game in 2021, isn't having the season he or anyone else expected. He's been in and out of the lineup and has gone through multiple slumps. But an injury to Calvin Hewett opened up a spot for Noland to get back in the lineup and he took full advantage, with multiple clutch hits. Overall, he had two doubles and two homers and also made a run-saving defensive play against the Sycamores at first base.

Though Noland is hitting just .255, his left-handed power adds another dimension to the lineup and he may prove indispensable entering the postseason.

Stock down: Chris McElvain

McElvain has proven a reliable starter this season after transitioning from the bullpen, but in recent weeks he has struggled with his command, walking at least three in seven straight appearances. McElvain is difficult to hit, but his performance on Saturday, where he walked three batters and then gave up a sacrifice fly and a three-run homer is why that can be dangerous against the better teams on the schedule. While McElvain's rotation counterparts, Carter Holton and Devin Futrell, seem to be trending up entering the postseason, McElvain will need to reverse his course.

Stock up: Ryan Ginther

The freshman southpaw had appeared in just two games all season before the previous series against Georgia, both in March. But he's been given greater action with Hunter Owen sidelined, and after poor outings against Wagner and Georgia, Ginther threw a scoreless inning in the second game against Arkansas with two strikeouts. If Ginther can become a useful left-handed bullpen option to pair with Nelson Berkwich, it adds another dimension to an already strong pitching staff.

Stock down: Carter Young

The shortstop has been mired in a vicious slump all season and has seen his batting average slip to .204 with just six home runs after hitting 16 a year ago. Young has mostly still remained in the lineup due to his defense and track record, but he hasn't been able to find it again with the bat in SEC play. Young sat out Sunday's game against Arkansas while Davis Diaz played shortstop and Noland was used at third base. Perhaps some time off to reset will do Young well. His elite defense with the power-hitting ability he showed last year would add another dimension to the Commodores, but hope is running out that he'll rediscover that form.

Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on Twitter @aria_gerson.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt baseball roster: stock report after Arkansas series win