Vanderbilt baseball is off to its best SEC start ever. Here's what it means

Vanderbilt baseball is off to the best SEC start in program history at a perfect 9-0. Prior to 2022, no SEC team had done that since the 1990s.

Now, the Commodores (24-5, 9-0 SEC) could be in pursuit of the record Tennessee set last year when it started 12-0 in the SEC. They travel to Missouri (19-9, 3-6) for a Thursday-Saturday series this weekend, the final series of a lighter stretch to begin conference play.

Unlike last year's Vols, this Vanderbilt team hasn't vaulted to the top spot in the rankings. A few questionable losses early in the season coupled with a weaker schedule to begin conference play has the Commodores ranked No. 4 in most major polls. The teams Vanderbilt has swept − Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Georgia − are a combined 3-15 in SEC games not involving the Commodores.

But the historically good start is still a significant boost to Vanderbilt's hopes of getting back on top after being picked to finish third in the SEC East preseason.

Here's what the hot start means for the Commodores going forward:

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National seed potential

Despite Vanderbilt's long history of success under Tim Corbin, the Commodores have earned a top-8 national seed just five times in his 20 seasons: 2007, 2011, 2013, 2019 and 2021. This year's team is on track to be the sixth.

Getting a national seed is no guarantee of a title, but it has been a good indicator for which teams have the goods to win it all. Since super regionals began in 1999, 11 of 23 College World Series champions (48%) and 28 of 46 College World Series finalists (61%) have been national seeds despite those teams comprising just one-eighth of the field. Teams given a top-8 seed had a 15% chance of advancing to the finals, compared with just a 10% chance for all regional hosts.

There's no set formula for earning a national seed. Vanderbilt's 2015 team finished 20-10 and didn't get one, but the 2021 team was No. 4 with a 19-10 conference record. But teams that have at least 19 SEC wins and an RPI in the top 10 put themselves in good position.

The Commodores' RPI as of April 3 was No. 9, and that number has the potential to go up as Vanderbilt plays the tougher opponents on its SEC schedule. The Commodores also have nonconference wins over UCLA (twice), Oklahoma State and Texas, all of whom are in the top 20 of the RPI currently.

Even a .500 finish would give Vanderbilt a good enough SEC record for a national seed. Getting a few more wins over top-tier teams like Florida, Tennessee or South Carolina will be the remaining step toward building a resume to impress the selection committee.

Super sophomores

Vanderbilt struggled through last season with one of the youngest teams in the SEC. This season, the Commodores still have a young team but one that is significantly more experienced than last season.

The development of the sophomore class has had a lot to do with that. Players who started last season, including Carter Holton, Devin Futrell and Davis Diaz, have taken steps forward, while Matthew Polk, Jonathan Vastine, Ryan Ginther and Greysen Carter have stepped into bigger roles. Bryce Cunningham, a swingman a year ago, has emerged as a bullpen weapon with improved fastball velocity.

If the sophomore class can continue performing at this level, the sky is the limit not just for 2023, but for 2024 as well.

Defensive wizardry

Vanderbilt ranks highly in several defensive statistics. The Commodores are second in the conference in fielding percentage and first in turning double plays. The latter is especially impressive considering that Vanderbilt is also one of the best teams in the SEC at preventing baserunners. The Commodores rank second in the conference in WHIP, which measures the average number of walks and hits allowed per inning. Allowing fewer baserunners means fewer double play opportunities, but Vanderbilt's infield still converts them at a high level.

Although the impact of such a strong defense is hard to quantify, it can help bolster an already-strong pitching staff even further.

The Commodores so far have shown themselves to be a balanced all-around team without a true weakness, which should help them win games in multiple ways even if someone has an off day.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt baseball's historic SEC start: Here's what it means