Bryce Cunningham selected 53rd by New York Yankees

Vanderbilt right hander Bryce Cunningham became the first Vanderbilt player selected in the 2024 MLB draft as he was selected on Sunday night by the New York Yankees.

Cunningham was the 53rd overall pick in the draft.

The 6-foot-5 right hander started 26 games over three seasons at Vanderbilt, 16 of those starts came in his junior season.

Cunningham finished that season with 84.2 innings pitched, a 7-4 record, a 4.36 era and 96 strikeouts as opposed to 34 walks. That was a significant improvement as opposed to the 2023 season in which Cunningham struck out 45 and walked 23 while posting a 6.43 ERA in 42.0 innings.

The Headland, Alabama, native's best outing came in a complete-game shutout against Mississippi State. Cunningham's SEC Tournament outing against Florida in which he spun six shutout innings after asking coach Tim Corbin for the ball on short rest felt like the most important, though.

Corbin has long touted Cunningham as "a major league guy" and often touted the right hander as an improved all around pitcher.

Cunningham's three-pitch mix and imposing frame have appealed to MLB scouts since before he arrived on Vanderbilt's campus. Vanderbilt's Friday night g