Carter Holton returns to the mound with maturity

Vanderbilt had to finish 2023 without its go-to, Friday night guy.

Luckily for Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin, Carter Holton is back and is ready to go.

Holton returned to the mound in a situation that mirrored that of a game for the first time since July in an intrasquad scrimmage on Sunday.

"It felt really good just to be back out there with the guys and competing again." Holton said. "That was in the summer time obviously but just getting on the mound like this was the first time I was in a game setting on the mound since then so just kinda building off of that even though it was such a long gap in between but just building off of that and being able to just compete again."

That day had been a long time coming for the Vanderbilt junior. Throughout the time between outings the Vanderbilt starter focused on remaining competitive, though.

"I mean it comes down to the simple part of just competing out there so just staying on the competing and in between that gap that I wasn't able to be on the mound." Holton said of his focus throughout the time off the field. "Just finding ways to compete and build my game to the best of my ability."

Holton wasn't just focused on recovery, he was focused on turning that time off the mound into better results on it.

"It was just a lot of rehab and figuring out my own body and being able to do things that I couldn't necessarily do on the mound off the field like getting in the weight room and all of those things that add on to when you get back on the mound."

The Vanderbilt junior seems to have a different feel than in the past. After 24 career starts, Holton walks and talks like a veteran. Not like someone who hasn't pitched in a game setting since the summer.

With that maturing has come an emphasis on more than just throwing. Holton is starting to understand what makes a great pitcher a great pitcher.

"In a lot of ways. I think it's more of the art of pitching now not necessarily throwing," Holton said of his growth since his freshman season. "Coming from being a two way in high school I get to worry about the craft of pitching now so just digging into the craft of pitching now more than just going out and pitching."

Before that can come, health has to happen first. To achieve what Holton wants to, he'll have to stay on the mound.

"That's the goal, I want to be on the mound from day one until the last day. I don't want to have to sit out like I did last year."

Holton will have his health for Vanderbilt's opening-night matchup against Florida Atlantic. He'll also have a better idea of how to get outs than he did in the past.

"Pitchability I would say," Holton said when asked of his improvements. "Just being able to hone in on command and adding the new slider, throwing the changeup more and just being more confident in those pitches, as well."

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