Vanderbilt has set its 35-man baseball roster, leaving off five players--pitchers Luke Murphy, Michael Sandborn, Makenzie Stills and Justin Willis, and outfielder Cam McMillan--who were on the roster earlier in the spring.

The Commodores, the preseason No. 1 by D1 Baseball and Baseball America, entered the fall and spring with 40 players, but were required to get down to the NCAA-mandated 35 by the opener.

Willis, a right-hander, was the biggest surprise omission. The true sophomore threw 10 2/3 innings with a 7.59 ERA last year, striking out eight and walking seven.

Willis was one of just three pitchers to appear twice in the fall series against Oklahoma State. He pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out three and walking none, and left the fall as a possible closing candidate for 2019.

Sandborn, a lefty, was the only other non-freshman left off. The Tampa native has battled shoulder injuries much of his career. The redshirt sophomore threw three scoreless innings as a freshman, but didn't pitch last season. Sandborn threw two innings against OSU in the fall, giving up two runs, one earned.

Stills, ranked the No. 211 high school player in the 2018 class by Perfect Game, was probably the biggest surprise omission among the freshmen. The 5-foot-11 Stills threw two innings in one appearance against OSU this fall, giving up a run while striking out two and walking two.

McMillan, another true freshman--Perfect Game ranked him 185th in the class--came to Vandy as an infielder, but was converted to the outfield. McMillan would have have minimal playing time as a backup, most likely in left, had he been active.

The omission of Murphy was no surprise. The area native--he's from nearby Cross Plains, Tenn.--was sidelined with injury in the fall. He has been expected to redshirt for months now.

Vanderbilt opens its season Friday against Virginia in Talking Stick, Ariz., against Virginia. That game may be seen on the MLB Network, with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. Central.