It may be hard to believe, but we’re already one quarter through the 2025 Cape Cod League season. With 30 games remaining, Vanderbilt’s players on the Cape have now had the chance to settle in, get to know their new teammates, and continue the grind of what is a crucial offseason. When the Commodores return to Nashville, there will be some new faces waiting for them as Tim Corbin recently revamped the lineup with a few new dynamic bats.

In a summer that has seen the fewest number of Vandy Boys on the Cape in several years (there are only two active position players on Cape teams this summer), there have been some intriguing results two weeks into the summer season.

TDR’s sources have confirmed that Brodie Johnston, Rustan Rigdon, and Riley Nelson are all remaining in Nashville for the summer despite all three signing so the Cape League teams at various points. For Johnston and Rigdon, both are hitting the weight room hard and looking to add muscle. With Nelson, his choice to stay put in Nashville bodes well for his chances to return to the team next season, although nothing has been officially confirmed on that front. And while there has been no official word on Colin Barczi and Mike Mancini, neither appear to be coming to the Cape and appear to be using the offseason to rest and recoup.

Per Peter Nakos, Mac Rose has officially hit the transfer portal. The news does not come as a shocker as the ascension of Colin Barczi and the recent acquisition of Tennessee Tech catcher Mack Whitcomb were going to make it difficult for Rose to crack the lineup. The departure of Rose could have also been influenced by his struggles on the Cape. Rose is batting .063 with just 1 hit and 6 strikeouts and 16 plate appearances for the Wareham Gatemen this summer. A change of scenery against lesser competition could benefit Rose.

Shorey and Shulz separating themselves

Matthew Shorey and Jakob Shulz are establishing themselves as reliable bullpen arms this summer with steady production over multiple outings.

Shorey is 1-0 with a 1.08 ERA with 9 strikeouts to 4 walks and a .167 batting average against over 8.1 innings for the Bourne Braves this summer. Most recently, Shorey got the start on Wednesday and gave up just 1 earned run over 4.1 innings of work.

Shulz has yet to surrender a run this summer. Over 4.1 innings Shulz has 1 hold,6 strikeouts, and 2 walks for the Falmouth Commodores. The 6’2’ lefty has a 1.15 WHIP over his 3 appearances.

After beginning the season strong for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks, Tommy O’Rourke was hit hard in his last outing, giving up 2 runs on 3 hits in his last outing against the Brewster Whitecaps, who are neck and neck with the Yarmouth Dennis Red Sox for the Cape League’s best record. Overall, O’Rourke has been solid with a 1-0 record and 7 strikeouts to just 1 walk in 5.1 innings on work. While his last outing ballooned his ERA to 3.38, look for O’Rourke to bounce back in his next appearance.

Transfer portal acquisition Jacob Faulkner, a right-hander sidearmer from Princeton has struggled on the Cape. Faulkner has. 5.40 ERA and with 1 hold and 4 strikeouts and 3 walks in 5 innings of work. The lack of command is a bit concerning for Faulkner and will be something to watch as the summer progresses.

With two walk-off hits under his belt against Alabama and Kentucky this season, Braden Holcomb produced some more late inning magic for the Bourne Braves against Cotuit on Sunday, with a walk-off knock to right-center field. For the rising junior, it was encouraging to see him drive the ball to the opposite field in a high leverage situation. The opposite field approach shows some maturity for a young hitter who has so much raw power.

Holcomb’s summer has been a bit of a rollercoaster. Even with the recent walk-off hit, he’s batting just .184 with 1 double, 3 RBI no home runs, and a .473 OPS. Holcomb appears to be due for a big game and as Commodore fans know, when Holcomb gets hot, he gets red hot.

Despite the lack of offense and pop, Holcomb has played third base, first base, and multiple outfield positions this summer and is currently tied for fourth in the league with 5 stolen bases.

Ryker Waite had been an intriguing watch this summer. Waite is currently batting .250 with 2 doubles, 2 RBI, and a .720 OPS. While his role on the team next season appears to be unclear, Waite has flashed his potential as a depth piece during his time with the Bourne Braves.

Across the league, the balls have not been flying out of the yard. Currently, there is a three-way tie for the league lead in home runs between Josiah Ragsdale (Boston College, Brewster), Chris Rembert (Auburn, Hyannis), and Henry Ford (Tennessee, Chatham). Ragsdale, Rembert, and Ford are also first, second, and third respectively in RBI with 9, 8, and 7 so far this season.

In average, only 15 hitters are currently batting above .300 with Ragsdale once again leading the league with a .370 average. For OPS, Logan Hughes (Texas Tech, Orleans) leads the league with 1.023 and is one of only five players to have an OPS higher than .900.

The bullpen depth continues to be a strength for Vanderbilt. In the batter’s box, Corbin’s roster additions could not have come at a better time due to the struggles of Vandy’s players to hit the ball over the fence so far this summer. Still, there is plenty of baseball to be played, particularly for Holcomb, who continues to remain in the heart of the order.

Stay tuned for our next installment of Part 4 next week!