Vanderbilt Baseball Hitting More Home Runs, Led by Brodie Johnston

Commodores show power surge is no fluke with four home runs against Eastern Michigan

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Vanderbilt baseball is hitting more home runs early in the 2026 season, including four in a 13-2 win over Eastern Michigan. Sophomore Brodie Johnston already has five home runs, a milestone he didn't reach until late March last season. The Commodores' increased power has come from breakouts by players already on the roster, like Johnston, junior Colin Barczi, and redshirt freshman Tommy Goodin.

Why it matters

Vanderbilt's power surge is a positive sign for the team, which finished 13th in the SEC in home runs last season. The Commodores are looking to build on their success and make a strong push in conference play.

The details

In the win over Eastern Michigan, Vanderbilt hit four home runs, including two from Johnston. The sophomore has already matched his home run total from last season and has improved his plate discipline, with two walks and only one strikeout so far. New hitting coach Jason Esposito has helped the Commodores unlock more power, with other contributors including Barczi, Braden Holcomb, and Ryker Waite.

  • On Feb. 17, Vanderbilt baseball hit its 13th home run of the season.
  • In 2025, the Commodores didn't hit their 13th home run until March 16.

The players

Brodie Johnston

A sophomore who already has five home runs this season, a milestone he didn't reach until late March last year. He has also improved his plate discipline with two walks and only one strikeout.

Colin Barczi

A junior who has three home runs so far this season.

Braden Holcomb

A junior who has two home runs, including one against Eastern Michigan.

Tommy Goodin

A redshirt freshman who hit his first career home run against the Eagles.

Jason Esposito

Vanderbilt's new hitting coach who has helped the team unlock more power this season.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Just changing my approach at the plate, not trying to do too much. Just really staying with our zone that we're looking at, and that's helped me just not chase a lot this year.”

— Brodie Johnston

“I think it just goes all back to approach. Just really hunting the zone and looking for a pitch we can do some damage on and how hard we've worked during the preseason. ... We get a good swing on the ball and get a good pitch to hit, we're going to do some damage.”

— Braden Holcomb

“It speaks to their hunger. I think that's what happens. First of all, patience. Not a lot of kids these days have patience, but I think both of them had patience. ... They stayed in house and got better. Goody obviously put on a lot of strength. Ryker just learned from (Jonathan Vastine) and then went off this summer and was one of the better players up there in the Cape. So I think they just took advantage of the time that they didn't play and became very resourceful and made themselves good players.”

— Tim Corbin, Vanderbilt Head Coach

What’s next

Vanderbilt will look to continue its power surge as it prepares for SEC play, which begins in late February.

The takeaway

Vanderbilt's increased home run production, led by breakout performances from players already on the roster, is a promising sign for the Commodores as they aim to improve on their 13th-place SEC finish in home runs last season.