Mike Mancini To Return to Vanderbilt in 2025

Vanderbilt infielder Mike Mancini will return to Vanderbilt for his senior season, a source told Vandy on SI. 

Mancini was eligible for the MLB Draft, but will bypass it in order to play a second season at Vanderbilt. The New York native transferred to Vanderbilt last offseason after two seasons at James Madison, the second of which he hit for a .329 average and 15 home runs. 

In his first season at Vanderbilt, Mancini hit .269 with four home runs, 24 RBI, 18 stolen bases and a .791 OPS. Three of his four home runs came in the final month of the season, two of which came in back-to-back games against Tennessee and Kentucky while the other came in a regional victory over Wright State. 

“His personality and baseball skills are a great fit for our program,” Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin said of Mancini in a release ahead of the 2024 season. “Mike is a very versatile athlete who can play many positions on the field. He has a speed element to his game offensively but can also drive the baseball as shown by his past experiences in college. He has played in the postseason and excelled there as well.” 

Mancini played in 49 games last season while splitting time at second base and designated hitter. He played in all three games in the Nashville Regional before Vanderbilt’s untimely postseason exit. 

Now he’ll be back for another season as Vanderbilt looks to get back to Omaha.