Vanderbilt pitcher Alex Kranzler throws to a batter during the first inning of an NCAA college baseball fall intrasquad game at Hawkins Field Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn.

NASHVILLE Former Vanderbilt baseball reliever Alex Kranzler was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 17th round of the MLB Draft after three seasons with the Commodores.

The fourth-year junior right-hander was pick No.

514 overall.

He's the the first Vanderbilt pitcher to be picked, and third overall.

Kranzler was one of Vanderbilts most consistent and reliable bullpen arms over the past three seasons.

Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin threw him to the fire as a freshman and Kranzler responded by pitching well enough to stay out there.

His 2026 season is deceptive in that his numbers were actually the worst theyve ever been, but he was good enough down the stretch to impress evaluators.

Kranzler already has a big enough body of work to indicate that his 6.18 ERA is more a product of Vanderbilt putting him in difficult, unfamiliar positions than it is an indicator of true regression.

MLB people are also of the belief that his under the hood indicators are better than the surface-level numbers.

It wasnt entirely unfathomable that Kranzler would come back to school, but MLB people like him and he didnt appear to have all that much to gain from a return to school.

The odds were that he wouldnt have been a part of Vanderbilts weekend rotation if he returned.

His final eight outingsin which he put up scoreless outings in six of themindicated that hed turned the corner and was likely gone.

I think he's slowed himself down, Corbin said during the SEC Tournament.

I think that's the thing.

I believe his rhythm to how he pitches, it looks easier.

It doesn't look as forced.

It doesn't look like grunt work.

It's letting the ball do the work.

Now, Kranzler will look to build on what he did at the end of 2026 as a professional player.

As he does it, hell work to make sure he embraces every part of his situation.

The big, I guess, difference maker was stop focusing or worrying about stuff in the past, future just kind of be where you are and kind of just use that, Kranzler said during the season.

We have a kind of ongoing joke right now, like, even if I mentioned going out to eat the night before, he'll kind of get on me and say that's the past.

So just trying to stay as present as possible has been the big one.

Joey Dwyer is the lead writer on Vanderbilt Commodores On SI.

He found his first love in college sports at nearby Lipscomb University and decided to make a career of telling its best stories.

He got his start doing a Notre Dame basketball podcast from his basement as a 14-year-old during COVID and has since aimed to make that 14-year-old proud.

Dwyer has covered Vanderbilt sports for three years and previously worked for 247 Sports and Rivals.

He contributes to Seth Davis' Hoops HQ, Basket Under Review and Mainstreet Nashville.

Follow joey_dwy.