Vanderbilt baseball's Connor Fennell picked by White Sox in Round 20 of 2026 MLB Draft
· Yahoo Sports
Connor Fennell, Vanderbilt baseball's Friday night starter in 2026, was drafted in the 20th round of the 2026 MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox.
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It was not immediately clear if Fennell would sign or return to the Commodores for his senior season.
Fennell started 15 games in 2026, putting up a 4.96 ERA. He struck out 102 batters and walked just 20 in 85⅓ innings but he was prone to getting hit hard at times, allowing 17 home runs and 15 doubles.
Despite that, Fennell was Vanderbilt's only consistent starting pitcher for most of the year. Though he gave up at least one run in every appearance, he recorded six quality starts, five of which came in SEC play, and gave up three or fewer runs in 10 of his 15 starts, with his ERA heavily impacted by allowing seven runs against LSU and nine against Texas.
The 6-1, 183-pounder originally transferred to Vanderbilt from Dayton in 2024. In 2025, he excelled in a swing role, with a 2.53 ERA in 17 appearances.
Fennell's fastball velocity is only in the upper 80s, but the pitch plays up due to its deception and low release point. His best pitch is his changeup and he also throws a slow slider.
Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at [email protected] or on X @aria_gerson.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt baseball's Connor Fennell picked by White Sox in Round 20 of 2026 MLB Draft