Greysen Carter made the opening night start for Vanderbilt against Florida Atlantic on Friday. It’s always a notable feat for a pitcher to serve as the No. 1 starter for a quality Southeastern Conference program like Vanderbilt. But for Carter, the accomplishment meant even more.
Carter’s career at Vanderbilt has experienced some unexpected twists and turns over the last three years. Vanderbilt cut Carter after his freshman year when he walked 10 batters in 5 1/3 innings. The right-handed pitcher entered the transfer portal but didn’t receive much interest and figured he’d go the junior college route, he said.
But after the 2022 MLB draft, Vanderbilt contacted Carter and expressed its need for another pitcher. The Commodores offered Carter the option to return to the team. Carter knew he couldn’t pass on the chance to prove himself.
Despite his adversity throughout his first year, the decision to remain at Vanderbilt has paid off. Carter showed improvement last season and then thrived in the Cape Cod League in the summer. This spring, scouts consider Carter a potential early-round pick in July’s draft. He boasts a big-time fastball and plenty of upside.
“That was just a stab in the heart,” said Carter on getting cut. “When I talk about maturity, I think that was a lot of it. It was an eye-opening experience of how college baseball is and made me realize that I need to get a lot better. Coming in here every day with a chip on my shoulder. I’m the type of person that if someone says I’m not good enough that I want to prove them wrong.”
As a freshman in 2022, Carter posted a 6.75 ERA with six strikeouts and 10 walks allowed in 5 1/3 innings. He grew last season, recording 4.08 ERA with 23 strikeouts and 28 walks allowed in 28 2/3 innings. He then had a 1.88 ERA with 14 strikeouts and nine walks allowed in 14 1/3 innings in the prestigious Cape Cod League last summer.
Carter is a 6-foot-4, 237-pound right-handed pitcher who throws a fastball, changeup and slider from an over-the-top arm slot. His fastball is a big-time offering in the high 90s and touches triple digits. His changeup is a power pitch that has sinking and running action. He changed the grip of his slider in the offseason in hopes of having another power pitch.
“Throwing my fastball by people is my biggest strength,” Carter said.
Carter needs to refine his command to reach his ultimate potential. He tightened his mechanics in the offseason, removing some unwanted movements. He also believes his maturity and experience will help him this spring.
“There has been a big jump of improvement,” said Carter on his command. “I figured some stuff out during the Cape, and I had less walks and improved command and efficiency. I have carried that over into the fall and now the spring, emphasizing less walks and commanding my pitches.”
Vanderbilt finished with 42 wins and captured the SEC Tournament title last season. But the Commodores didn’t advance out of the NCAA Tournament Regionals for the second consecutive year.
This season, Carter will anchor a quality and deep pitching staff. The Commodores have the pieces to advance to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. They are seeking their first CWS appearance since 2021, when they finished as the national runner-up.
“We want to win a national championship,” Carter said. “That is everyone’s goal and on everyone’s mind. But I think it’s hard to look into the future. We play a lot of games and a lot of good teams in this league. We just need to focus on each game.”
Read more in-depth stories on top 2024 MLB draft prospects at Baseball Prospect Journal.
Dan Zielinski III has covered the MLB draft for nine years. He has interviewed 518 of the top draft prospects in that period, including four No. 1 overall picks. Multiple publications, including Baseball America, USA Today, MLB.com, The Arizona Republic and The Dallas Morning News, have quoted his work, while he has appeared on radio stations as a “MLB draft expert.” Follow him on Twitter @DanZielinski3.
