Two teams that have made a habit of producing MLB talent and reaching the College World Series over the last decade will begin their 2023 seasons in one of the marquee non-conference games of February at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. 

Vanderbilt Baseball will play TCU at 4 p.m. on the first day of the College Baseball Showdown on the first day of the 2023 college baseball season. 

Vanderbilt enters the season ranked in the top 10, depending on the poll, while TCU is ranked as high as No. 14 in the polls. 

"I'm really excited for our guys to be able to go out and test themselves," TCU coach Kirk Saarloos said at a recent press conference. 

The game is the first of three the two schools will play at the premier preseason event. TCU will play Arkansas, the highest ranked team in the field, on Saturday and end the weekend with a game against Missouri. Vanderbilt will play play Oklahoma State on Saturday and Texas on Sunday morning. 

With Missouri facing Oklahoma State in Game 1 of the College Baseball Showdown, and Texas vs. Arkansas in Game 3, here’s what you need to know about Game 2 between Vandy and the Horned Frogs. 

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The two programs have played just six times and Vanderbilt holds a 4-2 advantage over TCU. 

The last time the two schools met was the final game of the 2020 season for TCU on March 8, 2020. Vanderbilt played one last game (against Toledo) following its 4-3 win in Los Angeles, Calif.  The rest of the season was canceled later that week. 

TCU Baseball vs. Vanderbilt Played In 2015 College World Series 

Two of those six games the programs have played came in Omaha during the 2015 College World Series. The Commodores were the defending national champions and pushed TCU to the brink of elimination with a 1-0 win in the first game. After TCU beat LSU Baseball for the second time that CWS, it set up a rematch. 

With future Los Angeles Dodgers All-Star Walker Buehler on the mound, and another future All-Star Bryan Reynolds driving in a run, Vanderbilt won 7-1 to end TCU’s season. 

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Buehler and Reynolds have become two stars in Major League Baseball, but the Commodores have been an MLB factory since Tim Corbin became the coach in 2003. 

Some of the Vanderbilt names include Cy Young Winner David Price and All-Stars Dansby Swanson and Sonny Gray. Vanderbilt had 13 players on 2022 Opening Day rosters. 

But TCU is no slouch. The Horned Frogs had 20 players in 2022 minor league systems with four players in the big leagues, including Matt Carpenter and Nick Lodolo. 

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TCU Star Brayden Taylor, Vanderbilt Baseball Star Enrique Bradfield Jr. Among Top 2023 Prospects

Two of the best prospects in college baseball and two of the best prospects at the College Baseball Showdown will play in this game. 

Brayden Taylor is the Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year and is a preseason All-American. Meanwhile Enrique Bradfield Jr. was Preseason All-SEC as well as a Preseason All-American. 

Prospect list wise, Bradfield is MLB’s No. 8-ranked prospect while Taylor is the 11th best prospect. 

TCU Baseball vs. Vanderbilt at the College Baseball Showdown: Who is starting?

Saarloos jokingly asked the same question at a recent College Baseball Showdown press conference, but he got no direct answers.

However, it may not be hard to figure out when it comes to Vanderbilt. 

Carter Holton is on the shortlist for the Golden Spikes Award after going 8-4 with a 3.14 ERA with 97 strikeouts in 80.1 innings for Vanderbilt.

For TCU, Cam Brown, who was 5-2 with a 4.42 ERA in nine starts is an option as well as Luke Savage, who was first team All-Big 12 last season out of the bullpen but is expected to enter the rotation in 2023. 

What Is The College Baseball Showdown Schedule?

Feb. 17 College Baseball Showdown Day 1 Schedule: 

• 12 p.m. ET: Missouri vs. Oklahoma State
• 4 p.m. ET: Vanderbilt vs. TCU
• 8 p.m. ET: Arkansas vs. Texas

Feb. 18 College Baseball Showdown Day 2 Schedule: 

• 12 p.m. ET: Oklahoma State vs. Vanderbilt
• 4 p.m. ET: Texas vs. Missouri
• 8 p.m. ET: TCU vs. Arkansas

Feb. 19 College Baseball Showdown Day 3 Schedule: 

• 11:30 a.m. ET: Vanderbilt vs. Texas
• 3:30 p.m. ET: Arkansas vs. Oklahoma State
• 7:30 p.m. ET: Missouri vs. TCU

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