How Vanderbilt baseball prepared Enrique Bradfield Jr. for MLB Draft selection by Orioles

In most draft videos, a prospect gets a call from the general manager of the team drafting him informing him of his selection.

This wasn't the case with Enrique Bradfield Jr.

As detailed in a video posted on the Baltimore Orioles' Twitter, the former Vanderbilt baseball star called Orioles GM Mike Elias before Elias could make a move himself.

"My agent actually sent me over his number," Bradfield said. "So I took that as, 'Hey, let me get him a call.' So I just went ahead and dialed the phone and gave him a call."

After a record-setting career at Vanderbilt, Bradfield was drafted 17th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft. Bradfield is best known for his speed, setting the program's career stolen base record, and defense, winning the Rawlings Gold Glove Award twice.

Although Bradfield had his worst offensive season in 2023, he said he believed that he was unlucky − hard-hit balls went right at people. Over three years at Vanderbilt, he said he learned how to use his speed more effectively and be less timid on the bases.

He knows there will be an adjustment period to playing pro baseball but feels his experience playing in the SEC will aid him in making the transition.

"I think going to the next level is always an adjustment and always a change and there's going to be new challenges for me just like college was for me and the SEC, but I definitely think the experiences of playing under the Friday night lights, there's nothing like playing the SEC on a Friday night on the road," Bradfield said. "You know if you can play in that, you can play through pretty much anything, and if you can play in Omaha, it's the same thing. So just a collection of experiences that I would say, never never bad moments, always good learning experiences, things that can help you gain experience and get better down the road."

Bradfield joins a group of 21 first-round picks from Vanderbilt under Tim Corbin. The Commodores have had a first-round pick in nine of the past 10 seasons.

Most of those picks have been pitchers, but the Commodores have produced more first-round position players recently, with four in the past five drafts.

"I think it just shows the program's consistency over the years," Bradfield said. For 21, 22 years now, Coach Corbin has been there and the program has really taken off to a next level, has become elite, but then at the same time was able to maintain that level, maintain that standard for the program. ... This year I got to put my name in that in that group of special players. So just from being from Vanderbilt, and going back to the facility and seeing the wall and seeing all those those names up there, it's very special. It's definitely everything I expected and more."

DRAFT TRACKER Here are the Vanderbilt baseball players, signees taken in 2023 MLB Draft

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: How Vanderbilt baseball aided Enrique Bradfield Jr. in MLB Draft