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VMI Keydets
VMI Keydets
2024 VMI Keydets baseball team
Founded	1866
University	Virginia Military Institute
Head coach	Sam Roberts (2nd season)
Conference	Southern
Location	Lexington, Virginia
Home stadium	Gray–Minor Stadium ; (Capacity: 1,400)
Nickname	Keydets
Colors	Red, white, and yellow;

The VMI Keydets baseball team represents the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia.^[2] The team is a member of the Southern Conference, which is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. VMI's first baseball team was fielded in 1866. The team plays its home games at Gray–Minor Stadium in Lexington, Virginia. The Keydets are coached by Sam Roberts.

History

In fall 1866, just two years after the Virginia Military Institute had been burned down by David Hunter and the Union Army, a group of cadets got together and created the Institute's first organized baseball team. It was the first organized team from any sport. In the inaugural season, the Keydets had an astounding mark of 20–1–2, playing among in-state rivals such as Washington and Lee, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Randolph-Macon and Hampden-Sydney, and continuously so for the next several decades.

In 1921, the team started playing at recently built Alumni Memorial Field along with the football team. Both squads had, up to that point, been playing on the Parade Ground. It was not until the 1960s that the baseball team shifted to Patchin Field, and most recently in 2007, began playing in Gray-Minor Stadium.

Despite having many winning seasons throughout the 20th century and into the last decade, the Keydets have never been able to make the NCAA tournament. The 1993 team came closest to breaking the barrier with a run to the Southern Conference finals, and despite being an 8th seed, VMI upended three higher-seeded teams before bowing down to eventual champion Western Carolina.

Year-by-year results

Year	Record (Conference)	Coach
1950	4–14 (2–7)	Frank Summers
1951	1–20 (0–12)	Frank Summers
1952	1–13 (1–8)	Vince Ragunas
1953	7–7 (4–4)	Chuck Noe
1954	12–6 (6–4)	Chuck Noe
1955	12–8 (6–7)	Chuck Noe
1956	12–10 (7–7)	Jack Null
1957	8–13 (4–6)	Jack Null
1958	4–12 (2–8)	Jack Null
1959	5–11 (5–10)	Weenie Miller
1960	6–8 (5–8)	Weenie Miller
1961	7–7 (6–6)	Weenie Miller
1962	8–7 (7–7)	Charlie McGinnis
1963	14–11 (7–7)	Charlie McGinnis
1964	11–12–1 (5–9)	Charlie McGinnis
1965	15–9 (8–6)	Charlie McGinnis
1966	10–13 (6–10)	Fred Kelly
1967	9–11 (7–9)	Fred Kelly
1968	7–8 (3–5)	Chuck Roys
1969	10–12 (8–7)	Chuck Roys
1970	6–13 (4–9)	Tom Sawyer
1971	5–24 (1–15)	Tom Sawyer
1972	6–19 (3–13)	Phil Tucker
1973	3–14 (0–11)	Phil Tucker
1974	6–14 (5–9)	Donny White
1975	2–18 (1–13)	Jerry Roane
1976	6–23 (2–12)	Jerry Roane
1977	5–19 (2–12)	Vern Beitzel
1978	2–27 (0–14)	Vern Beitzel
1979	6–25 (0–15)	Vern Beitzel
1980	4–22 (0–12)	Vern Beiztel
1981	3–37 (0–16)	Jim Rowsey
1982	11–29 (6–10)	Donny White
1983	11–25 (5–9)	Donny White
1984	16–18 (6–7)	Donny White
1985	16–24 (8–10)	Donny White
1986	15–25 (7–11)	Donny White
1987	16–16–1 (8–4)	Donny White
1988	20–20 (11–7)	Paul Maini
1989	16–23 (8–7)	Paul Maini
1990	12–26 (6–8)	Paul Maini
1991	2–35–1 (1–15)	Paul Maini
1992	11–39 (4–15)	Chris Finwood
1993	20–29 (5–15)	Chris Finwood
1994	21–29 (10–13)	Chris Finwood
1995	19–28 (10–14)	Scott Gines
1996	17–29 (7–16)	Scott Gines
1997	13–35 (6–13)	Scott Gines
1998	14–35 (7–17)	Scott Gines
1999	22–27 (13–16)	Scott Gines
2000	19–30 (11–19)	Scott Gines
2001	15–32 (8–19)	Tom Slater
2002	10–41 (1–27)	Tom Slater
2003	25–27 (16–14)	Tom Slater
2004	23–32 (4–20)	Marlin Ikenberry
2005	27–28 (11–13)	Marlin Ikenberry
2006	30–25 (9–15)	Marlin Ikenberry
2007	34–21 (10–11)	Marlin Ikenberry
2008	29–26 (14–7)	Marlin Ikenberry
2009	18–35 (10–15)	Marlin Ikenberry
2010	33–22 (13–14)	Marlin Ikenberry
2011	27–24–1 (14–13)	Marlin Ikenberry
2012	16–36 (7–17)	Marlin Ikenberry
2013	20–35 (6–18)	Marlin Ikenberry
2014	25–23 (11–16)	Marlin Ikenberry

VMI and MLB

VMI has had 31 Major League Baseball Draft selections since the draft began in 1965.^[3]

Keydets in the Major League Baseball Draft
Year	Player	Round	Team
1965	Percy Sensabaugh	51	Orioles
1966	Robin Porter	24	Pirates
1966	Percy Sensabaugh	4	Senators
1989	Andy Beasley	17	Athletics
1990	Mark Craft	11	Athletics
1990	Andy Beasley	4	Cardinals
1994	Marc Phillips	32	Royals
1995	David Groseclose	22	Rockies
1995	Ryan Glynn	4	Rangers
1996	Nathan Shepperson	55	Pirates
2003	Phillip Hendrix	35	Brewers
2003	Andy Barden	19	Braves
2003	Jeremy Harper	14	Blue Jays
2005	Matt Acors	32	Pirates
2006	Kelly Sweppenhiser	44	Blue Jays
2007	Corey Bachman	40	Cubs
2007	Chad Rice	24	Pirates
2007	Michael Anton	12	Angels
2008	Michael Roberts	38	Brewers
2008	Trey Barham	25	Athletics
2008	Michael Bowman	9	Brewers
2009	Tanner Biagini	50	Athletics
2009	Travis Smink	31	Astros
2010	Jordan Ballard	33	Rockies
2011	Sam Roberts	26	Athletics
2012	Coby Cowgill	23	Rangers
2012	Adam Lopez	21	White Sox
2014	Connor Bach	21	Nationals
2014	Reed Garrett	16	Rangers
2015	Jordan Tarsovich	22	Dodgers
2015	Matt Winn	14	Giants

In popular culture

The 1938 film, Brother Rat is set at the Virginia Military Institute. The film features Eddie Albert as the VMI baseball team's star pitcher, and Ronald Reagan as his catcher. The film's plot centers on Albert and Reagan as they attempt to win the big baseball game against rival Virginia. Portions of the film were shot on location at the VMI campus in Lexington. In 1940, the film was followed by a sequel, Brother Rat and a Baby, featuring the same lead cast members. The sequel film's plot centered on the since-graduated Albert's attempt to get a job as a baseball coach at his alma mater.^[4]