Russellville’s Askew, Vandiver to continue baseball careers at collegiate level

Two Russellville High School baseball players committed to playing college baseball in a signing ceremony atop the Russellville Field House on May 21. Seniors Daniel Askew and Brodie Vandiver put pen to paper during the ceremony, ensuring the continuation of their playing careers at the next level.

Askew, a 2024 Franklin Free Press All-County First Team player, signed with Calhoun Community College, while Vandiver committed to joining the University of Tennessee Southern program located in Pulaski, Tennessee.

“I don’t think you’ll find two great young men more deserving than them to be able to continue their baseball careers,” Russellville head coach Jess Smith said. “Both of these guys are just scratching the surface of what they can do as baseball players.”

“Daniel grew a lot from his junior to senior year and I think he’s only going to continue to grow and get bigger and stronger. I think he’s also learning that he’s got the ability to play defense and hit at a high level, and that spurs confidence which is what propels you in the game of baseball,” he added. “Brodie has always been a valuable offensive and defensive asset to our team, but I think he’s taken steps to learn how to hit for power and also have better at-bats, where he’s a hard out every time he comes to the plate. Defensively, he covers a lot of ground, but now I think he’s navigating the outfield and knowing what to do with the ball based on situations. Coaches want a guy with a high baseball IQ.”

“If they keep the same work ethic that they had with us, they’ll only continue to grow and succeed and reach new heights.”

After signing, Askew said the opportunity to play college baseball was a dream come true. For a while, he wasn’t sure if he would ever get the chance, but when it did, he leapt at it.

“Ever since I was a kid it was something I’ve dreamed of,” he said. “Going into my senior year I didn’t have anyone looking at me and there wasn’t any interest. I just kept playing, and when they finally came, it just meant the world to me.”

A mainstay at second base and at the top of the batting order, Askew finished his senior season with a .357 batting average, an on-base percentage of .471, and had 25 RBI. He scored 44 runs and also swiped 17 bags. Those numbers represent a lot of hard work and determination from a player that hardly stepped into the batter’s box his junior season.

“His junior year (Askew) played for us, but we had a designated hitter for him in every game. This year he was top three on the team in just about every offensive category,” Smith said. “To me that just shows growth and who you are as a person. Failure doesn’t determine what you do next, and I think that’s what I’m most proud of for him.”

Askew said he worked hard to improve his game between his junior and senior seasons at Russellville, and he’s going to take that same approach heading into his freshman year at Calhoun.

“Last fall I took a lot of time working on my hitting because the year before I didn’t hit at all,” he said. “This year I feel like I had an off year fielding, and so this summer I’m going to focus on both my hitting and my fielding, not just concentrate on one or the other. I want to come in as just an all-around player and be able to help the team in any way I can.”

When putting his name on the dotted line, Vandiver, an outfielder, said he was excited to continue his career after high school and get a few more years of putting on a uniform.

“It means a lot to me, and the playoff game not being my last game ever, that’s really big,” he said. “Just getting the chance to play for a few more years, that huge, you know?”

Vandiver, who finished his senior season with a .272 batting average, a .393 on-base percentage, 20 RBI, and 20 runs scored, also put in the work after hours to improve his game and, in the process, showed his dedication and commitment to the team, Smith said.

“Brodie, this offseason, asked me to stay and work with him, and we did so every night for weeks,” he said. “We were there September, October until 7:30 or 8:30 at night, and a couple weeks in I asked him, ‘Why now? Why are you doing this?’ He said the way things ended his junior season, he felt like he let his team down with his performance, and he didn’t ever want to do that again.”

“It’s moments like that that speak more to me about who a kid is, and it’s why he deserves the opportunity that he’s received,” Smith added.

Vandiver said he chose UT Southern, a member of the Southern States Athletic Conference, in part because of a familiarity with other students, but he also knows going in he will be in for a challenge.

“There are a lot of familiar faces there and some friends there, and that made the decision that much easier,” he said. “I’ve talked to the coach and I know no playing time is ever promised. My buddy (former Russellville player) Cole (Barnett) is there and he’s told me you have to work for everything you get.”

Similar to Vandiver, Askew said connections played a big role in his decision to sign with Calhoun.

“I created a good relationship with the coach, and (former Russellville player) Shayden Romans goes there, too. He was a big part of getting me to come to Russellville in the first place, and he kept pushing me to come to Calhoun,” he said. “I went up there and I just fell in love with the place.”

While Askew and Vandiver will be putting on new colors next spring—blue for the former and orange and black for the latter—both hope to take some lessons from their days in black and gold with them.

“I think what I’ll take is just the importance of playing together,” Askew said. “There were times here this past season where we were in the heat of the moment and things got hard. You try to get everyone to play together. Once you’re in the fire all you have is your brothers around you, and I think that’s something I’ll take with me.”

“I think, you know, it’s all about relationships and trying to make those relationships,” Vandiver added. “It’s a lot better taking things on with your friends, so when I get there the first thing I’m going to do is try to make friends, so when I go out there it’ll just be like playing with your brothers again.”

Asked what parting advice Smith would give to Askew and Vandiver as they make their step to the next level, investing in relationships with teammates was high on the list.

“From the time you play T-ball until the time you graduate high school, you’re mostly playing with the same guys you’ve known your entire life, but when you get to college ball, you’re another number on a roster with guys you’ve never met,” Smith said. “It’s tough moving on from the teammates you played with in high school, but you’ll create new friendships that’ll last forever.”

“Those friends you make, at the end of your careers, you’re not going to remember each other’s career stats or how many home runs you hit,” Smith added. “What will matter is were you a good person and a good teammate. Will people say, ‘Daniel Askew, Brodie Vandiver, they were great teammates. I’d do anything for them.’ That’s what’ll matter when it’s time to hang it up.”