Matt Conte, a standout catcher from Wake Forest, entered the 2026 MLB Draft conversation after a solid collegiate season in which he batted .274 and launched 12 home runs.
Baseball America had positioned him as the No. 304 overall prospect, roughly a tenth‑round selection, and also noted his No. 21 ranking among transfer portal players.
A Strategic Move for Vanderbilt
Rather than testing the professional ranks, Conte has elected to withdraw from the draft and join the Vanderbilt Commodores for the upcoming season, a decision that underscores his desire to develop under the program’s strong coaching staff.
His departure leaves a vacancy in the Demon Deacons’ lineup, but the team still boasts several other prospects who could be tapped in the later rounds of the draft.
Vanderbilt’s 2026 recruiting class already includes two other transfer commits — Dominic Monaco and Niko Brini — both of whom are draft‑eligible but are not projected to be selected in the early rounds.
The Commodores also rely on a mix of current roster players and high‑school signees who may hear their names called later in the draft, ensuring depth across the board.
The move reflects a broader trend among top college prospects who weigh the benefits of collegiate development against the uncertainty of professional projection, and it could influence how other programs approach draft‑eligible transfers.