Royals pitcher Collin Snider thankful to Vanderbilt, Riverdale baseball after MLB call-up

Collin Snider was in his normal post-pitching routine after his appearance Monday in a spring training game. Snider left the mound and took a drink of water in the dugout. There, Kansas City Royals manager Mike Matheny sat down next to Snider and told the rookie he'd made the roster for opening day.

"I think I just smiled," Snider, a pitcher at Vanderbilt from 2015-17, told The Tennessean. "I was just like, holy crap, it didn't really feel real. I mean, honestly, still hasn't really set in. I just I smiled ear to ear and just kind of just stared out into the field."

Snider, 26, has been through a lot in his career. He was a member of the 2016 Commodores team that faced the death of teammate Donny Everett. More recently, Snider's mother has battled breast cancer. While close friend and Vanderbilt teammate Kyle Wright was in the majors by 2018, Snider has worked in the minor leagues for the past five years before getting his big-league opportunity.

The unique circumstances of the past two years have taken their toll on many players in that situation. First COVID-19, then the MLB lockout, made staying in shape and working with coaches more difficult. But Snider, a Murfreesboro native, found support when he went back to his roots.

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When Vanderbilt's campus was closed in 2020, Snider's alma mater Riverdale High School let him work out there. During the MLB lockout that lasted from December through March, Snider did weight training at Riverdale and worked in Vanderbilt's pitching lab with other former players as well as pitching coach Scott Brown, player development coach Brandon Barak and quality control coach Sam Lizarraga.

"I don't think I would have been in the position I'm in without Vanderbilt's facilities and coaches and stuff because ... when the lockout came, and we kind of got into the time in spring training where you should be throwing in games and facing hitters," said Snider, who was selected in the 12th round of the 2017 MLB Draft by the Royals. "We had enough former Vandy guys and a couple other pro guys that would join us and we were able to do pitchers and hitters and stuff like that. So that way, we just like a very smooth transition into spring training. And I think that's what really helped me is I was able to come in from day one just like ready to go."

Snider admitted that he lost sleep in the final days of spring training. He felt he had done enough to make the team, but nothing is ever guaranteed in baseball. He tried to take things day by day, knowing that each day that passed was another where he was still there. Next, he hopes to establish himself as a reliable pitcher the Royals can trust in any situation.

Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin remembers Snider as a player who wasn't a top recruit but worked hard to establish himself with a top program.

"He wasn't one of those kids in the state that everyone was talking about," Corbin said. "He's self-made, he just got into this environment and really worked hard. ... He's a great story, and especially with the health of his mom improving, the family, it's just a great opportunity for a great kid and a great family at the right time."

Snider credits Riverdale and Vanderbilt for making sure he always had a place to live, work out and improve. Now that he has an opportunity with the Royals, it feels like a culmination

"Just kind of thinking back like ... at Vanderbilt when I didn't even really think about the potential of playing professionally, in high school, even before then, it's just, it's been a long journey," Snider said. "And to finally get to this point. I can't really like put it into words. But it just feels like all those years of hard work and ups and downs and everything under the sun is like it was worth it."

Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on Twitter @aria_gerson.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Former Vanderbilt, Riverdale pitcher Collin Snider called up to Royals