By ANTHONY STEVENS
LEBANON, Va. – Moving from Lebanon High School to Division 1 baseball at Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia, is a significant transition. Seth Buchanan starred for the Pioneers, an integral part of two state championship teams. Lebanon compiled a 65-7 record over Seth’s three varsity seasons. His freshman season was lost to COVID.
His high school career didn’t account for much at VMI. Buchanan set a lot during his freshman and sophomore seasons.
“It’s tough at first. You pretty much just restart,” Buchanan stated. “Every guy up there was a star for their respective team. It’s a collection of good ball players, and you figure that out really quick during fall and intersquads. Everyone has to go through it. It’s just a hump you have to get over.”
It’s a big adjustment learning to balance academics, military demands, and D1 baseball at VMI.
“At times, you’ll have all three on the same day,” noted Buchanan. “Obviously, you’ll have class, but some days they sprinkle in the military, too. It’s a lot to manage. It’s nothing that’s impossible to do. It gets a lot busier in season. You just have to make sure you study and get your homework done.”
When you become more accustomed, VMI can help improve both your skills and character.
“The schedule at VMI is tough,” Buchanan said. “You’re up early, sometimes you have military obligations throughout the day, and then, obviously, baseball practice. I think the schedule you’re on at VMI helps you build a routine, which I’ve brought into my baseball career. I think it’s helped me a lot in learning how to manage my time and get what I need to do done.”
Buchanan has benefited from this approach.
“Seth has been a tremendous representative of our program both on and off the field,” remarked VMI coach Sam Roberts. “His toughness, work ethic, and selflessness are attributes that we want all of our players to have. He has been a valuable part of the culture we are building and has developed into someone younger players can look to as an example of how to approach both the game of baseball as well as the everyday life that each Cadet-Athlete has to go through.”
The Keydets finished with a 28-27 overall record in the competitive Southern Conference. After limited action for two seasons, Buchanan started 50 of 55 games during his junior season.
Buchanan hit for a solid .257 average with a .762 on-base plus slugging percentage, eight doubles, four homers, and 30 RBIs. He also stole 15 bags.
“I had a change, not mechanical but philosophical, starting this year,” Buchanan stated. “It helped me a lot. Just getting in the box confident, eliminating a lot of thoughts, and focusing on keeping it simple. It’s just a game. I try to play hard and have fun. It was a good year. I was glad I got to get in there and play. I had to work through some mistakes, but it was good.”
Buchanan played mainly at shortstop, but he is adaptable with a few starts at third and second base.
“Seth’s biggest strengths are his versatility and his competitiveness,” Roberts noted. “Defensively, he can play multiple infield positions and provides stability wherever he plays on the field. Offensively, he is a tough at-bat who understands the strike zone, puts together quality at-bats, and does the little things that help the offense.”
Seth considers his father, Aaron Buchanan—who tragically died in 2024—as his greatest influence.
“The biggest influence was my dad (the late Aaron Buchanan),” he said. “We would always go hit when I was younger. My dad started us out in baseball. I still try to play for him.”
Seth has a year of baseball remaining. What sort of goals has he set for his senior season?
“I’d like to swing it better,” declared Buchanan. “I had a decent year, but I think I can get better. I’ve learned how to work through the ups and downs.”
The best is likely to come in 2027 for Buchanan on the diamond.
“Seth has become stronger physically, more confident in his abilities, and has continued to improve his understanding of the game,” stated Roberts. “As he continues to mature, I expect him to be a key contributor and leader for our program. We believe his best baseball is still ahead of him, and I expect him to continue impacting games on both sides of the ball.”
