Yes, it's a little too early for baseball chat but Sully and Golden have used the transfer portal to their advantage if you know where I'm getting at.
2024 Gator baseball
- Thread starter gatordad3
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Gator baseball should be in great position for another potential run to Omaha.
Florida ranked number 2
www.ncaa.com
Wake Forest, Florida, Arkansas, LSU lead 2024 D1Baseball preseason rankings
Fresh off a trip to the national semifinals in 2023, Wake Forest will enter the 2024 campaign as the top team in the land, headlining the 2024 D1Baseball Preseason Top 25 rankings.
www.ncaa.com
I'm so ready for the start of baseball and softball seasons.
6 of the top 9 in the sec.Florida ranked number 2
Wake Forest, Florida, Arkansas, LSU lead 2024 D1Baseball preseason rankings
Fresh off a trip to the national semifinals in 2023, Wake Forest will enter the 2024 campaign as the top team in the land, headlining the 2024 D1Baseball Preseason Top 25 rankings.
I was going to start a combined softball/baseball thread, but since gatordad3 has started this one for baseball, I'll just open a softball thread so we can talk about the 2 sports separately. Here are some articles to bring everyone up to date about the baseball team.
floridagators.com
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www.gatorcountry.com
While Florida lost a lot of talent and leadership off last year's national runner-up team (Langford, Riopelle, Rivera, Halter, Waldrep, Sproat, Abner, etc.), the return a ,lot of talented guys, had a great recruiting class and pick up some key transfers. There's a lot of competition for most of the starting positions as well as on the mound and it will be interesting to see how this team jells once the season starts on February 16.
Gators Secure No. 11 Transfer Class - Florida Gators
Florida welcomed a talented group of seven transfers to campus this past fall.
floridagators.com
Perfect Game Selects Gators Trio as Preseason All-Americans - Florida Gators
Jac Caglianone, Colby Shelton and Brandon Neely each received preseason recognition.
floridagators.com
Peterson Headlines Gators on 2026 Draft Board - Florida Gators
Liam Peterson (No. 5) is followed by Frank Menendez, Luke McNeillie and Hayden Yost in the rankings.
floridagators.com
PG Tabs Gators as Top-100 Sophomores - Florida Gators
Florida boasts five top-100 sophomores led by Cade Fisher at No. 11 overall.
floridagators.com
Gators Trio Included in PG’s Top-100 Juniors - Florida Gators
Jac Caglianone (No. 8) is followed by Pierce Coppola (No. 75) and Michael Robertson (No. 98).
floridagators.com
Predicting Florida’s weekend rotation | GatorCountry.com
www.gatorcountry.com
While Florida lost a lot of talent and leadership off last year's national runner-up team (Langford, Riopelle, Rivera, Halter, Waldrep, Sproat, Abner, etc.), the return a ,lot of talented guys, had a great recruiting class and pick up some key transfers. There's a lot of competition for most of the starting positions as well as on the mound and it will be interesting to see how this team jells once the season starts on February 16.
I think the Gator baseball team is a legit Omaha contender. We did lose a lot, but if the transfers play up to potential we will be right there.
D1 baseball ranks us 2 nationally preseason. Think we will have enough offense. The main difference between the vintage Gators and the last few years (obviously a loss in the final is a great year) is that the young pitchers haven’t come in and given shutdown innings lately. Seemed like it used to be the young guys in the ‘pen were crawling out of the woodwork to put up zeroes, whereas it has been a bit more of an adventure recently and sometimes we go innings where we can’t throw a strike. Talent is not the issue as we’re up to our ears in 19 year olds who throw 95. If guys pitch up to their reps my guess is we’ll be hosting a super again.
Sully’s the only guy among the tv sports doing it like Spurrier, Meyer and Billy D used to. Loaded recruiting classes, SEC titles and postseason wins. Putting everyone in the pros. Just all around good times like Florida sports is supposed to be.
I’m telling you guys that we had better enjoy Sully, Walton, Mouse, and Wise while they are here because it won’t always be this way.
Yep. Agreed. I loved Mouse's answer after winning the natty last year, the asked him which of his 11 titles was his favorite and he said the next one. Great answer.
Brad whats your guess on the weekend starters? Maybe Ocala has a thought? Does Jac go to Friday nights?
I heard on the D1 SEC podcast which is excellent that Cags would be Friday night and maybe Neely in play for Saturdays although he was so good as closer that may be a conversation. And then there’s a gang of young guys to try out on Sundays.
One unknown at this point is Pierce Coppola. He's a 6'8" lefty who won a weekend rotation slot his freshman year 2 seasons ago. But he got hurt very early and missed that season and then had other physical issues that cost him last season. I'm reading he may be OK now, but 2 years removed from pitching one wonders how effective he'll be if completely healthy. But if he's got the stuff back that he had as a true freshman, he'll be a starter, although maybe beginning the season in midweek games and then moving to replace a weekend starter who falters. . Caglionone will be another, but he needs to have more consistency and be able to go deeper into games than he did last year. Another big question is whether Brandon Neely will be given the opportunity to start or if O'Sullivan convinces him to stay in his closer role, where he was very good last year. I believe he'll be given an opportunity to be a weekend starter and see if he can pitch well enough to hang onto the role. There are several freshmen pitchers they are very high on, with Liam Peterson at the top of the list. He's 6'5", 205 and passed up a pretty good MLB bonus to come to Florida. If he's not a weekend starter, he'll definitely be a midweek starter to gain the experience. Two other returning players in the mix for either starter roles or extended relief roles are Cade Fisher, who was excellent as a freshman, and Jake Clemente, who was hurt last season but came in highly touted last year and is supposedly ready to go. Those guys will probably get midweek starts as well until Sully settles on who he's going to use for weekend relief.
My guess for the opening weekend rotation will be Neely, Fisher & Cags, although it won't surprise me if Peterson is used in place of Neely or Fisher.
My guess for the opening weekend rotation will be Neely, Fisher & Cags, although it won't surprise me if Peterson is used in place of Neely or Fisher.
Cool story about Neely is he was supposed to be our Sunday starter last year but sully told him they couldn’t throw cags out of the pen and Neely volunteered to give up his spot and be the closer. And he was among the best closers in the country. Awesome kid.
Dooley's Dozen: 12 things Kevin O'Sullivan said about 2024 Gators baseball
Pat Dooley sat down with Florida baseball head coach Kevin O’Sullivan to give us a dozen points ahead of the upcoming season.
gatorswire.usatoday.com
Florida baseball position group preview: First base
Though Florida's baseball roster appears to be exceptionally well-rounded entering the 2023 season, there is perhaps no position as well-equipped to succeed as first base.
247sports.com
Barring injury, our weekend rotation will be Cade Fisher, Liam Peterson & Jac Caglionone, with Brandon Neely as our closer. O'Sullivan disclosed that in an interview last week.
My projections are as follows: Cade Kurland will start at 2nd, Alabama transfer Colby Shelton will be at SS, Dale Thomas at 3rd (initially at least), Michael Robertson in CF, Tyler Shelnut in LF and Ty Evans in RF. Luke Heyman will be in the lineup, either at C, 1B or DH, Tanner Garrison & Brody Donay will be see time behind the plate, Cags will play 1st most of the time when not pitching, with Shelnut and Donay able to play 1st as well. I do expect Heyman to get most of the time at 1st when Cags isn't there. Another player to watch out for is speedy transfer Jacob Guy in the outfield. If he can hit, he'll earn more playing time, but can steal bases and run down line drives in the OF. It will be interesting to see who Sully uses as midweek starters and who else besides Ryan Slater and Blake Purnell emerge as reliable relievers. Lots of freshman arms that need to come through and at some point they hope to get Pierce Coppola back in form with all of his talent that has been sidelined for 2 years due to injury.
My projections are as follows: Cade Kurland will start at 2nd, Alabama transfer Colby Shelton will be at SS, Dale Thomas at 3rd (initially at least), Michael Robertson in CF, Tyler Shelnut in LF and Ty Evans in RF. Luke Heyman will be in the lineup, either at C, 1B or DH, Tanner Garrison & Brody Donay will be see time behind the plate, Cags will play 1st most of the time when not pitching, with Shelnut and Donay able to play 1st as well. I do expect Heyman to get most of the time at 1st when Cags isn't there. Another player to watch out for is speedy transfer Jacob Guy in the outfield. If he can hit, he'll earn more playing time, but can steal bases and run down line drives in the OF. It will be interesting to see who Sully uses as midweek starters and who else besides Ryan Slater and Blake Purnell emerge as reliable relievers. Lots of freshman arms that need to come through and at some point they hope to get Pierce Coppola back in form with all of his talent that has been sidelined for 2 years due to injury.
There's a diamond Gator thread I participate in on Swamp Gas that follows baseball and softball really close. People reporting from scrimmages and practices, etc. Freshman Liam Peterson has been dominant and outpitched Caglionone in a scrimmage yesterday where most of the projected starters were on Cags' team and he shut them down.
Robertson is a defensive wizard, just need to get his bat going. I'm thinking our offensive production will be down, but I think we may actually be slightly better on the mound.
By all accounts Robertson has been a line drive hitter in the fall and over the last couple of weeks. He's really worked hard in the off season to become a better hitter. It may be helping, too, that he is being pushed by Jacob Guy, former Liberty CF, who hit .309 with 12 doubles and 23 stolen bases. He can fly and is a really7 good outfielder. He will push Robertson and Ty Evans (RF) for playing time.
RIP to Mike Martin. National title or not, have to respect the sustained success he had in Tallahassee. I went to Tallahassee CC before UF and I used to go to the ballgames there, and he had that program humming and that stadium packed always.
Damn! My condolences to his family and others close to him.
I always liked 11. He was total class and built fsu into a national power the right way.
Baseball TV Schedule revealed. All other home games not listed here will be on SEC+.
floridagators.com
SEC Unveils 2024 Conference TV Slate - Florida Gators
Florida plays on linear TV at least 11 times this season while all other home games air on SEC Network+.
floridagators.com
Florida baseball position group preview: Second base
The Gators return one of the most talented middle infielders in the SEC for the 2024 season
247sports.com
Pretty deep for sure. Lots of good bats.Florida baseball position group preview: Second base
The Gators return one of the most talented middle infielders in the SEC for the 2024 season
Florida Baseball 2024 Position Preview: Starting Pitchers
Baseball is almost back, and we’re breaking down each position group at Florida. First up, the starting pitchers.
gatorswire.usatoday.com
Position group breakdown: Catcher | GatorCountry.com
www.gatorcountry.com
Florida Baseball 2024 Position Preview: Relief Pitchers
There are some familiar faces in Florida’s bullpen, but expect to see plenty of freshmen on the mound in relief for the Gators in 2024.
gatorswire.usatoday.com
I caught a glimpse of a story (I don't follow baseball too closely). Says Caglione is preseason All America. I thought he was gone bye bye to the pros last year?
If he performs close to what he did last season, he's a definite 1st rounder. Sully does recruit well.
Cags wasn't eligible to be drafted last year. Here are some pre-season AA & All-SEC picks:
Gators Duo Named BA Preseason All-Americans - Florida Gators
Baseball America honored Caglianone as a first team utilityman and Neely as a second team reliever.
floridagators.com
Caglianone, Neely Collect D1Baseball Preseason All-America Status - Florida Gators
Jac Caglianone earned first team honors at utility while Brandon Neely made the second team as a reliever.
floridagators.com
SEC Coaches Pick Florida to Win East, Four Named First Team Preseason All-SEC - Florida Gators
UF received 11 first place votes to win the SEC East and two to claim the conference outright.
floridagators.com
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