Tommy Mace likely heading to pros after a good yet underwhelming season

After three years as Florida’s ace, it seems likely that Tommy Mace’s UF career has come to an end in Gainesville as he heads to the draft.

Name: Tommy Mace

Number: 47

Position: RHP

Class: Junior (COVID)

Height: 6’6″

Weight: 215 lbs

Hometown: Tampa

High School: Sunlake

2021 statistics:

G GS W-L IP H R BB K ERA WHIP
16 15 6-2 90.1 91 49 21 113 4.38 1.24

Overview:

The No. 72 prospect in the country and 23rd-best right-handed pitcher according to Perfect Game, Mace was drafted in the 12th round by the Cincinnati Reds out of high school. However, he chose not to sign and instead ended up at Florida, where he appeared in 26 games as a freshman and started six of them. He had a 3.00 ERA in the games he started, and in his first SEC start, he held Mississippi State to just one run.

He transitioned from primarily pitching out of the bullpen to being a full-time starter as a sophomore, starting every weekend series with an 8-5 record in 16 starts. He took over the ace role in the fourth week of the season, never relinquishing it.

The best play of Mace’s UF career came before the cancellation of the 2020 season due to COVID-19. He made just four appearances, but they were all Friday starts and he finished with a 3-0 record and just a 1.67 ERA. He wasn’t selected in the five-round 2020 MLB draft, returning to Florida with high expectations.

Though he retained his ace role for most of the season, his play dropped off a bit. His ERA fell to 4.38, likely signifying a regression to the mean after mostly facing non-conference opponents last year. He was UF’s best pitcher, but his play was one of several disappointing factors in 2021. Still, his play was likely good enough to make him an early-round pick, and it seems his time in Gainesville has likely reached an end.

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