The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association named a trio of Florida Gators to the Preseason All-American list this week.
Outfielder [autotag]Wyatt Langford[/autotag] earned a First Team nod, and right-hander [autotag]Hurston Waldrep[/autotag] and catcher [autotag]BT Riopelle[/autotag] made the second team.
After pacing the SEC in home runs a season ago, Langford has collected First Team honors from Baseball American, Collegiate Baseball, D1Baseball, Perfect Game and now the NCBWA. He’s expected to be in the conversation for the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft and is projected a firm top-five pick by most outlets.
Langford exploded onto the season last year after seeing just four at-bats as a reserve catcher his freshman year. He moved around the lineup, hitting leadoff at one point, but never lost his power swing and led the team in most major offensive categories. The expectations are huge for Langford after the 2022 he had, and the Gators don’t make the College World Series without him.
Waldrep joined the team as a transfer from Southern Miss during the offseason. Already regarded as one of the top arms in the nation, Waldrep now gets a chance to test himself against the SEC. Similar to Langford, all five major publications named Waldrep a First Team Preseason All-American, but he didn’t get the nod from the NCBWA.
If he can repeat or improve on a season that saw him finish with a 3.20 ERA and 140 strikeouts through 90 innings, Waldrep will be one of Florida’s most important pieces this season.
Of course, Florida’s recent history with transfer is excellent, bringing us to Riopelle, who came over from Coastal Carolina before the 2022 season. He finished his first season at UF as a First Team All-SEC catcher that had impressive power numbers. He could have gone pro but opted to return to improve his stock.
That’s a big gamble considering Riopelle is giving up any leverage he had left by exhausting his college eligibility, but a strong season will make it all worth it. Lowering his strikeout numbers will be key. Riopelle struck out 78 times last season and walked just 21 times.
Florida’s season begins on Feb. 17 with a three-game series against Charleston Southern. Twenty of the team’s first 22 games take place at home.
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