The transfer portal has changed college baseball the same way it has every other sport, establishing a free agency period each year that allows the nation’s top programs to reload season after season.
The University of Florida is one of the premier landing spots for any transfer portal hopeful, but the timing of it all isn’t exactly ideal. The portal opened up on May 30, and hundreds of student-athletes have already announced their decisions to enter the portal. Some have even found new homes already (see: UCF to FSU exodus).
But the Gators can’t host players as long as the program is still competing in the NCAA Tournament, which could last until June 26.
“The timing of it is unfortunate, to be honest with you,” O’Sullivan said, according to the Gainesville Sun. “The teams that move on to Super Regionals or the World Series, you can’t have guys on campus because you’re still playing. So you’re recruiting everybody over the phone.”
Kevin O’Sullivan has brought in two major pieces through the transfer portal over the past two seasons in BT Riopelle and Hurston Waldrep, and both of those guys were committed by the first week of July. Riopelle committed on June 16, which is the same date the College World Series begins this year.
If Florida can exact revenge on South Carolina in the Super Regional, landing an impact transfer could prove difficult. Everyone in the clubhouse is focused on winning a title, but Sully and his coaching staff have to plan for the future.
Pitching depth should still be strong next year, the right side of the infield will return and there are clear lines of succession behind both veterans on the left side. But the outfield looks like a massive question mark for Florida heading into the offseason.
Wyatt Langford will be a top-three draft pick, Michael Robertson was recently benched because of a slump at the plate and right field has been a revolving door since Ty Evans hit a similar slump.
The hope is that Robertson and Evans can improve their bats over the offseason, but the transfer portal is an easy answer to secure at least one of three outfield spots. Sully will probably take anyone he thinks will make the team better, and that’s hard to evaluate properly while planning for the program’s most important series of the last five years.
If there’s anyone that can pull off finishing on top and reeling in an impact transfer or two, it’s Sully, and he has the team to get the job done. Hopefully, those phone calls are productive ones and Florida’s top targets hold out for the season to finish.
[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1369]
Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.