The coronavirus pandemic extinguished what looked to be a season destined for a national championship finish for the Florida Gators in 2020 as the team tore through its schedule before a loss in the final game against the Florida State Seminoles. Looking ahead to 2021, many in the media expect to see more of last year’s brilliance.
The Gators got a big boost from the shortened Major League Baseball draft, as star pitchers Tommy Mace and Jack Leftwich went unselected, returning to Gainesville and rejoining an already promising core. Even without the two, expectations were sky-high for the Gators in 2021; with them back in the rotation along with Hunter Barco and co., this team could be a veritable juggernaut.
As such, Perfect Game placed the Gators at the top of their preseason rankings on Wednesday, predicting another exciting season on the baseball diamond for the Gator Nation.
Another 1⃣#GoGators pic.twitter.com/7UZFsdwL83
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) January 6, 2021
Here is what Perfect Game’s feature writer Jeff Dahn had to say about this season’s Gator squad.
The straw that stirs the drink is sophomore center fielder Jud Fabian from Ocala, Fla., a 2021 PG Preseason First Team All-American and an alumnus of both the 2018 PG All-American Classic and the 2018 PG National Showcase. Fabian had 20 hits in 17 games last season, including six doubles and five home runs, and drove in 13 runs while scoring 19.
Sophomore outfielder Jacob Young (’17 PG National), junior first baseman/left-hander Jordan Butler (’16 PG National), redshirt freshman catcher Nathan Hickey, redshirt freshman infielder Josh Rivera (‘18 PG National), senior infielder Kirby McMullen, sophomore first baseman Kendrick Calilao (’17 PG National) and sophomore infielder Cory Acton (’17 PG National) all return with loads of experience. (It’s worth noting that Rivera was also the MVP at the 2018 PG WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Fla., while playing with the Florida Burn).
A schedule for Florida baseball’s 2021 season has not yet been released but it is hoped that things can get started as early as Feb. 19. Whenever the first pitch is eventually thrown, the university will unveil its brand-new, $65 million Florida Ballpark at Alfred A. McKethan Field with its 7,000 fan capacity stadium for the Gators’ home opener.
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