Florida entered the season as the unquestioned kings of collegiate baseball, but a season full of regression and disappointment led to an untimely exit from the playoffs. As is always the case in college sports, the team needs to prepare for a massive loss of talent from their roster, both to the pros and to the transfer portal.
The offseason has barely begun, but the Gators have already made a quick addition to the squad. Coastal Carolina catcher Bradley Riopelle has agreed to don the Orange and Blue next season, bringing with him a year of starting experience in the Sun Belt Conference. Over his three-year career at CCU, Riopelle hit .260/.396/.521. However, his 2021 season, in which he hit .270/.354/.459, was his only year with over 50 plate appearances.
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Known for his power at the plate and defensive ability, Riopelle caught the attention of Florida’s Craig Bell pretty much immediately.
“Many JUCOs reached out but Florida was the first Division I program to call,” said Riopelle to GatorsTerritory [Editor’s note: story has since been deleted]. “Coach Bell then asked about my interest in Florida and also mentioned an older catcher like myself would be a great fit for Florida.”
Missed Recovery from @bradleyriopelle BT reacts early and handles this pitch (tough location) extremely well. Lemonade with lemons.. nicely done pic.twitter.com/uGBnMadM9x
— Joe Singley (@joe_singley) November 8, 2020
The Gators need to bolster their depth at the catching position due to the likely departure of the incumbent Nathan Hickey to the MLB draft. However, Riopelle may not be the offensively reliable veteran that he seems on the surface.
It’s a big jump from the SBC to the SEC. The pressure’s on – he’ll be facing the toughest competition of his life while competing with his own teammates for a starting job. His strikeout rate skyrocketed during his only full season with CCU, which is a big red flag.
The biggest red flag? His batting average on balls in play (BABIP) ballooned to .420 during the 2021 season. Generally considered shorthand for luck, and thereby sustainability of a performance, BABIP averages out to .300 at virtually every level of play. Scaling his season’s performance to an average BABIP, it’s revealed that Riopelle hit the equivalent of .192/.276/.381.
None of this is to say that Riopelle is doomed to failure with the Gators. Florida’s baseball staff is an intelligent one and clearly saw something to make him their first transfer of the offseason. However, he’s not a sure starter and will have to earn his chances on the field with the program.
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