Tag: baseball

Where does The Athletic place Florida baseball in their preseason top 25?

Taking a look at where the Gators stack up in The Athletic’s college baseball preseason top 25 rankings.

The Florida baseball team has been ranked sixth in The Athletic’s preseason top 25, signaling high expectations for the upcoming 2025 season. Despite losing standout two-way player Jac Caglianone to MLB, the Gators boast a roster brimming with talent and potential.

Florida bolstered their roster with talented newcomers like outfielders Blake Cyr and Kyle Jones, enhancing both their defensive and offensive capabilities. However, challenges remain as Florida must revamp a struggling pitching staff and fill the leadership void left by last year’s seniors.

But, the Gators have an impressive lineup featuring infielders Colby Shelton and Cade Kurland, who together slammed 34 homers last season.

Florida baseball head coach Kevin O’Sullivan and his squad have a lot to look forward to this season and the Gators aim to compete as a contender in the SEC, but there are still some questions with the pitching staff.

The Athletic sports writer Teddy Cahill placed Florida at No. 6 in his preseason top 25 rankings. This is what he had to say as well as what an opposing coach said about the Gators.

What The Athletic said about Florida

Why they’re ranked here: “Florida lost two-way sensation Jac Caglianone to pro ball but is not short on talent in 2025. It returns its powerful double-play combination of shortstop Colby Shelton and second baseman Cade Kurland, who combined for 34 home runs. Right-hander Liam Peterson took his lumps as a freshman in the rotation last season but is primed for a step forward. Florida supplemented its returners with a strong group of newcomers, including outfielders Blake Cyr (Miami) and Kyle Jones (Stetson).”

Why there’s room for improvement: “Florida last season was uncharacteristically bad on the mound and now must replace five of the six pitchers who threw more than 40 innings in 2024. The Gators also lost some key leaders and must replace their presence.”

Opposing coach: “They really added to their lineup and kept (Colby) Shelton. That seems like a pretty powerful lineup. I don’t know who’s going to pitch for Florida though.”

Where The Athletic ranked SEC teams

21. Mississippi State Bulldogs

18. Texas Longhorns

16. Vanderbilt Commodores

12. Georgia Bulldogs

6. Florida Gators

5. Tennessee Volunteers

4. LSU Tigers

2. Arkansas Razorbacks

1. Texas A&M Aggies

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Junior Caminero’s minute-long home run trot in Dominican winter league is Hall of Fame worthy

Now THIS is how you celebrate a home run!

Junior Caminero just set the bar for home run trots so impossibly high after this.

Monday night saw the close of the LIDOM, a professional Dominican Republic winter league, with Game 7 of the championship between the Leones del Escogido and the Tigres del Licey. And in the top of the ninth inning with the game tied 5-5, Caminero — an infielder for the Tampa Bay Rays — absolutely blasted what would end up being the game-winning home run to deep center field to give the Leones del Escogido the lead.

What followed was nearly a minute of electric excellence, as Caminero put together a Hall of Fame worthy home run trot which included celebrating with his teammates before turning first base!

Talk about incredible stuff. Sadly, we’re unlikely to see something of this magnitude at the MLB level because even slightly longer than normal home run trots draw criticism from certain sections of baseball fans. Still, what a moment for Caminero!

Florida earns highest preseason ranking from Baseball America

The 2025 baseball season is just around the corner, and one major publication has Florida ranked No. 7 ahead of Opening Day.

College baseball begins in just over two weeks, and the Florida Gators are once again ranked among the top teams in the country at No. 7 by Baseball America.

“Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan said he learned valuable lessons in 2024 when the Gators were one of the last teams included in the Field of 64 and reached Omaha despite finishing the regular season ranked last in the SEC in ERA,” reads Florida’s blurb in the rankings.

“It led him to lean more heavily on the transfer portal, where he added center fielder and leadoff hitter Kyle Jones from Stetson and Miami transfer Blake Cyr (BA’s No. 10 transfer), among others.

“Between transfers and key offensive returners, Florida should be a force at the plate. How well it can pitch with mostly returners and freshmen will likely determine whether or not the Gators can return to regular-season dominance.”

All preseason rankings are blind stabs to some degree, but Florida has consistently near the bottom of the top 10 ahead of the 2025 campaign. D1Baseball had the Gators at No. 10 and UF was ranked No. 11 overall by Perfect Game earlier this month.

Florida was one of the final four teams remaining in the College World Series ago, but the loss of Jac Caglianone has many wondering how the Gators will perform.

A returning core of juniors needs to step up on offense, led by shortstop Colby Shelton. As mentioned above, the transfers need to fill in the obvious gaps from 2024, and last year’s freshmen need to take the sophomore step forward every coach hopes for.

Florida’s schedule features 21 games against opponents ranked in the preseason by Baseball America.

Baseball America Preseason Top 25

Rank Team 2024 Record Final 2024 Rank
1 Texas A&M 53-15 2
2 LSU 43-23 NR
3 Tennessee 60-13 1
4 Arkansas 44-16 15
5 Virginia 46-17 8
6 Florida State 49-17 5
7 Florida 36-30 6
8 Clemson 44-16 11
9 Oregon State 45-16 9
10 Duke 40-20 24
11 Georgia 43-17 10
12 North Carolina 48-16 10
13 Oklahoma State 42-19 18
14 Texas 36-24 NR
15 Vanderbilt 38-23 NR
16 NC State 38-23 7
17 Wake Forest 38-22 NR
18 Mississippi State 40-23 17
19 Oregon 40-20 12
20 Kentucky 46-16 3
21 Dallas Baptist 45-15 NR
22 Arizona 36-23 21
23 UC Santa Barbara 44-14 20
24 UC Irvine 45-14 25
25 Indiana 33-26-1 NR

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2025 Tennessee baseball preview: Reese Chapman

2025 Tennessee baseball preview: Outfielder Reese Chapman

Tennessee will open its 2025 baseball season on Feb. 14 against Hofstra for a three-game series at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

The Vols will also host UNC Asheville, Samford (three-game series) and North Alabama before playing away from Lindsey Nelson Stadium in 2025.

Tennessee will compete in the 25th annual Astros Foundation College Classic at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas.

The Vols will join Texas A&M, Arizona, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State and Rice in the Astros Foundation College Classic field between Feb. 28-March 2.

Tennessee will play Oklahoma State on Feb. 28, while facing Rice on March 1 and Arizona on March 2.

Reese Chapman enters his third season at Tennessee in 2025. The 6-foot-1, 212-pound junior outfielder appeared in 50 games, including 32 starts, for the Vols in 2024.

He recorded a .274 batting average, .519 slugging percentage, .398 on-base percentage, seven home runs, 31 RBIs, 22 runs, 29 hits, five doubles, 17 walks, 38 strikeouts and two stolen bases in 106 at-bats.

Chapman also totaled three sacrifice flies, one sacrifice hit, grounded out in three double plays and was hit by seven pitches.

He totaled 33 put-outs, one error and a .971 fielding percentage defensively.

Tennessee enters its upcoming season after winning the College World Series, SEC Tournament and the SEC regular-season championship in 2024.

READ: 2025 SEC baseball week-by-week schedule

Reese Chapman. Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

2025 Tennessee baseball preview: Cannon Peebles

2025 Tennessee Vols baseball preview: Catcher Cannon Peebles

Tennessee’s 2025 baseball season will begin on Feb. 14. The Vols will host Hofstra for a three-game nonconference series at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

Tennessee enters the upcoming campaign after winning the College World Series, SEC Tournament and the SEC regular-season championship in 2024.

Junior Cannon Peebles enters his second season at Tennessee. The 5-foot-11, 194-pound catcher appeared in 54 games, including 30 starts, for the Vols in 2024.

He recorded a .216 batting average, .328 slugging percentage, .379 on-base percentage, two home runs, 24 RBIs, 30 runs, 25 hits, seven doubles, 30 walks, 34 strikeouts and two stolen bases in 116 at-bats.

Peebles also totaled four sacrifice flies, grounded out in two double plays and was hit by three pitches.

He totaled 200 put-outs, eight assists, zero errors and a .1000 fielding percentage defensively.

Cannon Peebles. Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Peebles transferred to Tennessee from North Carolina State ahead of the 2024 season.

He started 39 games in 2023 for North Carolina State as a freshman, recording a .352 batting average, 12 home runs, 50 hits, 50 RBIs, 30 runs and 27 walks. 30 starts for Peebles came as the Wolfpack’s designated hitter and nine as a catcher.

Peebles led all North Carolina State hitters with a .348 batting average and a .742 slugging percentage in ACC play, while tying for first with seven home runs.

READ: 2025 SEC baseball week-by-week schedule

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Florida baseball outfielder cleared to return following torn ACL last May

Gators sophomore outfielder Hayden Yost has been fully cleared to return to action following a torn ACL last May.

Florida baseball received a significant boost ahead of the upcoming season as head coach Kevin O’Sullivan announced that sophomore outfielder Hayden Yost has been fully cleared to return to action.

This news comes less than nine months after Yost suffered a torn ACL on May 15 last season, marking a remarkably swift recovery for the Tampa native.

“He (Yost) looks great,” O’Sullivan said on the “Chalk Talk” web broadcast. “He’s 100%. He’s swinging the bat as good as anybody right now and he ran down a ball during BP (batting practice) yesterday in right-center field. There was no hesitation in his stride so, he’s certainly ready to go.”

Yost’s injury last season was a significant blow to the Gators, as he was one of the team’s most promising players, known for his speed and ability to make fields in the outfield.

The Gators’ outfield is already considered one of the deepest in the SEC, and Yost’s return only strengthens this position. His ability to cover ground and his prowess at the plate are expected to provide a boost to a Florida team that looks to compete with the best of them in the conference.

During his freshman season in 2024, Yost played 32 games and started 14 in the outfield. The left-handed batter had a line of .284/.400/.358 over 67 at-bats. He accumulated 19 hits, including five doubles, scored 10 runs and drove in four RBI, in addition to swiping four bases.

On the defensive side, Yost recorded a .974 fielding percentage in 39 chances and contributed with two assists.

The Gators are gearing up for what promises to be an exciting season, and with Yost back in action, the team’s potential looks to be very promising.

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Gators round out D1Baseball’s Preseason Top 10

D1Baseball has Florida at No. 10 to start the college baseball season. Will the Gators secure a third-straight trip to Omaha in 2025?

D1Baseball ranked the Florida Gators No. 10 in its initial top 25 rankings ahead of the 2025 college baseball season.

The Gators are one of nine SEC teams in the preseason top 25 and are the lowest-ranked of the six programs inside the top 10. The Texas A&M Aggies are in the top spot after a College World Series Runner-Up run last season, followed by Virginia, LSU, Tennessee and Arkansas in the top five.

Florida rivals Georgia and Florida State immediately precede the Orange and Blue on this list. Three-game series will be played against both teams to help clarify the rankings. In addition to the Bulldogs, Florida hosts Alabama and Vanderbilt and travels to Mississippi State, Tennessee and Texas throughout the SEC schedule.

Twenty-one of Florida’s 56 scheduled games are against preseason-ranked opponents by D1Baseball.

Perfect Game ranked Florida No. 11 earlier this month in its preseason breakdown. The consensus appears to be a borderline top-10 ranking for the Gators so far, but the team does return 17 players from a College World Series club that only figured things out late last year.

D1Baseball Preseason Top 25

Rank Team 2024 Record Final 2024 Rank
1 Texas A&M 53-15 2
2 Virginia 46-17 7
3 LSU 43-23 NR
4 Tennessee 60-13 1
5 Arkansas 44-16 17
6 North Carolina 48-16 5
7 Oregon State 45-16 10
8 Georgia 43-17 11
9 Florida State 49-17 4
10 Florida 36-30 8
11 Duke 40-20 24
12 Oregon 40-20 12
13 NC State 38-23 6
14 Wake Forest 38-22 NR
15 Clemson 44-16 9
16 Vanderbilt 38-23 NR
17 Oklahoma State 42-19 21
18 Mississippi State 40-23 22
19 Texas 36-24 NR
20 Dallas Baptist 45-15 NR
21 Arizona 36-23 25
22 UC Santa Barbara 44-14 19
23 TCU 33-21 NR
24 Nebraska 40-22 NR
25 Troy 37-22 NR

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2025 Tennessee baseball preview: Dean Curley

2025 Tennessee baseball preview: Sophomore infielder Dean Curley

Tennessee will open its 2025 baseball season on Feb. 14 against Hofstra for a three-game series at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

The Vols will also host UNC Asheville, Samford (three-game series) and North Alabama before playing away from Lindsey Nelson Stadium in 2025.

Tennessee will compete in the 25th annual Astros Foundation College Classic at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas.

The Vols will join Texas A&M, Arizona, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State and Rice in the Astros Foundation College Classic field between Feb. 28-March 2.

Tennessee will play Oklahoma State on Feb. 28, while facing Rice on March 1 and Arizona on March 2.

Dean Curley enters his second season at Tennessee in 2025. The 6-foot-3, 212-pound infielder appeared in 67 games, including 66 starts, in 2024.

He recorded a .285 batting average, .502 slugging percentage, .386 on-base percentage, 12 home runs, 50 RBIs, 51 runs, 63 hits, 10 doubles, one triple, 31 walks, 47 strikeouts and nine stolen bases (caught stealing once) in 221 at-bats.

Curley also totaled six sacrifice flies, one sacrifice hit, grounded out in five double plays and was hit by nine pitches.

He totaled two put-outs, 139 assists, 15 errors and a .935 fielding percentage defensively.

Tennessee enters the 2025 campaign after winning the College World Series, SEC Tournament and the SEC regular-season championship in 2024.

READ: 2025 SEC baseball week-by-week schedule

Dean Curley. Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

2025 Tennessee baseball preview: Alex Perry

2025 Tennessee baseball preview: Infielder Alex Perry enters second season with the Vols

Tennessee will open its 2025 baseball season on Feb. 14 versus Hofstra at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. The Vols will host Hofstra for a three-game nonconference series.

Tennessee will also compete in the 25th annual Astros Foundation College Classic at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas.

Tennessee, Texas A&M, Arizona, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State and Rice will make up the field. The Astros Foundation College Classic will be contested Feb. 28-March 2.

The Vols will play Oklahoma State on Feb. 28, while facing Rice on March 1 and Arizona on March 2.

Alex Perry enters his second season at Tennessee in 2025. The 6-foot-4, 206-pound senior infielder bats right-handed and throws right-handed.

Perry appeared in seven games for the Vols in 2024, including one start versus High Point.

PHOTOS: Tennessee baseball defeats High Point in 2024

He recorded a .286 batting average, .286 slugging percentage, .500 on-base percentage, three RBIs, two runs, two hits, three walks, two strikeouts and one stolen base in seven at-bats.

Perry also totaled two pickoffs, five assists, zero errors and a 1.000 fielding percentage defensively.

He transferred to Tennessee from Pearl River Community College after the 2023 season. Perry committed to the Vols over Ole Miss and LSU.

He is from North Pike High School in Summit, Mississippi.

Tennessee enters the 2025 campaign after winning the College World Series, SEC Tournament and the SEC regular-season championship in 2024.

READ: 2025 SEC baseball week-by-week schedule

Alex Perry. Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Florida voted top program, Sullivan top coach of last decade by D1Baseball

Make no mistake about it, the Florida Gators are the best college baseball program of the past decade, while Kevin O’Sullivan is the top coach.

The Florida Gators were voted the most successful college baseball program of the past 10 years on Wednesday by D1Baseball, while [autotag]Kevin O’Sullivan[/autotag] earned the honor for the coaching position.

D1Baseball’s “best of the decade” release included staff picks for the best team, player, pitcher, coach and program over the past 10 years. Six out of the seven respondents chose the Gators, with the last one picking fellow Southeastern Conference school, the Vanderbilt Commodores, for the top program. O’Sullivan earned three votes to win his category, while no other coach earned more than one vote.

Aaron Fitt, Kendall Rogers, Patrick Ebert, Mike Rooney, Mark Etheridge and Shotgun Spratling all chose the Orange and Blue for the top team, while Eric Sorenson chose Vandy. Fitt, Rogers and Etheridge were the three who cast votes for Sully.

Kendall Rogers on Florida pick

“Florida and Vanderbilt flip-flopped back and forth in the No. 1 spot in our biennial program rankings over the last decade, but this 10-year sample (2015-2024) starts just after Vanderbilt won its first national title, which means the Commodores and Gators each have one championship apiece in the decade.

“That extra title was Vandy’s trump card during some of our previous Top 100 Program debates, but without that ace in the hole, the nod goes to Florida, which has six CWS runs, five final four appearances and one runner-up appearance in addition to its 2017 national title. That’s an absurd degree of elite performance over a 10-year span.“

Patrick Ebert on Florida pick

“A couple of years ago I probably would have named Vanderbilt as the best program in all of college baseball, but while the Commodores haven’t made a CWS appearance since 2021, their fifth in program history, Florida has made six trips to Omaha in the past 10 seasons, including each of the past two years.

“What has been especially impressive to me is just how good the Gators are in the postseason; they won in the super regional round in each of the six years they advanced that far with their championship in 2017, a runner-up finish in 2023 and three semifinal finishes. Head coach Kevin O’Sullivan knows, more than anyone else, what it means to be a winner.”

Mark Etheridge on Florida pick

“Since 2015, there have been nine College World Series and Florida has been a part of six of them, with five final fours, two CWS Finals, and a title. No program has sustained excellence to that degree.”

Florida has reached the College World Series in nine of the last 14 years, including six trips to Omaha in the last decade alone — far outpacing every other program in the country.

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