Tag: baseball

Former Gators India, Singer traded for each other at MLB non-tender deadline

Not one but two former Florida baseball stars were traded at the MLB non-tender deadline, and they were swapped in the same deal!

Former Florida Gators baseball stars [autotag]Jonathan India[/autotag] and [autotag]Brady Singer[/autotag] swapped teams in a trade between the Cincinnati Reds and Kansas City Royals on Friday, MLB’s non-tender deadline.

Both teams could benefit from the trade, according to Keith Law of The Athletic.

India, a middle infielder likely to stay at second base with Kansas City, fell out of favor in Cincinnati thanks to a surplus of talented position players.

He’s a former National League Rookie of the Year drafted fifth overall in 2018 who plays average defense and can get on base more than other infielders on the Royals’ roster. India posted his highest fWAR (2.8) since his rookie year breakout (3.4) and slashed .248/.357/.392 over 151 games.

Singer, the 18th pick in the 2018 draft, has posted steady numbers over hid five-year MLB career. His best season came in 2022 when he finished the season with 3.0 fWAR, a 3.23 ERA and an 8.8 K/9 rate. Similar to India, Singer had his second-best MLB season in 2024 — 2.5 fWAR, 3.71 ERA and a career-high 179 2/3 innings — but Kansas City has a lot of pitching talent in its organization.

With Singer offering the most trade value of any Royal brought up in conversations, it was a no-brainer to deal him at the non-tender deadline, even if it is losing a potential ace who is only 27 years old. The only problem with Singer is that his low arm slot from the right side doesn’t allow him to throw an effective offspeed pitch to attack lefties, who slashed .291/.367/.488 off him in 2024.

India, Singer at Florida

Not only were India and Singer drafted 13 picks apart after spending three years together at Florida and winning a College World Series, they were named the SEC Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year, respectively.

Singer also won the 2018 Dick Howser Trophy and was named the National Player of the Year by Baseball Americana and D1Baseball. He left Florida with a 23-10 record over 60 appearances (37 starts, 282 innings), a 3.22 ERA, 281 strikeouts (seventh all time), and four complete games.

India was a consensus First Team All-American at third base for Florida and semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy and Golden Spikes Award. He capped off his three-year Gators career with one of the best offensive seasons in program history, slashing .350/.497/.717 with 21 home runs — the most by any Gators third baseman — and 53 RBIs.

Over 194 games (189 starts) as a Gator, India slashed .310/.411/.530 with 31 homers and 126 RBIs. He walked 105 times to 141 strikeouts.

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Notre Dame baseball gets big commitment

Notre Dame baseball gets a key commitment.

Notre Dame baseball has gotten a commitment from right-handed pitcher [autotag]Will Jaisle[/autotag].

The Batesville, Indiana product will be staying in state. Batesville is located southeast of Indianapolis.

Jaisle is 6-foot-1, 205 pounds and also plays quarterback. He threw for a school record 55 touchdowns for Batesville High School. He also played running back and safety.

In addition to pitching, Jaisle has played catcher, outfield, and corner infield.

The class of 2025 product will be bringing more than a little bit of athleticism to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish baseball team when arrives on campus in South Bend.

Notre Dame announces starting pitchers for series vs. Tennessee Tech
Jun 21, 2022; Omaha, NE, USA; A practice ball sits on the dirt before the game between the Texas A&M Aggies and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

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Florida baseball’s Kevin O’Sullivan reacts to final fall exhibitions vs. USF

Here’s what the Gators skipper had to offer after his team split a twin-bill with the USF Bulls in Gainesville on Sunday.

Florida baseball played its final two scrimmages of the fall on Sunday, hosting the South Florida Bulls inside Condron Family Ballpark for a pair of seven-inning exhibitions. While the Gators swept both games of an earlier twin-bill scrimmage at the Jacksonville Dolphins on Nov. 1, the home team earned a split this time.

The Orange and Blue managed a 5-0 win in the opener thanks to some strong pitching and solid offense — including a pair of back-to-back home runs that gave Florida an early 2-0 lead. Inclement weather delayed the game for 50 minutes in the fifth inning, but that did not slow the Gators down.

However, things caught up with [autotag]Kevin O’Sullivan[/autotag]’s squad in the second game, in which they were shut out with a 2-0 final score. And thus ends Florida’s preseason exhibition schedule.

Following the doubleheader, O’Sullivan spoke with the media and here is what he had to offer.

On Florida’s performance against USF

“We weren’t able to get Jackson (Barberi) out there because of a little rain relay, was like a 40-minute rain delay. But other than that, I think everybody pitched fairly well, and we got a little sloppy there in the third inning of the second game.

“Only error we made was the one behind the plate. We got a little sloppy behind the plate that one inning. But offensively, we got off to a quick start with the back-to-back home runs and made three really, really nice plays in the first game. Kyle Jones made a heck of a play in the left-center gap. Of course, Cade (Kurland) made a really nice play going to his left. And Bobby Boser made a real nice play at third. We turned a double play.

“In the second game, I think we were swinging at balls out of the hand. I thought our approaches were not very good in the second game. I mean, we’ve been swinging the bat well the entire fall, so, all in all, pitching and defense was good. It’s improved from last year. Certainly, on the mound, we’ve got a lot of options.

“Had a chance to move some different guys around defensively in the second game, which was nice to see. It was productive. Obviously, we would have wanted to swing the bats a little bit better in the second game, but that’s part of it.”

On Florida’s offense in 2nd scrimmage

“We just haven’t seen — two games is not enough to get in the flow of things. When you’re facing a new arm every inning, it does become a bit challenging. It’s no excuse but the fact of the matter is we had an opportunity to play two outside teams other than our own team during the fall.

“Sometimes these things happen in the early part of the year and it takes you a little while to get in your groove but, yeah, I just think we were swinging at balls out of the hand and our approaches weren’t very good early in the count. Probably hit too many balls in the air, too.”

On freshman RHP Aidan King

“Yeah, he’s had a really good fall for us and there’s a reason we gave him two innings today. Frankie Menendez wasn’t able to throw today because he’s been under the weather a little bit so that’s why he didn’t throw today.

“Somebody had to throw two innings and we felt like he had earned the opportunity to do that and he’s been really consistent. His mound presence is different than maybe most of the freshmen that we had in the last couple years. I was pleased with the way he threw.”

On Brody Donay taking reps at first base

“He’s been playing really good at first. The one that we haven’t been able to see very much is Brendan Lawson. He’s certainly going to be a factor in our lineup. He had a concussion so he’s been out for two or three weeks now but certainly looking forward to getting them back.”

On Florida’s freshmen pitchers

“I thought Josh Whitenour threw the ball really well. I think a couple of the other guys held it together. There were a couple walks here or there but for the most part they didn’t let the inning get away from them other than the one inning in the third, really.”

On sophomore RHP Liam Peterson

“There’s still some improvement. I think Liam has taken a step forward. You can see his stuff. His mound presence is different. Still working with Jake on his secondary stuff, landing the slider a little bit more. He threw a couple changeups today and there’s no doubting his arm strength. We still got some work to do but certainly the biggest thing is to get out of the fall healthy and see how things look in the spring.”

On Peterson’s mechanical changes

“I think everything’s better. He’s landing his breaking ball now. It’s a really, really tight spinner. I think it’s like 2,800 (rpm) spin rate and he’s got a slider and he’s always had good feel for the changeup. Now he’s pitching at 95-98 and he’s throwing a lot more strikes. He’s certainly on his way, for sure.”

On Peterson changing his fastball grip

“Yeah, it’s probably got a little more finish to it. He’s getting some more swings and misses up in the zone for sure.”

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2025 Louisville commit flips to Tennessee

Tennessee baseball flips 2025 Louisville shortstop commit.

2025 infielder prospect Ethan Moore flipped his commitment to Tennessee baseball and head coach Tony Vitello.

Moore was committed to Louisville since 2022. He flipped his commitment after taking an official visit when the Vols hosted Kentucky in football on Nov. 2.

“Committed,” Moore announced.

The 6-foot, 190-pound switch-hitting shortstop is from Oak Park and River Forest High School in Oak Park, Illinois.

Moore ranks as the No. 106 overall prospect in the nation and No. 9 in Illinois.

Tennessee has 24 commitments in its 2025 recruiting class, according to Perfect Game. The Vols signed the top-rated recruiting class in college baseball in 2024.

PHOTOS: Tony Vitello through the years

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

2026 catcher prospect commits to Tennessee baseball

2026 catcher prospect Sean Dunlap commits to Tennessee baseball.

2026 catcher prospect Sean Dunlap committed to Tennessee baseball and Tony Vitello on Friday.

“I’m blessed to announce my academic and athletic career to the University of Tennessee,” Dunlap announced.

Dunlap committed to the Vols over Indiana, Vanderbilt, Notre Dame, Mississippi State, Indiana and others. He officially visited Tennessee on Nov. 2 for the Kentucky game.

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound catcher prospect is from Crown Point High School in Crown Point, Indiana.

Dunlap also plays outfield. He bats right-handed and throws right-handed.

Tennessee has 20 commitments in its 2026 recruiting class, according to Perfect Game. The Vols signed the top-rated recruiting class in college baseball in 2024.

PHOTOS: Tony Vitello through the years

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

2026 two-way prospect commits to Tennessee baseball

2026 two-way prospect commits to Tony Vitello and Tennessee baseball.

2026 shortstop and right-handed pitcher prospect Cole Koeninger committed to Tennessee baseball and Tony Vitello on Friday.

“Committed,” Koeninger said. “Go Vols!”

Koeninger visited Tennessee on Oct. 19 for the Vols’ football game versus Alabama.

He committed to the Vols over Oklahoma State, LSU and Texas.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound two-way prospect is from Keller High School in Keller, Texas. He is a right-handed batter and a right-handed pitcher.

Keller ranks as the No. 66 overall player nationally and as the No. 7 player in Texas.

Tennessee has 18 commitments in its 2026 recruiting class, according to Perfect Game.

The Vols won the national championship, SEC Tournament and SEC regular-season title in 2024.

Florida baseball coach Kevin O’Sullivan talks offseason, fall ball

Florida head baseball coach Kevin O’Sullivan gave a program update ahead of its fall ball matchup with Jacksonville University on Friday.

Ahead of Florida baseball’s first fall ball scrimmage, head coach [autotag]Kevin O’Sullivan[/autotag] joined Steve Russell and Sportscene on ESPN Radio WRUF to discuss the changes made over the offseason and preview this weekend’s matchup against Jacksonville University.

Florida and Georgia have played on this weekend — during the annual football rivalry game in Jacksonville — over the past few years, but the schedule changed this year for reasons unknown until now. O’Sullivan confirmed that the decision was made by the Bulldogs’ program, not the Gators.

“The bottom line is that I think Georgia just decided not to play in the game,” O’Sullivan said. “But we’re excited about playing JU.”

Fall ball can be a complicated time. Getting everyone enrolled and on the field is the first step, then it becomes about developing a blueprint for the spring. While nothing is set in stone, the coaching staff gets to evaluate its roster and get a good sense of a potential starting lineup and weekend rotation.

New faces in Gainesville

Sully said that one of the main focuses in the transfer portal this offseason was to change the way the offense looks — fewer strikeouts and more balls in play. The Gators welcome nine transfers and a 12-man freshman class to the program.

Notable additions include USF infielder Bobby Boser, Miami outfielder/infielder [autotag]Blake Cyr[/autotag], Jacksonville infielder Justin Nadeau and Stetson outfielder Kyle Jones. On the mound, Clemson right-hander Billy Barlow and Sante Fe right-hander Matthew Jenkins figure to be key pieces on Florida’s pitching staff this year.

“I think we’ve got a lot of versatility,” he said. “I really like Bobby Boser, the infielder/outfielder we got from South Florida. Justin Nadeau from JU has really stepped in an been able to play a lot of positions. Billy Barlow, the right-hander from Clemson has come in and done a really nice job. All in all, it’s been a successful fall so far.”

UF veterans provide a stable core

However, it’s the players Florida kept from leaving that might have the biggest impact on the team this year.

“Sometimes your best recruits are the ones you get back to school,” he said. “Getting back Colby Shelton, Pierce Coppola and Ty Evans — sometimes, when you get three or four guys back to school that you may not have expected to get back, they end up being your best recruits.”

The shifting landscape of college sports has helped Florida retain key players who may have opted to sign with a pro team in years past. Name, image and likeness is a major factor for the team now that college baseball has found its footing with the changes made. NIL also helps Florida in the transfer portal significantly.

Sully admitted that the team will lean on the veterans more than the freshmen this year, but several first-year players figure to be in the mix for a chance to pitch. The Gators will throw five freshman arms in the two six-inning games against the Dolphins on Friday.

Lessons learned in 2024

Florida is coming off a second-straight College World Series appearance and ninth overall since O’Sullivan took over the program. A 36-30 (13-17 vs. SEC) finish was the worst for UF since 2019, but another trip to Omaha always grants some wisdom.

“Going through what we went through last year, the ups and downs, every year, as a player or as a coach, you learn something new,” he said. “The bottom line is that the biggest takeaway I got from that was that we continued to get better and continued to improve.

“Regardless of how you got to Omaha, that’s the ultimate goal. Sometimes it’s a different route than other years. It may not have been pretty, but we certainly earned it.”

Chemistry is another key factor when it comes to making a run like Florida did, despite underperforming most of the regular season.

“Every successful team needs talent, but when you’ve got experience and leadership to go along with that, to lead the younger players, I don’t think you can win a championship without that,” he said.

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Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes ribs former teammate after Dodgers’ World Series win

Patrick Mahomes continued his war of words with ex-#Chiefs WR Gehrig Dieter when the #Yankees lost to the #Dodgers in the World Series.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has always been an avid baseball fan and took his affinity for the game to a new level by buying a minority share of the Royals in 2020.

Earlier this month, the star quarterback went viral for giving former Chiefs wide receiver Gehrig Dieter, a lifelong New York Yankees fan, a hard time during the Royals’ ALDS run.

Though New York would ultimately take the series and defeat the Royals before punching their ticket to the World Series, Mahomes and Dieter continued sparring about the Yankees on Twitter throughout the MLB playoffs.

When the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated New York in the World Series last night, Mahomes took one last jab at his former teammate:

 

Expect Mahomes and Dieter to continue the war of words if the Royals and Yankees meet in the American League playoffs next season.

Patrick Mahomes takes jab at Travis Kelce after Guardians’ ALCS win

Check out this Twitter exchange between #Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes and TE Travis Kelce after the #Guardians’ ALCS victory on Thursday night.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is not shy about his love for the Royals, and as a minority owner of the beloved baseball franchise, he is always quick to bring his fandom up on social media.

Though the Royals’ season was cut short by the New York Yankees in the ALDS, Mahomes didn’t waver in his support for the Boys in Blue when Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce made a post on Twitter about the Cleveland Guardians’ latest win.

Cleveland mounted a comeback against the Yankees on Thursday night to extend the ALCS, which got Kelce pumped up ahead of the Chiefs’ Week 7 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.

Mahomes made sure to chirp at the All-Pro pass-catcher, quote-tweeting Kelce in this hilarious exchange:

https://twitter.com/PatrickMahomes/status/1847100495359287400

 

Expect Mahomes and Kelce to have this online dispute resolved in time for Kansas City’s Super Bowl LVIII rematch at Levi’s Stadium in San Francisco this weekend.

Florida ranked among top five college baseball programs

The Florida Gators have never finished outside of the top 5 in D1Baseball’s top-100 rankings, and that’s not changing heading into 2025.

Every two years, D1Baseball attempts to capture the current landscape of college baseball by ranking the top 100 programs. Florida has never finished outside of the top five and continued that trend by placing third in the 2024 rankings.

“Kevin O’Sullivan has created an absolute monster during his tenure in Gainesville, and the Gators moved up one spot from No. 4 to No. 3 in our latest ranking of the nation’s premier programs,” D1Baseball co-owner Kendall Rogers wrote.

“To give you an idea what kind of culture the Gators have, look no further than last season. UF entered the 2024 campaign with high expectations. But for a myriad of reasons, they didn’t reach their full potential until the tail end of the season. Not only did the Gators squeak into a Regional, they won a Super Regional and made yet another trip to the College World Series.”

Finishing in the top five takes more than one season of success, though. The Gators have been “the epitome of consistency in the modern era of college baseball,” under Sully, and making it to Omaha is expected at this point. Coming up short of the College World Series isn’t just a disappointment for his club, it’s a failure.

Florida also has the advantage of recruiting one of the most talent-rich areas in the country. The state of Florida might be the best in the country when it comes to producing college talent. Floridians have the advantage of playing year-round, and the Gators pull players from all four major areas of the state — North (Jacksonville), South (Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach), Central (Orlando) and West (Tampa).

The changes to the transfer portal have only strengthened Florida’s grip on the college baseball world. Look no further than the players O’Sullivan has brought in over the past two seasons.

Southern Miss transfer Hurston Waldrep pitched his way to a first-round selection in Gainesville, Colby Shelton had the best power season ever in Florida history after transferring from Alabama and Miami star Blake Cyr appears to be the next high-profile player to join the Gators.

There are very few places college baseball players would rather be than the University of Florida. In fact, only Tennessee and LSU rank ahead of Florida on this list.

The rest of the top 5

The Tigers beat the Gators in the College World Series two years ago and have gone from good to great in the recruiting world, following the success of homegrown talents (Dylan Crews) and transfer talent (Paul Skenes).

The Volunteers have rapidly moved up the rankings, going from unranked in 2017 to No. 69 in 2019 to No. 17 in 2022 and No. 2 this season. Tony Vitello has made Rocky Top a premiere destination in the sport and climbed to the top of the SEC alongside Florida and LSU.

Vanderbilt and Arkansas check in at No. 4 and 5, respectively, proving that the Southeastern Conference is the most dominant in the country. It’s the first time that Vandy has finished outside of the top two, which says a lot about the teams ranked ahead of it. Arkansas consistently finishes near the top of the conference, but not claiming a national title hurts the Razorbacks ever so slightly.

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