Tag: Brandon Neely

Florida’s Fisher Jameson gets Day 2 call in 2024 MLB draft

Fisher Jameson is the third Gator to hear his named called during the 2024 MLB draft so far.

The Colorado Rockies selected Florida baseball’s right-handed pitcher [autotag]Fisher Jameson[/autotag] in the 10th round of the 2024 MLB draft with the 288th overall pick on Monday.

He follows first baseman/left-handed pitcher [autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag] (Round 1, Pick 6 – Kansas City Royals) and right-hander [autotag]Brandon Neely[/autotag] (Round 3, Pick 86 – Boston Red Sox) as the third Gator selected so far.

The Lake Worth, Florida, native became the 223rd individual draft selection in UF baseball history and the 108th in head coach [autotag]Kevin O’Sullivan[/autotag]’s 17-year tenure. Jameson is the 57th pitcher to be drafted under O’Sullivan, equating to 3.4 per season.

Jameson led all UF hurlers with a 3.99 ERA and 1.15 WHIP this past season — representing the team’s biggest breakout performance among the pitching corps — while also posting a perfect 5-0 record across a team-high 34 appearances. His .237 batting average against ranked second on the team and his 67 2/3 innings were good for third; he also struck out 79 batters against just 18 walks.

Across the team’s final 31 games, Jameson led Florida with 17 appearances, a 3.35 ERA and .226 BAA over 40 1/3 frames. In that span, he delivered a 3-0 record, three saves and 47 strikeouts while issuing only nine free passes. Jameson played a vital role in each of the Gators’ College World Series trips from 2023-24.

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Brandon Neely selected by Boston Red Sox in third round of 2024 MLB draft

Florida right-hander Brandon Neely was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the third round of the 2024 MLB draft on Monday.

Florida right-hander [autotag]Brandon Neely[/autotag] is set to begin his professional baseball career after being picked 86th overall by the Boston Red Sox in the 2024 MLB draft.

Neely was considered a likely Day 2 pick for most of the season, but a brilliant performance in the postseason moved him up most draft boards. Although he snuck outside of the first two rounds, Neely ended up a third-round selection with a slot value of $878,800. The Red Sox have a chance to sign him for a bit less, too.

He is the 222nd draft pick in Florida program history and the 107th pick of the [autotag]Kevin O’Sullivan[/autotag] era. He’s also the 24th O’Sullivan-coached pitcher to go in the first five rounds.

Neely’s career at Florida

As a freshman, it looked like Neely would compete for a spot in the weekend rotation. He made 10 starts, mostly in the midweek but some in the postseason, across 21 appearances while maintaining a 3.76 ERA.

A move to the bullpen took some convincing, but Neely immediately became one of the conference’s best closers. He ended his sophomore campaign as the SEC leader in saves (13) and upped his strikeout rate to an elite 30.1%.

Neely saved his best performances for the final season of his Gators career, though. He delivered seven multi-inning performances in the NCAA Tournament, five of which were scoreless. He earned the win over Oklahoma State in Regionals and shut down Clemson in the Super Regionals.

Despite posting an elevated ERA of 5.13 in 2024, he somehow raised his strikeout rate to 31.4% and became more of a groundball pitcher, which pleases scouts.

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Florida baseball season ends with College World Series semifinals loss to Texas A&M

Florida’s magical postseason run came to an end Wednesday night in the College World Series semifinals against Texas A&M.

A historic and magical season for the Florida Gators baseball team has come to an end with a 6-0 loss to the Texas A&M Aggies Wednesday night in the College World Series semifinals.

All good things must come to an end, but Florida’s goose egg and exit from the postseason felt even worse after experiencing the euphoria of an 11-run win earlier in the day.

[autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag] managed to make a little more history, but it was his final game as a Gator. [autotag]Brandon Neely[/autotag] made the final appearance of his Florida career, too.

A rough start

[autotag]Liam Peterson[/autotag] couldn’t shake his nerves again and walked four batters in the first inning. [autotag]Kevin O’Sullivan[/autotag] went out to get him after Peterson walked in a run and brought in [autotag]Fisher Jameson[/autotag] for damage control. A sacrifice fly scored a second run before the inning ended, and the damage was already done.

Florida couldn’t get any momentum going, even when they got multiple runners on base. Texas A&M starter Justin Lamkin delivered five scoreless innings, striking out nine of the 19 batters he faced. The Gators couldn’t figure out his rhythm and looked baffled at the plate.

Jameson gave up a run in the fifth before turning the ball over to [autotag]Jake Clemente[/autotag] in the sixth. Clemente threw earlier in the day and couldn’t find his command. Sully had a short leash on him and brought in Neely with a 2-0 count and one-on.

That turned out to be a mistake. Neely gave up a two-run shot to make it 5-0 and suck the life out of the Gator collective.

One shot, one opportunity

Lamkin’s exit in the sixth brought in Chris Cortez, who couldn’t buy a strike. A pair of walks forced the Aggies to the bullpen again, but Josh Stewart escaped the jam without giving up a run.

Evan Aschenbeck threw the final two innings for Texas A&M to complete the shutout. Florida stranded eight men on base; although, it felt more like 100. [autotag]Brody Donay[/autotag] grounded into a double play to end the game and Florida’s season.

Caglianone had two of the team’s four hits — both singles. He tied the program record for career hits with 104.

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Highlights from Florida baseball’s College World Series win over NC State

Get a gander at the Gators’ winning efforts on Monday afternoon in the College World Series.

Florida baseball kept its 2024 College World Series hopes alive on Monday afternoon with a narrow 5-4 victory over the North Carolina State Wolfpack in the loser’s bracket. The win sent home the defeated team while elevating the Gators to the next round.

Jac Caglianone only lasted an inning before moving to the designated hitter spot but still found a way to help his team, his 34th home run of the season and 74th with the Orange and Blue — both program records. A tandem of [autotag]Cade Fisher[/autotag], [autotag]Jake Clemente[/autotag] and superstar reliever [autotag]Brandon Neely[/autotag] bridged the remaining eight innings en route to the triumph.

Below is a look at highlights from Florida’s big win over NC State to keep its miraculous postseason run alive.

Florida eliminates NC State, stays alive in College World Series

Win or go home games bring out the best in the Gators. Florida eliminated North Carolina State on Monday to stay alive in the College World Series.

The Florida Gators baseball team lives to see another day after eliminating the North Carolina State Wolfpack from the College World Series on Monday afternoon, 5-4.

What was expected to be a matchup of left-handers on the mound didn’t go quite as planned, but the end result provided just as much tension as every other game in Omaha over the past few days.

[autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag] only lasted an inning before moving to the designated hitter spot in Florida’s lineup card. The broadcast showed him rubbing his elbow on his throwing arm (left) after the first, and [autotag]Cade Fisher[/autotag] replaced him to start the second inning.

Caglianone needed 33 pitches to get out of the first frame. He walked two, hit a batter and gave up a base hit but managed to keep NC State mostly quiet in the run column. Wolfpack shortstop Brandon Butterworth singled through the left side to plate the only run of the inning.

Fisher looked good in relief despite allowing three runs to cross. He went four innings for the first time since March 22 against LSU and didn’t deal with the command issues that have plagued him all year. Fisher walked one, hit one and gave up a two-run homer, but he also struck out three and kept the lead without wasting more arms.

Florida’s four-run second inning provided most of the run support needed for the night.

Caglianone delivered the big blow, his 34th home run of the season and 74th with the Florida Gators — both program records.  An 18-degree launch angle doesn’t usually translate to a home run, but Caglianone barreled this one up and sent it off the bat at 116 mph.

[autotag]Michael Robertson[/autotag] and [autotag]Brody Donay[/autotag] scored on the liner that sliced through the gusting winds in Omaha over the wall in right-center field. Before that, [autotag]Cade Kurland[/autotag] drove in Florida’s first run of the day following a pair of walks to Donay and [autotag]Dale Thomas[/autotag].

Seven runs crossed through the first three innings, but the offense slowed to a crawl after that. Both teams scored in the fifth, but it was all bullpen otherwise. [autotag]Tyler Shelnut[/autotag] hit a solo homer for Florida, and Butterworth drove in another with a double to right.

Kevin O’Sullivan stuck with Fisher through the fifth, but a leadoff walk in the sixth put the one-run lead at risk. Redshirt freshman [autotag]Jake Clement[/autotag]e took over and retired the next three batters on contact, but his leash was short, too. Sully turned to his closer, [autotag]Brandon Neely[/autotag], for another nine-out save.

Neely dominated. He struck out six of the 11 batters he faced and allowed just two baserunners. Neither fazed him.

There hasn’t been a better closer in baseball than Neely over the past two weeks, but the Gators will have to do it without him tomorrow against the loser of Kentucky–Texas A&M (which starts at 7 p.m. ET).

The first pitch on Tuesday will be at 7 p.m. ET as well.

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Several current, future Gators invited to 2024 MLB Draft Combine

The 2024 MLB draft takes place in about a month, and several current and future Gators will be in Arizona this month for the combine.

A pair of Florida Gators — right-handed closer [autotag]Brandon Neely[/autotag] and shortstop [autotag]Colby Shelton[/autotag] — as well as five incoming high schoolers have been invited to the MLB Draft Combine in Phoenix, Arizona from June 18-23.

An invite does not necessarily mean these players will attend the event, especially if Florida extends its run at the College World Series. Neely, a junior, is a lock to leave in the draft, but Shelton is still a sophomore who is draft-eligible because of his age. If the combine results aren’t to his liking, Shelton could set his price high enough to ensure another season at the college level.

Neely was an instant success in Florida’s bullpen, putting up a 3.76 ERA and a .205 batting average against as a freshman. He was named to the conference All-Freshman Team and then transitioned into the closer role as a sophomore.

[autotag]Kevin O’Sullivan[/autotag] gave Neely a chance to start this season, but he’s always worked best at the end of games. Neely can flip the switch that closers need in high-leverage situations and can throw multiple innings. It’s not unusual to see Neely out of the bullpen for more than six outs.

Shelton transferred to Florida from Alabama as a third baseman with eyes on a vacant shortstop position. Although there’s more swing and miss at the plate than hoped for, Shelton has proven himself as one of the more capable middle infielders in the SEC.

While there are questions about his eye and pitch selection, Shelton’s still answered most of the big questions scouts have. There’s Day 1 potential here.

At least one of the Florida signees out of high school invited to the combine won’t be participating. Right-hander Schuyler Sandford is recovering from Tommy John surgery. That leaves middle infielders Brendan Lawson and Kellon Lindsey and pitchers Jackson Barberi and Joshua Whritenour.

They should get some game action in front of scouts and go through all of the showcase-style workouts typical of a combine — 60 times, exit velocity, etc.

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Highlights from Florida’s College World Series loss to Texas A&M

Take a look at highlights from Saturday’s late-night CWS action between Florida and Texas A&M.

The weather did not play fair on Saturday night, forcing the opening College World Series game between the Florida Gators and Texas A&M Aggies into the wee hours of the morning. After things finally dried up enough to play, TAMU prevailed over UF, 3-2.

[autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag] paced the Orange and Blue on offense, going 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and a strikeout. After a weak start from [autotag]Liam Peterson[/autotag], who allowed three runs in 2 1/3 innings, the bullpen tandem of [autotag]Fisher Jameson[/autotag] and [autotag]Brandon Neely[/autotag] kept the Aggies off the board the remainder of the game.

Unfortunately, the offense simply did not have enough to overcome A&M.

Florida dropped into the losers’ bracket and will face North Carolina State Wolfpack in an elimination game on Monday at 2 p.m. ET.

Florida’s CWS comeback bid comes up short, Gators face elimination Monday

Florida has made comebacks on the diamond all season long, but the Gators couldn’t get the job done in Game 1 and now face elimination.

As every game has gone so far in the 2024 College World Series, Florida’s 3-2 loss to Texas A&M on Saturday night was an instant classic.

Bad weather delayed first pitch in Omaha until 11 p.m. ET, pushing the game’s final moments beyond the 2 a.m. mark. Naturally, the drama came at the end of the game.

Trailing by three runs for most of the night, [autotag]Dale Thomas[/autotag] finally broke through in the seventh with a double into the left-field corner. [autotag]Tyler Shelnut[/autotag] scored from third after hitting a two-bagger of his own and advancing a base on a wild pitch. [autotag]Brody Donay[/autotag] moved Thomas over with a sacrifice bunt and [autotag]Michael Robertson[/autotag] got him in with a grounder to the left side.

Thomas’ double was the team’s only base hit with a man in scoring position, though. The Gators stranded 10 baserunners overall and went 1-for-11 with RISP.

A bases-loaded opportunity in the eighth gave Thomas another opportunity to make some magic, but a soft grounder to second ended the frame following a quick review. Thomas nearly beat it out and tied the game, but Texas A&M first baseman Ted Burton kept his toes on the bag to get one of the most important outs of the game.

Florida’s chances for a comeback weren’t finished there, though.

In the ninth, Robertson made sure that [autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag] got an at-bat with an infield single. For a guy who struggled with the lefty-lefty matchup earlier in the year, Robertson has figured out how to slap something the other way and use his speed to get on.

Before Cags stepped to the plate, [autotag]Cade Kurland[/autotag] nearly hit a go-ahead home run to right. It looked like the ball would clear the wall, but Jace LaViolette leaped up and robbed at least one run — probably two. Kurland couldn’t believe it, the Aggies fans couldn’t believe it. A game of inches.

Caglianone worked the count full and walked, putting the go-ahead run on base, but [autotag]Ashton Wilson[/autotag] couldn’t figure out one of the best closers in the country and struck out to end the game.

It was a deflating moment in a game that felt competitive at the very end, but Florida is lucky this one didn’t get out of hand earlier. Freshman [autotag]Liam Peterson[/autotag] didn’t have what his best stuff and was pulled after 2 1/3 innings.

[autotag]Fisher Jameson[/autotag] was excellent in relief despite two walks to start off the outing. He allowed just one hit and struck out three over three innings of work. [autotag]Cade Fisher[/autotag] followed Jameson in relief. He faced one batter and earned two out thanks to a LaViolette double play that ended the sixth.

[autotag]Kevin O’Sullivan[/autotag] turned to [autotag]Brandon Neely[/autotag] after that. He allowed a baserunner in both the seventh and eighth, but he looked like his typical postseason self otherwise — elite.

Now facing elimination, Florida plays North Carolina State at 2 p.m. ET on Monday. ESPN will broadcast the game.

Expect a change in the lineup with Florida’s No. 3 and 4 hitters combining for seven strikeouts on Saturday. They aren’t seeing the ball well, and guys like Robertson and Thomas are.

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Florida headed to College World Series in Clemson after 13-inning thriller

In the most dramatic way possible, Florida claimed its spot in Omaha on Sunday night as the Gators took down the Clemson Tigers to advance to the College World Series.

Against all odds, the Florida Gators are headed back to Omaha.

Despite a 28-27 finish to the season, including the SEC Tournament, Florida managed to make it out of the Stillwater Regional over Oklahoma State, Nebraska and Niagara and then won the Clemson Super Regional without allowing the Tigers to take a game at home.

Florida, playing as the home team, won a 13-inning thriller off the bat of center fielder [autotag]Michael Robertson[/autotag]. Clemson scored in the top of the final frame to take the lead, but Florida’s offense did what they do best — come back to win a big game.

Robertson’s liner to left-center slowed Clemson’s outfielders to an eventual stop as they realized their season was coming to an end. Jaylen Guy scored the tying run pinch-running for [autotag]Luke Heyman[/autotag] and [autotag]Tyler Shelnut[/autotag] made the Gators winners.

Heyman and Shelnut both singled to spark the late rally, but [autotag]Dale Thomas[/autotag]’ sacrifice bunt set up the winning moment. [autotag]Brody Donay[/autotag], who homered in the sixth, was intentionally walked to take away the squeeze bunt, but Robertson came through in the clutch.

It’s a full-circle moment for Robertson, who started the season as one of the SEC’s best center fielders. A slump at the plate moved him into a platoon situation with Guy, but he reclaimed the full-time role by season’s end, partially due to injuries.

[autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag] went 5 2/3 innings for Florida on the mound and tied his program record for home runs with his 33rd. When Caglianone handed the ball over in the sixth, he was in line for the win and Florida had a 7-4 lead.

[autotag]Jake Clemente[/autotag] was first out of the bullpen and looked dominant in the seventh striking out the side, but trouble in the eighth moved [autotag]Kevin O’Sullivan[/autotag] to bring in closer [autotag]Brandon Neely[/autotag] despite the four innings he threw on Saturday.

Two runs crossed, making it a one-run game, but Neely got them right back courtesy of an [autotag]Ashton Wilson[/autotag] two-run shot that punished Clemson after intentionally walking Caglianone.

Neely was running out of gas, though, and a three-run homer from center fielder Cam Cannarella in the top of the ninth put extra innings in play.

Wilson nearly walked it off in the 10th with a ball to the fence, but Cannarella saved Clemson’s season again with a Willie Mays basket catch to end the frame.

[autotag]Luke McNeillie[/autotag] earned the win, pitching the final two innings for Florida. [autotag]Frank Menendez[/autotag] walked the only batter he faced between him and Neely.

The College World Series begins on Friday, June 14. Florida awaits the completion of the other Super Regionals. So far, Florida State, North Carolina and Virginia are in the field.

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Florida takes down No. 6 Clemson in super regional opener

Down three on the road against the No. 6 team in the country, Jac Caglianone blasted his 31st homer of the season to spark another comeback win for the Florida Gators.

Far from perfect, the Florida Gators battled back against the No. 6 Clemson Tigers on Saturday to claim the first game of a best-of-three series, 10-7, moving within one win of a second straight College World Series appearance.

[autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag] shifted the momentum of the game in the fifth inning with a three-run, game-tying home run. He knew it off the bat and jogged around the bases for the 32nd time this season, one shy of his program-record mark from a year ago.

The homer knotted the game at five runs apiece, but Florida left the frame with a four-run lead after plating seven. Caglianone cleared the bases with no outs on the board, allowing the offense to trade a pair of outs for the lead — [autotag]Dale Thomas[/autotag] scored [autotag]Colby Shelton[/autotag] on a fielder’s choice and [autotag]Brody Donay[/autotag] got a sacrifice bunt down. Thomas scored the final run of the inning off a Michael Robertson single.

Before that, Clemson had complete control of the game. Freshman right-hander [autotag]Liam Peterson[/autotag] struggled mightily in his first super regional appearance. He lasted just an inning after giving up two of three runs on wild pitches.

[autotag]Fisher Jameson[/autotag] took over in relief, pitching through the fifth. Although he was mostly effective, Jameson gave up a pair of solo home runs, deepening the hole. He came back out for the sixth after getting a lead but got the hook after losing the leadoff batter. [autotag]Cade Fisher[/autotag] got to see one batter, but Kevin O’Sullivan pulled him after a single put men on first and third.

With trouble brewing, Sully turned to his closer, [autotag]Brandon Neely[/autotag], who shut down the Tigers lineup for four innings. He struck out seven of the 13 batters he faced, including three straight in the eighth. It’s a shame that he’ll end the season with only a handful of saves — tonight was his fourth — because he’s one of the game’s elite closers, especially in the playoffs.

Clemson scored two in the sixth as Neely worked out of that jam, but Luke Heyman got one back in the ninth with a solo shot. [autotag]Tyler Shelnut[/autotag] also went deep in the fourth, and [autotag]Ashton Wilson[/autotag] drove in the first run of the day for Florida with a sac fly in the third.

Florida will be the home team on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET. A win sends the Gators to Omaha again, but a loss means a Game 3.

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