Tag: Gators in MLB

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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Multiple Gators land on ESPN’s 2024 midseason top 100 MLB prospects rankings

Jac Caglianone headlines a group of Gators listed on ESPN’s 2024 midseason top 100 MLB prospects rankings.

Florida baseball has been dishing out MLB-ready players throughout the years with over 80 players making it to the Major Leagues in its history.

The amount of high-level talent that the Gators have produced is incredible. Florida alumni like [autotag]Pete Alonso[/autotag], [autotag]Brady Singer[/autotag] and Wyatt Langford have each made an impact on the professional stage.

So it comes to no surprise that a few former Gators have landed on ESPN’s MLB Insider Kiley McDaniel’s midseason top 100 prospects rankings.

The Gators that are mentioned in the top 100 rankings are Jac Caglianone, Brandon Sproat and Hurston Waldrep. So where do they each rank on the list?

Jac Caglianone (Kansas City Royals) – No. 26

Position: 1B

Level: High-A

The Royals selected Caglianone with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft after the two-way player had a stellar career with Florida.

In his last season with the Gators, Caglianone started all 66 games and batted .419 with 35 home runs (a single-season program record) and 72 RBI.

As a pitcher, Caglianone threw for 73.2 innings, had a 4.76 ERA and 83 strikeouts.

There’s still some work that needs to be done fielding-wise. Now, the Royals haven’t necessarily shut the door on him pitching yet, but I just don’t see him being effective on the mound at the major league level. If he can work on his fielding at first base, there’s no doubt in my mind that Caglianone can be a great player in the pros.

Brandon Sproat (New York Mets) – No. 71

Position: RHP

Level: AAA

Sproat was selected No. 56 overall by the Mets in the second round of the 2023 draft.

Sproat’s variety of pitches (fastball, curveball, slider, changeup and cutter) are what makes him so deceptive on the mound. His fastball has touched triple digits before but it usually sits around 95-97 mph.

The Mets just moved Sproat up after a 13-strikeout performance to Triple-A. Posting a 2.45 ERA with 72 strikeouts in 62.1 innings of work in Double-A, the right-hander is the highest-rated prospect in the Mets’ farm system.

Hurston Waldrep (Atlanta Braves) – No. 98

Position: RHP

Level: AAA

At the 98th spot, Waldrep just snuck into the rankings, but nonetheless, the right-handed pitcher shows why he belongs.

The Atlanta Braves selected Waldrep with the 24th overall pick in the 2023 draft. The 22-year-old is pitching at the Triple-A level where he has an ERA of 5.68 with 19 strikeouts in 12.2 innings.

Waldrep even played a couple of games at the MLB level but they were shaky. He gave up six and seven earned runs to the Tampa Bay Rays and Washington Nationals, respectively.

There’s no doubt that Waldrep has some things he needs to work on such as his command and control. But he’s still very young and I believe he has a lot of potential.

ESPN’s Top Five Prospects

The top five prospects on McDaniel’s rankings are Jackson Holliday (Baltimore Orioles), James Wood (Washington Nationals), Carson Williams (Tampa Bay Rays), Junior Caminero (Tampa Bay Rays) and Marcelo Mayer (Boston Red Sox).

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Former Florida SS Josh Rivera dealt at MLB trade deadline

The end of July means a flurry of trades in Major League Baseball, and former Florida shortstop Josh Rivera was dealt ahead of the deadline.

Former Florida shortstop [autotag]Josh Rivera[/autotag] — who has made it up to Double-A — is swapping organizations after being included in a trade between the Chicago Cubs and Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday.

The Cubs are getting Blue Jays right-handed pitcher Nate Pearson in exchange for Rivera and fellow prospect Yohendrick Pinango, according to the MiLB transaction logs.

The Cubs selected Rivera in the third round of the 2023 draft, sending him to rookie ball for all of three games before a direct promotion to High-A South Bend.

He posted a .250/.320/.402 slash line with two home runs and 12 runs batted in over 25 games in High-A. The Cubs moved him up to Double-A Tennessee to start 2024, but he’s struggled at the plate — .169/.277/.260 slash line with four homers and 16 RBIs over 219 at-bats (68 games).

Fortunately, Rivera’s best tool is his defense, which should keep him afloat at shortstop for a while. Getting above the Mendoza Line (.200) is a must to stay in the everyday lineup in Double-A but he still has time to develop at 23 years old. A change of scenery could do the trick for him.

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Former Gator, New York Mets RHP Christian Scott to IL with elbow sprain

Former Florida right-hander and New York Mets rookie Christian Scott is headed to the injured list with a UCL sprain.

Things were going pretty well for former Florida Gators right-hander [autotag]Christian Scott[/autotag], but his rookie season with the New York Mets just hit a speed bump as he heads to the 15-day injured list, retroactive to July 22, with a right UCL sprain.

Scott made his debut in the first week of May only to be sent back to Triple-A in June to keep his innings low — we broke down his MLB debut here. He returned to the Mets on July 3 and most recently pitched on Sunday, surrendering three runs on seven hits over four innings in a start against the Miami Marlins.

Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reported that Scott underwent an MRI on Tuesday, adding that the Mets are waiting for multiple doctors to interpret the results before confirming a sprain, rather than a tear.

For now, it’s wait-and-see with Scott. Although, DiComo said it could be a matter of hours before the team knows more. It could also be days, though. At a minimum, Scott is shut down for the next 15 days and the organization will likely exercise extreme caution in bringing him back, even with struggles in the starting rotation.

A UCL sprain does not mean Tommy John surgery is necessary. Scott may avoid going under the knife, but a sprain means that the ligament has stretched or torn to some degree by definition.

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WATCH: Wyatt Langford robs a home run for Texas Rangers

Langford is not exactly known for his defensive prowess but he flashed some leather on the Fourth of July for the Rangers.

Former Florida baseball star [autotag]Wyatt Langford[/autotag] has put together a solid rookie campaign so far after being selected fourth overall in the 2023 MLB draft by the Texas Rangers.

The 22-year-old outfielder added another highlight to his reel of accomplishments on Thursday by robbing a home run from San Diego Padres shortstop Ha-Seong Kim in the second inning with a runner aboard. Kim hit a fly ball off a 92.5 mph Max Scherzer four-seam fastball 370 feet with an exit velocity of 95.3 mph down the left field line but Langford was there to make the leaping catch.

The Rangers ultimately fell to the Padres, 3-1, but not because of the former Gator’s performance. Langford went 1-for-3 with a walk and drove in his team’s lone run, along with two strikeouts on the day. For the season he is batting .263 with a .331 on-base percentage and a .392 slugging percentage — good for a .723 OPS over 63 games played.

Last weekend, the UF alumnus hit for the cycle, starting with a triple in the fourth inning, followed by a double in the fifth, a legged-out infield single in the sixth and a three-run shot down the left-field line in the eighth for the 345th cycle in MLB history.

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Former Florida RHP Hurston Waldrep gets called up to MLB

It only took a year for former Florida right-hander Hurston Waldrep to make his way through the minor leagues. He’ll make his first start MLB Sunday.

Less than a year removed from pitching in the College World Series as a Florida Gator, right-hander [autotag]Hurston Waldrep[/autotag] is getting his shot in the major leagues.

The Southern Miss transfer who played just one dazzling season in the Orange and Blue will make his first MLB start on Sunday for the Atlanta Braves after getting the call-up from Triple-A. He’ll face the Washington Nationals at 1:35 p.m. ET.

Even with [autotag]Brandon Sproat[/autotag] at the top of the rotation, Waldrep was Florida’s most effective starter for most of the 2023 season. He went 10-3 over 19 starts with a 4.16 earned run average over 101 2/3 innings.

Those numbers earned him a Second Team All-American nod from D1Baseball and, more importantly, convinced the Braves to spend the 24th overall pick in the draft on him.

His quick ascent through the minors was almost [autotag]Wyatt Langford[/autotag]-esque. Waldrep made one start in Single-A ball, threw a season-high 12 innings in High-A and got 10 innings in Double-A before finishing the season in Triple-A. He bounced between AA and AAA this year with a fairly clear path to the majors.

An extra day of rest for Max Fried provoked the call-up, which means a move back down to the minors could come soon after, but Waldrep will be a regular arm in Atlanta sooner rather than later. His splitter is going to generate some of the best swing-and-miss rates in the country.

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Former Florida reliever to make first MLB start with New York Mets

Former Florida right-handed reliever Christian Scott is getting his first taste of the major leagues. The New York Mets called him up Friday.

Former Florida right-hander [autotag]Christian Scott[/autotag] is getting his shot in the majors, according to ESPN prospects insider Kiley McDaniel.

The New York Mets have called him up to make his debut on Saturday. Scott spent three seasons in Gainesville, including the shortened 2020 campaign. As a freshman in 2019, Scott made a team-high 22 appearances, ending the year with a 6-3 record and a 5.19 ERA over 52 innings.

His second year started off well with a 2-0 record and 1.20 ERA over 15 innings out of the bullpen, but the season ended early because of the pandemic. Finally, Scott came into his own as a junior, appearing in an SEC-high 26 games and maintaining a 3.00 ERA and 1.02 WHIP over 54 innings.

The New York Mets selected him with the 142nd overall pick in the fifth round of the 2021 MLB draft.

Coming out of college, Scott was profiled as a sinker-slider arm, but the Mets believed he could become a starter. He began relying on fastballs more than sinkers and has added a changeup and sweeper over the past two years.

That new arsenal and a 6.4% walk rate in Triple-A this year has New York ready to see if Scott can do it in the Show. He’ll take over Adrian Houser’s spot in the rotation.

Scott also played for the prestigious Original Florida Pokers travel organization during his high school years which were spent at Calvary Christian Academy in Fort Lauderdale.

The Mets and Tampa Bay Rays are scheduled to start play at 7:15 p.m. ET Saturday night. Fans can watch on the MLB At Bat app, Fubo, or on local FOX stations.

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Former Florida OF Wyatt Langford hits first MLB home run

Wyatt Langford’s hit a ton of home runs in Gainesville with the Florida Gators, but his first major-league homer was a bit unconventional.

A day after Florida baseball legend Pete Alonso hit his 200th career home run, the most recent Gator to make it to the big leagues — outfielder [autotag]Wyatt Langford[/autotag] — hit the first of his career.

Langford didn’t round the bases leisurely after seeing the ball clear the fence like most rookies do to take in their first big-league bomb. No, he was at a full sprint for the entirety of his first home run as it was an inside-the-parker.

The ball hit about halfway up the wall in right-center before ricocheting past the right fielder. Langford’s most underrated tool is his speed, and he turned on the jets to round the bags and give the Rangers a 4-0 lead.

Langford might be the best player out of Gainesville since Alonso and his first homer being an inside-the-parker could be a popular trivia answer in a few decades if he has the career everyone expects him to.

It’s been an up-and-down season so far for Langford, but he’s doing fine for a 22-year-old rookie playing in the toughest league in the world. Through 27 games (101 at-bats), he is slashing .248/.325/.327 with 11 runs batted in. He’s splitting time between designated hitter and left field at a 2-to-1 ratio.

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Former Gator Pete Alonso hits 200th HR at record pace

Former Florida slugger Pete Alonso has hit his 200th career home run in MLB. He’s the fourth-fastest to reach that threshold.

Former Florida slugger and current New York Mets first baseman [autotag]Pete Alonso[/autotag] is on pace to go down as one of baseball’s greatest sluggers, and he reached another major milestone on Saturday.

Alonso hit the 200th home run of his career in the bottom of the fifth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals. Alonso reached the double-century mark in just 710 games, which is the fourth fastest pace in MLB history. Only Aaron Judge and Ryan Howard have done it faster in the last 25 years.

The next milestone for Alonso to pass is Daryl Strawberry’s franchise record of 252 homers. Strawberry has already said he wants to see Alonso get it done, but he’ll be an unrestricted free agent once this season comes to an end.

Alonso and the Mets agreed on a $20.5 million contract ahead of the 2024 season to avoid arbitration. He’s on pace to come up just short of a 40-homer season, but he’ll still demand a massive contract in the prime of his career.

If Alonso finishes out the season with 35 homers, he’ll still pass Mike Piazza for third on the franchise’s all-time list. David Wright holds the No. 2 spot with 242 home runs.

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Wyatt Langford records first hit, RBI in MLB debut

Wyatt Langford recorded his first major-league hit and RBI on Thursday as he made his MLB debut for the Texas Rangers.

Former Florida outfielder [autotag]Wyatt Langford[/autotag] made his major-league debut on Thursday, batting fifth for the Texas Rangers as the designated hitter.

He went 1-for-3 in five plate appearances, driving in a run with a sacrifice fly and drawing an intentional walk. His first hit showed off his speed as he beat a throw from Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson. Langford had a chance to walk it off in extra innings, but he grounded into a fielder’s choice with the bases loaded.

The Rangers still ended up winning and it’s clear that Langford is already one of the most respected young hitters in the league. Most 22-year-olds don’t get the free pass on Day 1, but the Florida product’s unprecedented rise through the minor leagues hasn’t gone unnoticed by other teams.

Langford is the 83rd Florida Gator to debut in the majors. Jacob Youing’s August debut with the Washington Nationals was the last.

Langford’s Career at Florida

Ranked the No. 144 overall player in the class of 2020 by Perfect Game, Langford joined the Florida Gators as a catcher. The FHSAA Class 1A state champion only got four at-bats as a freshman.

He transitioned to the outfield as a sophomore and took off at the plate. Tying the school record with 26 homers and slashing .355/.447/.719 led to a First Team All-American selection.

Langford entered his junior year as a consensus top-five pick and he lived up to the hype despite suffering a groin injury early in the year. He came back ahead of schedule and slashed .373/.498/.784 with 21 home runs and 57 runs batted in.

Drafted fourth overall, Langford is the second-highest Gator to ever be selected in the draft behind Mike Zunino — third overall in 2012. He left the program ranked sixth all-time in home runs with 47, fifth in batting average (.363), seventh in on-base percentage (.471) and set the program’s record for career slugging percentage at .746.

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