Tag: Gators in MLB

Former Florida outfielder becomes 82nd Gator to play in MLB

Young joins a long list of Gators to crack the highest level of baseball on the planet.

Former Florida Gators standout outfielder [autotag]Jacob Young[/autotag] became the 82nd member of the Orange and Blue to play at the highest level of baseball on Saturday when he debuted for the Washington Nationals. He is now the 30th player that head coach Kevin O’Sullivan has sent to the majors from Gainesville.

The former seventh-round pick of the 2021 MLB draft (203rd overall) has spent the last couple of years working his way up the Nats’ organization, reaching Triple-A Rochester. There, he posted a .294 batting average along with a .471 slugging percentage and a .765 on-base plus slugging percentage, which despite the complete lack of walks earned him a trip to the big leagues.

In his first appearance, Young scored the game-tying run with two outs in the ninth inning in a pinch-running role. Washington went on to win the game, 3-2.

Over the course of his three-year career a the collegiate level, Young produced a slash line of .330 BA/.400 OBP/.447 OPS. He excelled out of the gates in the minors, scoring 118 runs — best in MiLB — in 2022 while batting .262/.360/.331 over 115 games.

The previous former Gator to debut in the big leagues was utility player Dalton Guthrie, who got his first cup of coffee last September with the Philadelphia Phillies after being taken in the sixth round of the 2017 MLB draft.

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Former Gator RHP Hurston Waldrep promoted to High-A Rome

Former Florida right-hander Hurston Waldrep is moving up to High-A ball after ONE dominant start in Single-A.

Wyatt Langford isn’t the only 2023 Florida baseball draftee moving up the minor league ranks rather quickly. Right-hander [autotag]Hurston Waldrep[/autotag], who was selected 24th overall by the Atlanta Braves in the 2023 MLB draft, is being called up to High-A Rome (Braves) after just one dominant start for the Augusta GreenJackets in Single-A.

Waldrep skipped the rookie levels of the minor almost entirely. The Braves sent him straight to Augusta, skipping over the complex league where most rookies wet their boots. All he did was strike out eight batters in three innings.

As usual, Waldrep’s splitter dropped off the table, baffling right-handers and setting up a high fastball that came in anywhere from 94-97 mph. He did give up two runs on three hits and a walk during the outing, but only one was earned.

Waldrep has a chance to quickly make his way into most top-100 prospect lists. His splitter might have been the most dominant pitch in college baseball last season and was getting MLB comparisons in May.

The Braves used a first-round pick and signed him to a deal worth 92% of the slot value. Their intention is to move him up as quickly as possible. All Waldrep has to do is pitch well at each level he reaches. So far, so good. Let’s see how High-A treats him.

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Former Gator Wyatt Langford promoted to High-A

Wyatt Langford needed just three games to prove he was ready for a promotion, and the Rangers are moving him up to their High-A affiliate in Hickory, North Carolina.

It only took three games in the Arizona Complex League for the Texas Rangers to decide that former Florida outfielder [autotag]Wyatt Langford[/autotag] needed some tougher competition.

Langford hit safely five times during his 14 plate appearances for the ACL Rangers, doubling three times and homering once. He went 3-for-4 on Monday with three runs batted in, a home run, a walk and a stolen base.

He’ll skip the Single-A affiliate Down East Wood Ducks entirely and move on to play for the High-A Hickory Crawdads in the South Atlantic League, according to Nick de la Torre of Gators Online.

Fangraphs thinks Langford will debut in the bigs by 2025 and ranks him 15th among all prospects in the league. High-A should be a bit more of a challenge for Langford, though. Some have compared that level of the minors to the SEC. While the comparison doesn’t always hold true, Langford was among the best hitters in all of college baseball. He should still perform well with the Crawdads.

Hickory is currently 19-10 (.655) and leading the South Division of the SAL. The Crawdads play nightly at 7:05 p.m. EDT through Saturday and are scheduled for 2:05 p.m. EDT on Sunday. Games are available on MiLB.tv.

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Former Gator INF Jonathan India could be traded by Cincinnati

It’s hard to imagine trading a Rookie of the Year just two years after he wins the award, but Cincinnati has enough young infield talent to market the former Gator.

Former Florida infielder [autotag]Jonathan India[/autotag] won the 2021 National League Rookie of the Year as a Cincinnati Red, but he could be wearing a different uniform less than two years later.

MLB.com executive reporter Mark Feinsand tweeted (X’d?) that the Reds were open to trading India due to an abundance of young infielders on Monday. India failed to follow up on his stellar rookie year last season, finishing the 2022 season with a 0.4 WAR after 103 games, but he’s bounced back nicely in 2023 and should be an attractive trade piece.

Through 101 games, India already has a 1.2 WAR and is striking out at a career-low rate. His power numbers are up a bit. He’s on pace for 20 homers and just under 100 runs batted in.

When it comes to possible landing spots, two AL East teams seem to be the popular choice among fans. Baltimore could use a young, controllable option at second base with 31-year-old Adam Frazier’s contract set to expire at the end of the year, and India still has three arbitration years left.

The return will need to be decent, though. The Reds want young and controllable pitchers in exchange for their primary second baseman. Otherwise, it’s unlikely that he’s dealt.

India responded to the trade rumors on Tuesday.

“I talked to people in the organization saying it’s just a rumor,” India said to Cincinnati.com. “At the end of the day, it’s out there for a reason.”

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Pete Alonso a Home Run Derby favorite heading into MLB All-Star Week

Former Gator and New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso will compete for a third Home Run Derby crown on Monday, and he enters All-Star Week as the betting favorite to come out on top.

The MLB All-Star Break is almost here and former Florida slugger Pete Alonso is the current favorite to win the 2023 Home Run Derby, according to FanDuel.

Alonso’s +300 odds narrowly edge out Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. +350, and the White Sox’s Luis Robert Jr. is the next closest at +400. The rest of the field is at +500 or worse odds, which means the money is on one of those three that come out on top. Alonso has -178 odds in the first round.

Of course, Alonso is a two-time winner at the derby, having won it as a rookie in 2019 and again after COVID in 2021. He fell in the semifinals against Seattle’s Julio Rodriguez a year ago, but FanDuel thinks Alonso will get some revenge in the opening-round rematch set for Monday.

As far as prop bets go, Alonso over Robert in the final is the favorite at +850, and the former Gator has the second-best odds (+340) to hit the longest home run of the night; Guerrero (+240) is the favorite. The over/under for total home runs is set at 274.5 (-113).

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Former Gator Pete Alonso competing in 2023 Home Run Derby

Gator Nation will be cheering on Pete Alonso once again this All-Star Break as the former Florida first baseman goes for a third crown at the Home Run Derby.

The quest for the three-Pete is back on!

Former Gator and current New York Met [autotag]Pete Alonso[/autotag] is set to compete in yet another Home Run Derby and is seeking a third crown at the event. Alonso won the 2019 and 2021 derbies, beating Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Trey Mancini, respectively.

He won both final rounds with a score of 23-22, but Julio Rodriguez’s 31 homers in the 2022 semifinals knocked Alonso out. The event was not held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Alonso already holds the record for most home runs all-time in the event with 174 big flies. He will rematch Rodriguez (Mariners) in the opening round and face the winner of Mookie Betts (Dodgers) and Guerrero Jr. (Blue Jays) if he advances.

On the other side of the bracket are Randy Arozarena (Rays), Adolis Garcia (Rangers), Luis Robert Jr. (White Sox), and Adley Rutschman (Orioles).

The event will air on ESPN exclusively Monday at 8 p.m. EDT, while ESPN will deliver a Statcast-focused alternate feed. ESPN Radio, ESPN Deportes and the ESPN App will all broadcast the derby as well.

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Former Gators slugger Pete Alonso on historic HR pace in 2023

Will a former Gators slugger be the next to hit 60 home runs in a season? He’s still on pace to do so after 53 games, but there’s a lot of season left!

If there is one thing that Plant High School in Tampa is known for it’s producing power-hitting lefties that end up playing for the University of Florida.

Senior (and future Gator) Robert Satin recently finished up his senior year with three career home runs, but the names most fans have heard of are none other Jac Caglianone and [autotag]Pete Alonso[/autotag].

Caglianone is in the process of rewriting Florida’s history books as he adds to his program-record 28-home run total throughout the postseason, and Alonso is on his own historic pace with 20 homers through 53 games. Just one year after Aaron Judge took the baseball world by storm, Alonso is flirting with a repeat (or better) year.

While it may sound silly to suggest that New York baseball fans are in store for another 60-homer season, the numbers back it up. He’s hitting a home run every 11.4 plate appearances this season and is averaging just over four plate appearances a game.

Alonso has played 161, 57, 152 and 160 games in each of his four seasons as a pro ball player, which means he likely has 100-105 more games in him this year, assuming he stays healthy. At 4.3 plate appearances per game, he’ll likely step up to the plate between 430 and 452 more times this season.

At his current pace, Alonso would finish the season with 59-60 homers, and that number could go up if he plays a couple of games more than expected. Alonso isn’t much of a contact guy, but the ball goes far when he does connect.

His career .259 average and .348 on-base percentage aren’t great, but he leads all of baseball with 166 home runs and 426 runs batted since joining the Mets in 2019.

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This former Gator to play for Team USA in 2023 World Baseball Classic

Former Gator and current New York Met Pete Alonso will represent the United States in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

New York Mets first baseman and former Florida Gator [autotag]Pete Alonso[/autotag] committed to playing for Team USA in the 2023 [autotag]World Baseball Classic[/autotag] on August 17, according to MLB.com.

Alonso is in the middle of a career year at the plate as the Mets surge toward the playoffs as the likely winner of the NL East. He’s tied for fourth in the majors in home runs with 31 and is tied for third in runs batted in with 105. Those numbers rival his 2019 stats when he won Rookie of the Year, and he’s certainly among the best power hitters in all of baseball.

“I’m really excited. It’s an honor to be a part of Team USA,” Alonso said. “There’s a lot of really amazing guys on the team so far. It’s a great opportunity, and I just feel lucky to be a part of it. … It’s an incredibly fun event. I’ve always wanted to play in it. It’s an honor to play for the stars and stripes.”

Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. will be the team’s hitting coach during the international event, and that should only help Alonso improve as a hitter. Team USA is loading up on talent, and pitting All-Star teams against each other for two weeks is a good way to help re-popularize the game.

Alonso driving in Mike Trout, Mookie Betts and Bryce Harper is the kind of thing you typically only see in MLB: The Show gameplay, so baseball fans are in for a treat.

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Former Gator Pete Alonso is not-so-quietly having a monster year

The New York Mets are on top of the NL East as we near the 100-game mark and former Gators Pete Alonso is a big reason why.

The New York Mets sit atop the NL East as they approach the 100-game mark in the 2022 season, and at the heart of the lineup is none other than former Floirda first baseman [autotag]Pete Alonso[/autotag].

With 84 runs batted in, Alonso leads not only the national league but all of baseball in the statistical category. His 26 home runs rank third in the NL and he’s in the top five in both slugging percentage and OPS. And he’s done it all in one of the most trying years of his life.

A spring car accident had Alonso’s life flashing before his eyes and it’s something he’s still working to get over today, according to this moving piece he penned in the Player’s Tribune. He’s done work off the field to help those in need with the Alonso Foundation, and on the field he’s all about bringing a championship to New York.

While the Mets have found success with Alonso in the cleanup spot, he’s also been at the center of some mild controversy. The Mets get hit by pitches a lot and Alonso is third in the league in HBPs. Two of those ball were at his head, which is as scary as it gets in baseball. Eventually, the Mets fought back, literally.

Jomboy Media did a good job covering the May scuffle between the Mets and Cardinals, and Alonso’s interactions with a St. Louis coach were focused on fairly heavily.

Then there was the three-peat attempt at the Home Run Derby that wasn’t meant to be. Alonso still made headlines deadlifting and meditating before his turn to hit. He eventually was elimnated in the second round against Julio Rodridguez, who hit 81 combined homer in the event.

It’s been anything but quiet for Alonso this season, but it’s shaping up to be the best one so far in his four-year career. Gators Wire is officially on Polar Bear watch for the rest of the season as Alonso looks to finish out a campaign that could earn him some MVP votes. His fWAR (2.8) might not be pacing for the typical 6.00+ number we see from MVPs, but a hot streak could get him where he needs to be.

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This former Gator named NL Rookie of the Year

Jonathan India is the National League Rookie of the Year and is the second Gator in three years to win the award.

For the second time in three years, a former Florida Gator has won the Jackie Robinson National League Rookie of the Year Award. Second baseman Jonathan India received 29 of 30 first-place votes and became the eighth Cincinnati Red to take home the award.

India led all rookies with 98 runs, 34 doubles, 57 extra-base hits, a .376 on-base percentage and a .835 OPS. He also led NL rookies with 69 RBI, 143 hits, 21 home runs and 12 stolen bases. He became the frontrunner for the award in the second half of the season when Miami pitcher Trevor Rogers took time away from baseball to tend to a family emergency. St. Louis’ Dylan Carlson came in third place but he failed to steal a single vote from India.

Although the Reds came up short of the playoffs, Cincinnati finished third in the wild card race. After securing his Rookie of the Year Award, India will look to help the Reds take that next step forward in 2022 and make the playoffs with him as an established starter.

India knows what it takes to win a championship, too. In 2017, he helped lead the Gators to their first-ever NCAA Championship. He left Florida as one of the greatest to ever wear the orange and blue on the diamond after being selected fifth overall in the draft by the Reds.

New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, the last Gator to take home the NL Rookie of the Year Award, congratulated his former teammate on Instagram.

“Congratulation to my former college teammate (Jonathan India) on winning the ’21 NL ROY,” Alonso wrote. “Such an unreal honor. Many more accolades to come your way my man.”

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