Tag: Player profile

Franco Alemán will look to build off up-and-down season in 2022

The former FIU and JUCO player worked his way into the weekend starting rotation this season for UF, but he’ll need to be better in 2022.

Name: Franco Alemán

Number: 35

Position: Right-Handed Pitcher

Class: Junior (COVID-19)

Height: 6’6″

Weight: 215 lbs

Hometown: Tampa, Florida

High School: Alonso

Previous School: St. Johns River State College

Twitter: @franc0_26

2021 statistics:

G GS W-L IP H R BB K ERA WHIP
23 9 2-4 69 75 52 21 65 5.74 1.39

Overview:

Alemán was one of the nation’s better prospects coming out of high school, ranking 80th overall and No. 30 among right-handed pitchers. He could’ve gone to the professional ranks out of high school as he was drafted in the 38th round of the 2018 MLB draft by the Atlanta Braves. Instead, he chose to maintain his commitment to Florida International, where he saw significant action as a true freshman in 2019.

With the Panthers, he made 12 starts and had two relief appearances, netting a 3-5 record and 3.97 ERA on the season. After that season, he transferred to JUCO St. Johns River State College, where he made seven starts and posted a 3-1 record. His ERA that season was 3.26, and he totaled 51 strikeouts, two shy of his total at FIU despite appearing in half as many games as he did the season before.

Due to COVID-19, the 2020 season was cut short, and Alemán signed with the Gators as a junior heading into 2021. He was expected to be a significant reliever, and he saw closing action early in the season. However, with struggles from Saturday starter Jack Leftwich, Alemán was moved to a starting role midway through the season with Leftwich taking his place at closer.

Alemán had his moments as a starter, but all in all the experiment didn’t really work. His ERA of 5.74 was the highest among UF’s weekend starters, and his 2-4 record left a lot to be desired. He did have a lot of strikeouts on the year with a career-best 65, though.

With ace pitcher Tommy Mace likely heading to the professional ranks this summer, Alemán will likely be a weekend starter once again in 2022 as a “COVID” senior. But Florida will need him to be much more effective and consistent on the bump than he was this season.

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Jack Leftwich found success in a new role in 2021

Erstwhile starting pitcher Jack Leftwich moved to a closer role in 2021 after struggling early in the season and found some success.

Name: Jack Leftwich

Number: 23

Position: Right-Handed Pitcher

Class: Junior (COVID-19)

Height: 6’4″

Weight: 220 lbs

Hometown: Orlando, Florida

High School: TNXL Academy

Twitter: @Jacklefty21

2021 statistics:

G GS W-L IP H R BB K ERA WHIP
24 6 7-4 69.2 54 28 22 78 3.36 1.09

Overview:

Leftwich was a big-time recruit in the class of 2017, ranked as the No. 45 player in the country and the No. 7 overall player in the state of Florida. The Orlando native was drafted in the 39th round out of high school by the Detroit Tigers, but he decided to enroll at UF and play college baseball under Kevin O’Sullivan instead.

He started the 2018 season in the bullpen, but a 1.78 ERA earned him a starting role. He ended up starting 12 games as a true freshman, finishing with a 5-5 record and 4.20 ERA. He began his sophomore season in 2019 as a weekend starter, appearing in 13 games. Injuries limited him, and though he struggled at times, he had a 1.77 ERA in his final three appearances.

Leftwich entered 2020 as one of UF’s top-two starters alongside Tommy Mace, and he made four appearances in weekend starts before the season was canceled. He was 2-0 in those games with a 4.15 ERA.

Though he was expected to leave after the season, he returned to Florida after he wasn’t selected in the shortened five-round MLB draft. He began the 2021 season as a weekend starter once again, but he was up-and-down in that role. He eventually transitioned into a closer role, which improved his play. He finished with a 7-4 record and a career-best 3.36 ERA.

Though many thought this would be his final season in Gainesville, now it seems likely that he will return for one more season, either to solidify himself as a closer or attempt to earn back a starting job.

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Jacob Young was Florida baseball’s best hitter in 2021

Jacob Young’s hitting streak came to an end in 2021 but he was the leader of a UF lineup that was the strength of the team this season.

Name: Jacob Young

Number: 1

Position: Outfield

Class: Sophomore (COVID-19)

Height: 6’0″

Weight: 175 lbs

Hometown: Ponte Vedra, Fla.

High School: Ponte Vedra

2021 statistics:

G PA R H HR RBI BB K BA OBP SLG
60 292 56 80 5 41 27 45 .314 .385 .461

Overview:

Young was expected to be a bit of a project player when he arrived at Florida, and he was just the No. 500 player in the nation according to Perfect Game. However, he ended up appearing in 54 games as a true freshman, starting 48 of them with the bulk of them coming at second base despite playing mostly outfield in high school.

He batted .311 on the season and notched eight doubles, and he had the lowest strikeout rate of any batter on the team. Heading into his sophomore season in 2020, Young moved primarily to right field, where most of his 15 starts came. He appeared in every game and was batting a phenomenal .450 when the season was canceled. In just 71 plate appearances, he had 27 hits.

Young started all 60 games during his “COVID” sophomore season in 2021, moving to left field for 59 of them. He was easily Florida’s most consistent player, leading the team in hits (80), doubles (16), runs (56), stolen bases (13) and outfield assists (seven).

He stretched a school-record 30-game hitting streak, and he was named a member of the SEC All-Tournament Team. Eligible for the draft, it’s certainly possible Young could hed to professional baseball this offseason. The Gators will hope their best offensive player is back in the orange and blue in 2022.

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Tommy Mace likely heading to pros after a good yet underwhelming season

After three years as Florida’s ace, it seems likely that Tommy Mace’s UF career has come to an end in Gainesville as he heads to the draft.

Name: Tommy Mace

Number: 47

Position: RHP

Class: Junior (COVID)

Height: 6’6″

Weight: 215 lbs

Hometown: Tampa

High School: Sunlake

2021 statistics:

G GS W-L IP H R BB K ERA WHIP
16 15 6-2 90.1 91 49 21 113 4.38 1.24

Overview:

The No. 72 prospect in the country and 23rd-best right-handed pitcher according to Perfect Game, Mace was drafted in the 12th round by the Cincinnati Reds out of high school. However, he chose not to sign and instead ended up at Florida, where he appeared in 26 games as a freshman and started six of them. He had a 3.00 ERA in the games he started, and in his first SEC start, he held Mississippi State to just one run.

He transitioned from primarily pitching out of the bullpen to being a full-time starter as a sophomore, starting every weekend series with an 8-5 record in 16 starts. He took over the ace role in the fourth week of the season, never relinquishing it.

The best play of Mace’s UF career came before the cancellation of the 2020 season due to COVID-19. He made just four appearances, but they were all Friday starts and he finished with a 3-0 record and just a 1.67 ERA. He wasn’t selected in the five-round 2020 MLB draft, returning to Florida with high expectations.

Though he retained his ace role for most of the season, his play dropped off a bit. His ERA fell to 4.38, likely signifying a regression to the mean after mostly facing non-conference opponents last year. He was UF’s best pitcher, but his play was one of several disappointing factors in 2021. Still, his play was likely good enough to make him an early-round pick, and it seems his time in Gainesville has likely reached an end.

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Inconsistent play held Jud Fabian back as a sophomore

Jud Fabian entered the 2021 season with high expectations, and though he didn’t live up to them all, he accounted for some major moments.

Name: Jud Fabian

Number: 4

Position: Outfield

Class: Sophomore (third-year)

Height: 6’2″

Weight: 195 lbs

Hometown: Ocala, Florida

High School: Trinity Catholic

Twitter: @judfabe

2020 statistics:

G PA R H HR RBI BB K BA OBP SLG
59 269 51 56 20 46 40 79 .249 .364 .560

Overview:

One of the top players in the country coming out of high school, Fabian ranked 13th nationally and No. 6 among players in the state of Florida, according to Perfect Game. He was also the No. 4 outfielder in the country.

Fabian skipped his senior season of high school to enroll early at the nearby University of Florida ahead of the team’s 2019 season. He started 54 of the 56 games he appeared in at center field and though he batted just .232, he hit seven home runs with 26 RBI and tied for the team lead in walks.

He entered his sophomore year in 2020 as a Preseason Second Team All-SEC selection, and he looked the part before the season was canceled, batting .294 in the first 17 games. He had also already almost matched his season total in home runs from the prior year with five.

Naturally, Fabian entered his “COVID sophomore” season in 2021 with high expectations. In fact, some projected that he would be the first overall pick in the MLB draft. That didn’t exactly come to fruition, as Fabian’s inconsistency held him back. He had 20 home runs and 46 RBI, impressive numbers, but his .249 average left a lot to be desired. He also struck out 79 times, the most on the team, by far.

The latest mock draft from MLB.com still has Fabian in the first round, largely due to the upside with his hitting and his tremendous fielding, which was a strong point for a Florida defense that led the SEC in errors in 2021. But he was far from impressive enough to be a legitimate first-overall pick candidate.

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Justin Shorter should see more targets in 2021

Justin Shorter didn’t see a ton of targets in his first season after transferring from Penn State, but he should be a major target in 2021.

Name: Justin Shorter

Number: 89

Position: Wide Receiver

Class: Redshirt Sophomore

Height: 6’5″

Weight: 225 lbs

Hometown: Monmouth Junction, N.J.

High School: South Brunswick

Previous School: Penn State

Twitter: @jshortz10

2020 statistics:

REC YDS AVG TD
25 268 10.7 3

Overview:

Coming out of high school, Shorter was one of the top targets nationally in the class of 2018. A five-star receiver (the top in the class, per the 247Sports Composite) and top-10 overall recruit, Shorter originally signed with Penn State, where he saw limited action as a true freshman. He appeared in four games, but he made just three catches for 20 yards, taking a redshirt. His second season in 2019, he saw action in 10 games but was limited to 12 catches for 137 yards and no touchdowns.

He elected to transfer from the Nittany Lions after the season, and his waiver for immediate eligibility with UF, his new school was approved, likely due to allegations of hazing within the Penn State program (or because the NCAA has a penchant for approving the waivers of former top recruits).

Either way, Shorter joined an absolutely stacked Gators receiving corps that included Trevon Grimes, Kadarius Toney and Jacob Copeland, not to mention world-beating tight end Kyle Pitts. As a result, he struggled to see targets once again, but he did have the best season of his career.

He finished with 23 catches for 268 yards and three touchdowns (all career highs) in 2020. Though he wasn’t exactly the dominant receiver UF hoped he would be, considering his recruiting status, he showed off some nice ball skills. He’s a huge target, very similar to Grimes, and will likely occupy a similar role to the one Grimes had next season.

Shorter and Copeland are the only returning receivers with significant playing time in 2020. No returning wideout other than those two had more than 12 catches in 2020, and Shorter should finally see the opportunity as a top target he’s been waiting for.

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Jeremiah Moon looks to make his sixth year his best

Linebacker Jeremiah Moon takes advantage of the sixth year of eligibility offered by the NCAA hoping injuries won’t limit him yet again.

Name: Jeremiah Moon

Number: 7

Position: Linebacker

Class: Redshirt Senior

Height: 6’5″

Weight: 250 lbs

Hometown: Hoover, Ala.

High School: Hoover

Twitter: @jmoonvii

2020 statistics:

TOT SOLO AST SACK
14 4 10 1

Overview:

Moon originally joined the Gators under former coach Jim McElwain as a four-star recruit from high school football powerhouse Hoover in Alabama. Moon saw early action as a true freshman, appearing in the team’s first two games and notching three tackles. But he suffered a season-ending injury after that and took a medical redshirt.

He returned in 2017 to a bigger role, appearing in 10 games and starting five for a Florida squad that went 4-7. He finished with 23 tackles (one for loss) and half a sack.

He played in every game as a redshirt sophomore in 2018, but this time he only started four games. Still, he improved his production, reaching 31 tackles with a sack and tackle for loss, as well.

Moon’s redshirt junior season was cut short once again by a season-ending injury, but this time he played in nine games prior (starting eight of them). He only had 31 tackles again, but this time he managed career highs in tackles for loss (6.5) and sacks (3.5).

He entered the 2020 season with some competition at BUCK from Georgia transfer Brenton Cox Jr. Moon won the job to begin the year, and though injuries held him out of the opener against Ole Miss, he started the next four games. But another injury cut his season short, yet again, and he finished with just 14 tackles and a sack.

With three injury-shortened seasons and limited production in college, Moon made the likely wise decision to take advantage of the extra year of eligibility the NCAA is offering due to COVID-19, and he will be back for his sixth year in 2021.

Since his injury, Cox, a former five-star recruit, established himself as the BUCK starter. Moon has his work cut out to win his old job back, but he should at least be a rotational player for UF.

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Mohamoud Diabate could be poised for monster junior season

Mohamoud Diabate started six games in 2020, but his production wasn’t quite where the team hoped. In 2021, that could change significantly.

Name: Mohamoud Diabate

Number: 11

Position: Linebacker

Class: Junior

Height: 6’3″

Weight: 221 lbs

Hometown: Auburn, Ala.

High School: Auburn

Twitter: @MDiabate11

2020 statistics:

TOT SOLO SACK FF INT
67 33 1.5 2 1

Overview:

Originally a four-star recruit out of Auburn, Alabama, Diabate spurned the hometown Tigers to sign with Florida in the 2019 recruiting class. He saw a lot of action as a true freshman, appearing in all 13 games for the Gators and starting one at linebacker. He notched 18 tackles and 4.5 sacks, and he secured an SEC Freshman of the Week award for a three-sack performance in the win over Vanderbilt.

He entered the 2020 season poised to play a major role, and he did, starting six of Florida’s 12 games and appearing in all of them. His total tackles skyrocketed to 67, though he only managed 1.5 sacks. Heading into 2021, he should be one of UF’s starting linebackers, likely taking the weakside spot beside starting middle linebacker Ventrell Miller.

His production as a sophomore may have been a bit of a disappointment, but he should be a centerpiece for next year’s defense.

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Center Colin Castleton will be a leader for Gators if he returns from the draft

Castleton had a breakout junior season at Florida after not producing much at Michigan, and if he returns from the draft, he could shine.

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Name: Colin Castleton

Number: 12

Position: Forward

Class: Junior

Height: 6’11”

Weight: 231 lbs

Hometown: Deland, Fla.

High School: Father Lopez Catholic

Previous School: Michigan

Twitter: @Castleton_

2020-21 statistics:

GP FG% REB AST BLK PTS
24 59.7 6.4 1.1 2.3 12.4

Overview:

A four-star recruit and a top 150 recruit on the 247Sports Composite as a prospect out of Deland, Castleton originally signed with Michigan in the class of 2018. He appeared in 19 games as a freshman and didn’t make much of an impact, averaging 1.1 points and 1.1 rebounds.

He saw a bit of an increase in production in 2019-20, but not by much. He averaged 3.4 points and 2.7 rebounds as a backup, and following the cancelation of the season, he entered the transfer portal.

Castleton found a home with the Gators, who were looking for another big man transfer after the departure of Kerry Blackshear Jr. He came out of nowhere in his first season in Gainesville, starting 21 of 24 games and averaging 12.4 points in addition to a team-high 6.4 rebounds. His 2.25 blocks per game ranked second in the SEC, and he took home a pair of conference Player of the Week awards.

Following his breakout junior season, he declared for the draft without hiring an agent to retain his eligibility. He’s expected to return before the deadline to withdraw, where he would be one of the few familiar faces on UF’s roster next season.

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OLB Brenton Cox Jr. returns hoping to build off solid 2020 season

After transferring from Georgia, Brenton Cox Jr. found a good bit of success in his first season donning the Orange and Blue.

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Name: Brenton Cox Jr.

Number: 1

Position: Outside linebacker

Class: Redshirt Sophomore

Height: 6’3″

Weight: 250 lbs

Hometown: Stockbridge, Ga

High School: Stockbridge

Previous School: Georgia

Twitter: @brenton_cox_

2020 statistics:

TOT SOLO SACK FR
41 21 4 1

Overview:

Originally a five-star recruit and the No. 23 player in the country per the 247Sports Composite, Cox Jr. started his career by signing with the in-state Georgia Bulldogs. He spent one season in Athens, playing in all 13 games and totaling 20 tackles. After the season, he was reportedly dismissed from the team following an arrest for marijuana possession.

Cox entered the transfer portal and eventually landed with Georgia’s rival to the south. He joined the Gators midway through the 2019 season and had to sit out the whole year and take a redshirt, per NCAA transfer rules.

Finally cleared to play in 2020, he started all 12 games as an edge-rushing, 3-4 outside linebacker for Florida. he more than double his tackle numbers from his lone season at UGA, totaling 41, and he had four sacks and a fumble recovery, as well. He also led the team in quarterback hurries with 18.

Heading into his redshirt junior season, Cox should start again for the Gators, and they’ll hope he turns into one of the conference’s best defenders.