Head coach Kevin O’Sullivan opened last week’s preseason press conference by putting the spotlight on two freshmen outfielders, signaling they could play a key role this season.
“We got a lot of depth in the outfield, we’ve got some young freshmen, two in particular that have kind of made a push here at the latter part of the fall and early part of the spring.”
Enter Cash Strayer and Jacob Kendall, a pair of lefty hitters already impressing coaches and teammates with their early success in Gainesville.
“They are pretty special players,” sophomore infielder Brendan Lawson said on the freshmen. “The development that they’ve had from the fall to the spring, it’s been pretty cool to watch. You can tell they’ve been putting in a lot of work during the offseason. They really just kind of took everything in stride, every opportunity they’ve been given so far they’ve really taken advantage of.”
Standing 6’2, 192 pounds, Strayer has the size and tools to make an impact in SEC baseball as a freshman.
In 47 career games at Plant High School in Tampa, Florida, Strayer slashed .338/.430/.458 with one homer, 14 doubles, 39 runs scored and 20 RBI in 142 at bats. He also stole nine bags during his high school tenure.
Since arriving in Gainesville, Strayer has shown remarkable poise and maturity at the plate. Don’t let his lack of home runs in high school fool you, he’s capable of hitting for power against SEC pitching, posting plenty of exit velocities over 100 MPH during the offseason.
Strayer consistently produces quality at-bats with a disciplined approach, and his strength has translated into success against some of Florida’s top pitchers.
“Coming in as a freshman now to play at a big school is really, really tough. I couldn’t imagine doing that when I came in,” outfielder Kyle Jones said on Strayer. “Throughout the fall he’s been absolutely unbelievable. Come spring time, same thing. I will say Cash is an unbelievable baseball and he’s gonna play baseball for a long time.”
Kendall, standing 6’1″ and weighing 200 pounds, has put together one of the roster’s most productive spring camps. The St. Augustine, Florida, native’s power has been on full display, and he’s also flashed defensively with several highlight plays in the outfield.
“He’s a one-of-a-kind player. He can kind of just do everything very well,” Jones said on Kendall. “His discipline, obviously he’s got the power, the hit tool, his outfield has gotten significantly better since he got here. Same thing with Cash, gonna play baseball for a very, very long time.”
Kendall was honored as A3 Academy’s 2025 Offensive Player of the Year and earned 2025 First Team All-NAA honors in his senior season.
The emergence of Strayer and Kendall has added significant depth to Florida’s outfield, with returning starters Blake Cyr, Hayden Yost, and Kyle Jones also in the mix. The early season will give head coach Kevin O’Sullivan a chance to experiment with different lineups and defensive alignments, figuring out what works before SEC play.
At the end of the day, you have to find a way to play your nine best hitters, and Strayer and Kendall are firmly in that conversation.
Don’t be surprised if both take the field as early as Opening Weekend.