Just minutes after Florida landed a commitment from Oregon State LHP Trey Morris, Utah Tech infielder Kyle McDaniel announced his pledge to the Gators on social media.
As a junior, McDaniel earned All-WAC First Team honors after hitting .340/.451/.500 with seven home runs, 17 doubles, and 17 stolen bases for the Trailblazers in 2026. He drew more walks (43) than strikeouts (27) and posted a strikeout rate of just 9.3%, ranking among the lowest in college baseball.
Primarily playing second base, he made six errors, finishing with a .978 fielding percentage.
He also totaled 85 hits, 61 runs scored, and 52 RBI.
As a sophomore in 2025, McDaniel earned Second Team All-WAC honors after putting together one of the best offensive seasons in program history. He tied for third in the WAC in batting (.367), ranked fifth in hits (77) and on-base percentage (.464), and eighth in walks (35). He reached base safely in 52 of his 54 starts, including a school NCAA Division I-era record 41-game on-base streak to close the season.
McDaniel started 47 of 49 games as a true freshman in 2024 and finished fourth on the team in batting average at .271 while leading the team with 14 doubles. He also tallied three home runs, 18 RBI, and 32 runs scored.
The 5-foot-10, 190-pound left-handed hitter is a career .331 hitter with 14 home runs, 41 doubles, 91 RBI, and 35 stolen bases across three collegiate seasons.
The Henderson, Nevada, native was a four-year varsity starter at Pahrump High School, helping lead the Trojans to the 2023 Nevada 3A state championship. McDaniel was named the 2023 3A Player of the Year and was a two-time 3A Southern Region MVP selection. He batted .554 with 58 RBI and also went 8-2 on the mound during his senior season.
McDaniel marks Florida’s fourth commitment through the transfer portal, joining FGCU catcher Jon Embury, Jacksonville State RHP Maddox McDougall, and Oregon State LHP Trey Morris.