After 16 intrasquad scrimmages, three exhibition games, and the Orange and Blue Series, Florida concluded fall baseball on Saturday afternoon.
Gator Country provides our fall baseball recap, where we discuss strengths and weaknesses, true freshmen to watch out for, fall risers, and more.
Strength of the team
There are few very teams in college baseball that feel as good about their 1-2 punch on the weekend than Florida. Junior RHP Liam Peterson and sophomore RHP Aidan King are back in Gainesville after combining for 27 weekend starts last season.
Peterson, who served as the staff ace last season, logged an 8-4 record with a 4.28 ERA and .250 batting average against. The hard throwing right hander racked up 96 strikeouts and 32 walks across 69.1 innings in 2025. For Peterson, the mental aspect remains the most important area for development. The Palm Harbor, Florida native ranks as the No.1 pitching prospect in the 2026 MLB Draft class, according to Baseball America. If Peterson can put it all together in his third season, you could be looking at one of the more dominant pitchers in college baseball.
King, who earned a unanimous First Team Freshman All American selection, logged a 7-2 record with a 2.58 ERA in 2025. The Jacksonville, Florida native struck out 79 batters while walking just 23 across 71.3 innings as a primary weekend arm. King’s maturity on the mound is unique for a young pitcher. The 6’2 right-hander shows impressive composure, routinely escaping traffic and minimizing damage in high leverage moments.
Neither Peterson or King threw very many live innings in the fall, which is generally a sign the staff is comfortable with where they are at. The last thing you want to do is overwork your star pitching and risk injury. However, both recorded scoreless appearances in Florida’s fall exhibition vs. Jacksonville.
Sunday starter?
One of the biggest question marks of the offseason: Who’s the Sunday starter?
UCF transfer RHP Russell Sandefer is heavily in the mix. The junior posted a 3.35 ERA across 18 appearances including six starts with the Knights last season. While Sandefer doesn’t display elite swing and miss stuff, he’s fully capable of giving Florida 5-6 much needed innings in the Sunday role. Sandefer was / is viewed as a strike thrower after walking just 19 batters in 50.2 innings pitched last season, but there was a noteworthy dip in his command over the last few weeks of fall. It could mean nothing as fall is generally considered a time for development, but it’s something to watch moving forward as competition heats up.
Junior RHP Luke McNeillie is a name to watch after a dominant fall. McNeillie was terrific in his outings vs. Jacksonville and Georgia Southern, posting a combined four scoreless innings with seven strikeouts, two hits, and two walks. We’ve seen dominant stretches from McNeillie before, but consistency will be the key in 2026. McNeillie was one of, if not the most impressive arm for Florida throughout fall. A lot can change from now until the start of the season, but McNeillie should certainly be in the mix for the Sunday role. We also know Kevin O’Sullivan values a closer just as much the Sunday starter: Brandon Neely and Jake Clemente are two recent examples. I could also see McNeillie in the multi-inning closer role.
Risers in the bullpen
Redshirt freshman RHP Joshua Whritenour is back on the mound after suffering 2025 season ending Tommy John surgery roughly a year ago today. Prior to his injury last fall, Whritenour looked the part of significant SEC contributor in year one, displaying a live fastball and slider to match. The 6’2 right hander has picked up right where he left off despite the lengthy absence. Whritenour posted two scoreless innings vs. live competition this fall, allowing just one hit while striking out two. Before Florida’s fall exhibition, Whritenour kicked off fall with six consecutive scoreless frames across three appearances in intrasquad scrimmages. Whritenour has seemingly improved his velocity despite having surgery on his elbow, which is a promising sign. I expect the Tampa, Florida native to be one of the main contributors out of Florida’s bullpen this season.
Another second-year pitcher in Jackson Barberi has caught my attention. The 6’4 RHP has added velocity in the offseason, recently touching 100 MPH during the Orange and Blue series. As a rookie, Barberi logged a 4.45 ERA across 32.1 innings while posting 41 strikeouts to 19 walks. Barberi tossed 2.1 scoreless innings in fall exhibitions, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out five.
Risers at the plate
I feel really good about the front / middle of Florida’s batting order which likely consists of Kyle Jones, Cade Kurland, Brendan Lawson, and Ethan Surowiec. But who else has impressed at the plate this fall?
Two-way player Caden McDonald is someone I’m watching for a potential breakout season. After missing all of the 2024 campaign due to injury, McDonald returned last year where he only pitched, that was until he received one at bat vs. Fairfield in the NCAA Tournament when Florida’s roster was decimated with injuries. While Florida’s staff still believes in McDonald as a pitcher after recording a 5.14 ERA in 28.0 innings last season, I’m more interested in his upside at the plate. McDonald blasted six home runs in 86 at bats over the summer and some of that power has carried over to the fall.
Junior Landon Stripling put together a really consistent fall after hitting .264 with two home runs and seven doubles in 125 at bats last season. Stripling was a highly touted high school recruit that’s starting to tap into his potential and power at the plate. Hitting left-handed pitching consistently will likely determine how much playing time he gets this season, but I like what I see so far.
What’s going on at catcher?
Projected starting catcher Karson Bowen was a limited participant this fall while he recovers from an injury. Bowen did some work behind the plate throughout but didn’t take any live at bats. The TCU transfer is a career .308 hitter although doesn’t provide much power at the plate.
Transfer catchers AJ Malzone and Cole Stanford managed a majority of the catching duties and each showed flashes at the plate. Bowen is expected to be the best defensive catcher on the roster, so his return will be critical for Florida’s season.
True freshmen to look out for
It seems every year Florida has a true freshman that makes a significant impact. It’s become a huge factor in SEC baseball. Last year it was Brendan Lawson and Aidan King, in 2024 it was Liam Peterson and Hayden Yost, in 2023 it was Cade Fisher, Cade Kurland, and Luke Heyman, in 2023 it was Jac Caglianone. The list goes on and on.
While Florida is deep offensively, there’s two names that have stood out at the plate: Cash Strayer and Colton Schwarz.
Cash Strayer ranked as the 375th overall prospect and the 74th outfielder in the 2025 class, although he has outperformed those rankings early on. Strayer has been described as ‘mature’ for a freshman, and you understand why after watching his approach at the plate. He’s calm in the box and stacks good at bats one after another.
Colton Schwarz, brother of former Gator J.J. Schwarz, is a promising prospect out of Jupiter, Florida. Schwarz has a long swing which allows his barrel to stay in the strike zone for what feels like an eternity. There’s certainty some untapped power in his swing and strong build. Schwarz has been playing third base.
Based on competition level, I would expect Strayer makes more of an impact in year one especially after the season ending injury to Jaden Bastian.
Does Florida have enough power?
I think the biggest question mark I have about Florida baseball in 2026 is whether they have enough power at the plate. It’s no secret that the best teams in college baseball year in and year out are among the most powerful in the country. The SEC is a power pitching, power hitting league, much like the MLB. The Gators lost a ton of home run production in the offseason as Bobby Boser, Luke Heyman, Brody Donay, and Colby Shelton moved on to the MLB.
Surowiec, Lawson, and Kurland are all capable of 20+ home runs this season, but who else can provide a power punch in Florida’s lineup? I turn to guys like Blake Cyr, Caden McDonald, Landon Stripling, and Blake Brookins, who have all shown glimpses of power production in the past or this fall.
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