Florida Gators infielder Ethan Surowiec will return to Florida for his junior season, he announced on social media.
Surowiec was draft-eligible following his sophomore season, during which he posted a .317/.409/.528 slash line and a .937 OPS. He led Florida in hits (78), batting average (.317), RBI (63), total bases (130), and at-bats (246) while adding 12 home runs and 14 doubles.
The Gulfport, Mississippi, native was at his best against SEC competition, leading the team with a .339/.414/.556 slash line in conference play as the only Gator to hit above .300. He totaled seven home runs, six doubles, 30 RBI, and 28 runs scored in 30 SEC games.
Surowiec made 34 starts at third base and 28 starts at first base in 2026. He posted a .962 fielding percentage across 266 defensive chances, including a .990 mark over 193 chances at first base.
Prior to his time in Gainesville, Surowiec spent one season at Ole Miss, where he recorded just 16 at-bats during his freshman campaign. He homered twice while hitting .375 with eight RBI.
The following summer, Surowiec was named the 2025 Northwoods League MVP after slashing .385/.472/.792 across 221 at-bats. He led the NWL in home runs (20), RBI (74), and slugging percentage while ranking second in batting average. The 6-foot-1, 235-pound infielder also recorded three triples, 24 doubles, 54 runs scored, 32 walks, and 17 stolen bases.
Surowiec ranked as the No. 249 overall prospect in the 2026 MLB Draft, according to MLB’s Top 250 Prospect Rankings. That projection would have placed him in the late eighth round.
Instead, Surowiec went undrafted and elected to return to Gainesville, where he will have three years of eligibility remaining under the new five-for-five rule. He is expected to once again serve as a middle-of-the-order bat for the Gators in 2027.