2026 baseball roster thread

I doubt you see anything from guys like Heyman, Shelton, Donay until the draft....but they are gone barring something drastic. I do think Kurland returns

 

I'm with you in liking to have some oddball options. I had hopes for Carston Finnvold's 66-mph breaking balls, but i guess they didn't break enough. I started with Hoyt Wilhelm in his Orioles years. Most of the memorable knucklers had either already reached the majors or close to it when they took up the pitch. Some did it due to an arm injury, others because they gave up on staying in the bigs with normal pitches.

I don't expect the top prospects who pass through Gvl to be candidates to become knuckleballers. Look at the list of Gator pitchers tin the portal. Which of them will move to another team with certainty in their hearts that the right opportuities and their pitching skill will make them stars? Confidence is a critical feature for a good pitcher. But surely there are some guys who have good pitching mechanics, but know they will fall short in the world of fireballers, but will learn to throw the butterfly ball if they get to keep playing baseball.

Are there any guys on that list who would try throwing a knuckleball if it means a full ride at UF for the next year? If there is a Niekro offspring able to teach willing Gators, Sully should make s call.

 

With Duke's coach going to Virginia, a lot of their players have hit the portal. Wonder if any of them would fit in at UF?

 

I talked to Kurland earlier this year. He was able to get a medical redshirt for this season so he’ll be back for sure next year. Donay is gone for sure to the draft, got that info from the staff. Unfortunately heyman’s injury was too late in the season for a medical and the tape he put down was more than good enough for the draft so I’m 90% sure he’s gone, however, didn’t hear anything definitive about him leaving from staff, just some comments about the team needing a locker room leader and the only guy coming back that might be able to fill that role in their opinion was king. So I kind of made the leap that Luke would be gone cause if he came back I’d assume he’d be leaned on as a leader.

 

Broedy Poppell hit nine triples, just saying.

 

@candymanfromgc — is WESGATORS aware of this tidbit of detailed information?

 

Yes, but I'm a little confused as he's been referred to as "All-SWAC"

Go GATORS!
,WESGATORS

 

Philpot to South Carolina…

 

In baseball you don’t have to announce. You just get drafted or don’t.

 

so an outfield of Jones CF, Bastian LF and Yost RF? That is a lot of speed and defense there with scoring potential.

 

I know that. But many of the posters on these threads have inside knowledge or read everything that's out there and I was simply asking the question in case he had said anything. Also, I'm almost positive the guys who are eligible have told Coach O'Sullivan what their plans are so they will know whether or not to seek viable replacements in the portal. Teammates become aware, too, and a lot of times that information gets out. Of course, sometimes they want to see how high they'll get drafted before they make a final decision. In any event you simply stated the obvious that we all know. Appreciate it.

 

I remember noticing him during the Dayton series, that he was from FL, and thinking that since we’d need a 3B next, there’d be worse ideas.

 

Bastian is a great get and hopefully Jones can bounce back from the injury. If he does, I imagine Yost or Cyr (if he indeed returns) will compete for the other OF position.

 

Freshman catcher Brock Clayton enters transfer portal | GatorCountry.com

 

5 of the Duke players have followed their coach to Virginia.

 

In today’s arena that’s practically expected.