Florida Gators: 2026 Season Preview
Jac Caglianone is the best two-way player in college baseball. Kevin O'Sullivan knows how to peak in June. The Gators are built to make another Omaha run — if the pitching holds.
The Program
2025 Season Results
Season Highlights
Reached the Super Regional for the fourth straight year
Jac Caglianone: .324/.428/.621, 18 HR — also made 12 starts on the mound
Cade Kurland hit .308 with 11 HR from the two-hole
Won 23 SEC games for the first time since 2018
Brandon Sproat returned from injury to post a 3.45 ERA in conference play
2026 Roster Breakdown
Key returnees and transfer portal additions
Key Returnees
Jac Caglianone
1B/LHP · Sr.The best two-way player in college baseball. Hits with elite power, pitches with mid-90s heat. A generational talent returning for one more shot at Omaha.
Cade Kurland
2B · Jr.Table-setter with pop. Consistently puts the ball in play and hits for extra bases. Mature approach from the left side.
Brandon Sproat
RHP · R-Sr.Returned from injury and dominated SEC lineups. Mid-90s fastball with a wipeout slider. Friday night presence.
Colby Shelton
3B · Jr.Hot-corner defender with a quick bat. Improved his plate discipline in SEC play and became a middle-of-the-order threat.
Ty Evans
OF · Jr.Elite speed that changes games. Disruptive on the bases and covers center field like few in the conference.
Pierce Coppola
LHP · So.Young lefty who pitched beyond his years. Electric stuff from the left side with improving command. Key bullpen piece moving toward the rotation.
Transfer Portal Additions
Bryce Eldridge
OF/1B · Fr.Five-star prospect who chose Gainesville over pro ball. Elite raw power and physicality. Could start Day One.
Drew Gilbert
OF · R-Sr.Veteran outfielder with SEC experience and postseason poise. Adds another proven bat to the lineup.
Kevin Kopps
RHP · R-Sr.Experienced closer with elite command. Gives O'Sullivan a proven ninth-inning option.
Marcus Johnson
RHP · Jr.Power arm with mid-90s velocity. Adds rotation depth behind Sproat and Caglianone.
Pitching Staff Analysis
The Headline
Brandon Sproat is the anchor — a mid-90s right-hander who dominated SEC play after returning from injury. When he is healthy, he is one of the five best pitchers in the conference. The question is keeping him there through June.
The Rotation
Jac Caglianone gives Florida something nobody else has: a first baseman who can also start on the mound. His 3.28 ERA with 78 strikeouts came while carrying the lineup offensively. Marcus Johnson (from Vanderbilt) adds a power arm to the middle of the rotation. Pierce Coppola could push for a weekend spot.
The Depth
Kevin Kopps (from Arkansas) solves the bullpen. An experienced closer with elite command gives O'Sullivan the ninth-inning certainty he lacked last year. Coppola's electric left-handed stuff provides high-leverage depth. The staff has more arms than innings — exactly the problem you want.
Lineup Analysis
The Engine
Jac Caglianone (.324, 18 HR) is the most feared hitter in college baseball. Left-handed power, advanced approach, and the kind of presence at the plate that forces pitchers to pitch around him. Every opposing game plan starts with how to handle Cag.
The Middle
Cade Kurland (.308, 11 HR) and Colby Shelton (.289, 9 HR) give Florida quality bats around Caglianone. Bryce Eldridge — the No. 2 overall recruit who chose Gainesville — could be an immediate impact player with elite raw power. Drew Gilbert (from Tennessee) adds veteran SEC production.
The Supporting Cast
Ty Evans (.274, 34 SB) changes games with speed alone. He gets on, he creates chaos on the bases, and he covers center field. The bottom of the order has enough depth to turn the lineup over with a runner on. This offense has multiple ways to beat you.
2026 Schedule Highlights
Scouting Verdict
20–80 scouting scale
BSI Projection
Florida has the best individual player in college baseball in Jac Caglianone. If Sproat stays healthy and the portal additions integrate quickly, the Gators have a legitimate Omaha ceiling. O'Sullivan has been to this point before — he knows how to peak in June. The depth behind the top-line talent is the question, but when your floor is a Super Regional, the math favors a deep run.