Florida Infielder Kris Armstrong talks 2022 UF baseball season

With 18 days until first pitch, Kris Armstrong and the rest of Florida baseball gears up for another season. Despite drawing interest during the MLB draft, Armstrong opted to return to school to chase something he has not accomplished at UF yet: a trip to Omaha. The Gators have not made the trip to Omaha since 2018 when they fell to Arkansas in the CWS.

Florida wants to put the past behind them

After a disappointing finish last season, Armstrong and the rest of the Florida team want to get back to the College World Series. The Gators remember the feeling of getting embarrassed at home, but the team wants to move past it and focus on the 2022 season. The Gators have a much different roster outlook this year, one loaded with focused underclassmen. Armstrong noticed a change in the mindset of the incoming freshmen, a welcomed change by the veterans on the team.

Looking ahead to 2022

Head coach Kevin O’ Sullivan addressed his need for elite pitching this offseason, landing freshmen who should contribute early.

“That is something we have been lacking in the past, is a lot of good lefty arms,” Armstrong said. Freshman Philip Abner is one in particular that turned heads throughout the fall.

‘”He throws a mid-to-low 90s cutter, and that is pretty effective in any arsenal,” Armstrong said of Abner. Carsten Finnvold and Pierce Coppola are two other new faces on the mound.

After batting lefty much of last year, Armstrong focused on batting right throughout the offseason. His batting is not the only change Armstrong made this offseason. The infielder began taking reps at third base during the fall, opposite of his main position at first base.

The Gators begin the season on February 18, with a three-game home series against the Liberty Flames.