Gator Baseball Lands JU Standout Jaden Bastian

Florida Baseball has bolstered its roster by adding dynamic center fielder Jaden Bastian from Jacksonville University.

Bastian, 5-foot-10, 190-pounds, bats and throws right-handed and is a junior with two years of eligibility remaining. He brings a power a powerful bat to the Swamp as well as speed that Florida has been missing for the past few seasons.

https://twitter.com/TransferPortal_/status/1933693700200079437

Debut Season

Bastian appeared in 41 games, making 24 starts for the Dolphins. He posted an impressive slash line of .263/.421/.465, belting six home runs and two doubles while driving in 25 runs. The outfielder also scored 31 times, stole 11 bases and drew 24 walks.

Bastian logged six multi-hit games and five multi-RBI performances in 2024. He put together a nine-game on-base streak and had best game against FGCU, going 3-for-3 with four stolen bases.

Defensively, he registered a .950 fielding percentage in center field. Notably, Bastian ranked second on the team in home runs and tied the ASUN Conference single-game high for stolen bases with three against Austin Peay on April 13. He made an immediate impact in college baseball, hitting a home run on the very first pitch of his first game against Cincinnati.

2025 Bastian Sophomore Season:

Bastian raised his batting average to a strong .302 while establishing himself as one of the ASUN’s premier hitters. He finished in the conference’s top 10 for home runs with 11 and added 10 doubles and five triples—matching the Gators’ entire team total for triples this past season.

Transfer News: Florida has landed former JU center fielder Jaden Bastian, one of the top names in the portal so far, sources tell @BaseballAmerica. Bastian hit .302/.433/.552 with 11 homers, 10 doubles, five triples, 33 RBIs and 36 stolen bases in 2025. pic.twitter.com/tslwjLBAkO

— Jacob Rudner (@JacobRudner) June 14, 2025

The Florida Gators concluded the 2025 season with a 39–22 record. Ending their run after being eliminated by East Carolina in the Conway, S.C., Regional on June 1.

Looking ahead, Florida has bolstered its roster with a few more transfer additions:

• Ricky Reeth, RHP, transfer from Notre Dame

• Russell Sandefer, RHP, transfer from UCF

• AJ Malzone, C/DH, transfer from Wabash Valley College