Liam Peterson Named Preseason SEC Pitcher of the Year

It looks like the Gators have their ace. 

Florida baseball right hander Liam Peterson was named Preseason SEC Pitcher of the Year by Baseball America. Boasting a fastball north of 95 mph, Peterson’s arm talent was too strong to keep him out of Baseball America’s SEC College Baseball preview. 

Peterson was also one of 20 players in Baseball America’s preseason College Pitcher of the Year Watch List. Other recognitions include first-team Preseason All-American by Baseball America and Perfect Game. 

However, his hype isn’t necessarily backed up by results. Peterson, a junior, has struggled to find the strike zone in his first two seasons, but improved his walk and strike rate from his freshman to sophomore year. 

“If he can continue making the strides he has already begun to make in the control and command departments,” Baseball America said in an evaluation, “he will have every opportunity to slam on the door on that conversation and lock himself into an early draft pick.”

And he has the tools to do just that. Standing at 6-foot-5, 220 pounds, he pairs his heater with a slider that peaks in the upper 80s. It seems to be his best pitch and he increased his usage of it from 13% during his freshman year to 32% in 2025. Combine that with his changeup, and the batter doesn’t know what’s coming. Both pitches generated 43% whiff rates in 2025.

Peterson just needs to improve the command of his fastball going into 2026. As it currently sits, if that pitch gets hit, it goes to the moon. Eighteen of the 24 home runs Peterson has allowed were off his fastball. The control of his other pitches could also use some work, but Peterson’s strike rate is on the uptick. He improved it from 59% in 2024 to 62% in 2025. 

So this preseason award pretty much depends on improvement from Peterson this season. With a 4.28 ERA over 15 starts in 2025, the Gators will need him to make a jump. If the junior standout can continue to improve his control and command on his most reliable pitches, the Gators may have a top-15 pick on their roster.

Category: Baseball, College Baseball, Gators Baseball