Report: Florida Baseball to Hire Oregon State Pitching Coach Rich Dorman
Florida coach Kevin O’Sullivan is close to making the call for relief to the team’s pitching staff struggles in 2026. The Gators are expected to hire Oregon State pitching coach Rich Dorman, according to On3 reporter Ryan Harlin.
Dorman’s pitching staff proved dominant in 2026, leading the country in ERA (3.22), total strikeouts (699), WHIP (1.14) and hits allowed per nine innings (6.94).
Across his seven seasons with the Beavers, Dorman managed many successful arms, including the 2022 National Pitcher of the Year, Cooper Hjerpe. Fifteen of his pitchers turned into MLB draft picks.
In 2026, three Beavers pitchers earned All-American honors, joining seven other pitchers under Dorman’s leadership.
The report comes nearly a week after Florida pitching coach David Kopp’s firing.
The Gators’ pitching staff became a point of scrutiny after the team’s early postseason exit, where relievers gave up eight runs in their 10-2 loss to Troy.
Florida starters didn’t prove strong on the slab either at the NCAA Gainesville Regional. Gators ace Aidan King, the 2026 SEC Pitcher of the Year, only made it through three innings, giving up 6 runs during the team’s 22-10 win over Miami. With a chance to sweep the regional, starter Liam Peterson allowed nine runs and 10 hits across five innings during Florida’s 16-11 defeat to Troy.
Across the regional, the Gators’ pitching staff gave up 43 runs and 49 hits in four games.
Throughout the 2026 season, Florida couldn’t measure up to top competition on the mound, ranking 40th in the nation with a 4.61 team ERA while only four pitchers tallied below a 4.0 ERA, including King’s 3.21 and Jackson Barberi’s 3.31 out of the pen..
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