Three Changes to Florida Baseball Entering Fall Ball
Florida’s baseball program debuted at No. 5 nationally as it prepares for the start of fall ball, defeating South Florida 10-6 on Friday. Expectations flew high last season, but the Gators ultimately fell short, failing to advance past the regional final, which they hosted.
Let’s dive into what changes fans can expect this season.
New Pitching Coach
The Gators struggled on the mound last season, posting a team ERA of 4.61. Florida is bringing in a new pitching coach, Rich Dorman, to combat this deficiency. Dorman had been with Oregon State for the last seven seasons and guided its pitching staff to lead the nation in ERA (3.22), H/9 (6.94) and WHIP (1.14) last season.
Despite Florida’s overall pitching struggles, there are a few standout arms on the roster, including Jacson Barberi, Aidan King and Joshua Whritenour, and Dorman’s insight has the potential to further strengthen the flashes they’ve shown.
Top-100 Prospects
Florida has five players on MLB’s list of top-100 prospects for the 2027 MLB Draft, including Brendan Lawson, the No. 1 shortstop prospect in the country. Lawson, along with Barberi, King and Whritenour, all rank in the top 40, while infielder Ethan Surowiec places at No. 64.
Although those five can’t singlehandedly make Florida a national contender, they make up a strong foundation for the 2027 season.
Key Returners
Aidan King – The junior righty is coming off a successful second act that concluded with him as the SEC Pitcher of the Year. He finished the 2026 season with a 3.21 ERA, 1.034 WHIP and a K/9 of 9.5.
Brendan Lawson – The junior infielder posted a .312 batting average last season with 19 home runs and a career-best .699 slugging percentage. But Lawson’s speed was just as valuable. The shortstop tallied 14 stolen bases in 16 attempts and two triples.
Ethan Surowiec – The versatile infielder’s reliability is an asset after he started 62 games last season. He batted .317 and reached base in all but nine games for a .409 OBP.
What’s Changed?
This Gators baseball roster looks … different this year, with only 17 players from the 2026 roster returning and 19 players on their way out. There are 22 new arrivals this season, including RHP Zach Edwards and LHP Trey Morris following Dorman from Oregon State. Morris is the more promising of the two, posting a 1.98 ERA in his first seven appearances at the college level.
Florida is rebuilding its pitching staff, with only eight pitchers returning from the spring. Will a revised pitching staff along with a new pitching coach be enough to turn Florida into the pitching powerhouse it used to be?
They also bring in catcher Jon Embury, a junior transfer from Florida Gulf Coast University. Embury was a finalist for the Buster Posey Award and provides a strong bat, hitting .364 with 17 home runs. The question is whether his offensive success can translate to SEC play. The catcher allowed zero passed balls last season, but the team has to keep an eye on stolen base attempts as he only caught runners stealing once in 13 attempts.
The Fall
Fall ball will be the first test for Florida’s new roster, but it’s important to remember that the outcome in the next two months doesn’t necessarily reflect how the team will perform in the regular season once it has more time to develop, especially with so many new faces. The main areas to keep your eye on this season will be Dorman’s coaching, the revived pitching staff and the returning players with MLB upside.
Category: Baseball, Gator Sports, Gators Baseball
