Florida Baseball cracks D1Baseball’s preseason rankings with expectations quietly rising

D1Baseball released its 2026 Preseason Top 25 earlier today, and the Gators rank 13th nationally, behind five SEC teams.

The Gators rank ahead of rivals Tennessee (14), Georgia (15), Florida State (16), and Miami (22), three of which (Tennessee being the outlier) will face Florida this upcoming season.

It's yet another sign of high expectations for this Florida squad, who once again anticipates to be among the final eight teams in Omaha.

An offseason to remember

In the midst of a tumultuous offseason, the Gators will look to quiet outside noise surrounding the team, which seems to have boiled in the last few months.

Head coach Kevin O'Sullivan took a surprising leave of absence in October of last year to handle "personal and family issues," as described in an official statement from The University of Florida, sending shockwaves throughout the college baseball world.

Things continued to derail when longtime assistant and then interim head coach Chuck Jeroloman departed the program to take an associate head coach role at Tennessee, quickly alarming fans and fueling speculation.

Following Jeroloman's exit, Florida opted to replace him with Tom Slater, who now acts as associate head coach within the program.

O'Sullivan returned to the team last month, and it seems like everything has returned to normal, but there's still a lingering fear in the minds of Florida fans, questioning whether such instability could damage the 2026 team.

In a statement announcing his return, O'Sullivan declared his excitement to rejoin the team and prepare for the upcoming season.

"I want to thank the University and athletic department for their support," he said. "I am excited to be back and am ready to get to work with our team as we prepare for the upcoming 2026 season."

He will enter his 19th season coaching the Gators. Florida will open its season against UAB at Condron Family Ballpark on Feb. 13.