More firepower on the way for Gator Baseball in 2026

Russell Sandefer is set to transfer to Florida and become a Gator, according to Jacob Rudner of Baseball America. The pitcher from UCF took the mound 18 times for the Knights in 2024 and was a weekend starter for UCF in the final month of the season.

Sandefer finished with 50.2 innings pitched and sported an ERA of 3.38. Most significant for Kevin O'Sullivan is that Sandefer struck out 49 hitters while only walking 19 last season.

Sandefer was considered one of the top 50 prospects available in the transfer portal.

Florida Gators land a massive commit

The good news for the Gators kept rolling over the weekend as Florida picked the commitment of high school pitcher Aaron Watson. The class of 2025 prospect out of Jacksonville has a fastball in the mid-90s with a notable slider to mix in.

The question mark for Watson is whether or not he will actually show up on campus once the fall rolls around. He is considered the 42nd-best MLB Draft prospect, and if he gets drafted in the first two rounds, it is going to be difficult actually to project him becoming a Gator.

Three Gator pitchers hit the transfer portal

To make room for the new pitchers, three Gators have opted to hit the transfer portal this offseason.

Pitchers Jacob Gomberg, Carson Montsdeoca, and Alex Philpott have entered into the portal. Gomberg appeared three times in 2025 and Montsdeoca made eight, including 2.2 innings against ECU during Regionals.

Philpott is the most notable of the trio to hit the portal, but it doesn't come as a surprise. After 14 appearances as a freshman, there was some hope Philpott was going to take a huge step in 2025 after a significant increase in the velocity of his fastball.

He made 22 appearances in 2025, and Florida tried to use him as the closer during the front half of the season. However, after blowing saves against Georgia and FSU, his role began to decrease.

He finished the season with a 7.30 ERA with 37.0 innings pitched.