GAINESVILLE, Fla. – D1Baseball.com updated its list<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__d1baseball.com_prospects_2021-2Dcollege-2Dtop-2D150-2Dprospect-2Drankings_&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=OHBlqWV1VXvwFf5nvY252P_gr_QfCAuD30jb3iRCly0&s=6Y6LOQxuSDilgLGheVddtJPwNDS3uehRHuPvGnkA5xQ&e= > of the top 2021 Major League Baseball Draft college prospects, and Florida leads the nation with eight student-athletes inside the top 150. Only two other Division I programs have more than five of the top 150 prospects.
Three Gators – Jud Fabian (No. 4), Tommy Mace (No. 19), Jack Leftwich (No. 30) – are inside the top 30. Only one other Division I program features three top-30 prospects.
With regards to Fabian, who scored a team-high 19 runs and ranked tied for 36th nationally with five home runs in the shortened 2020 season, D1Baseball.com noted<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__d1baseball.com_prospects_2021-2Ddraft-2Dreports-2Dcollege-2Dprospects-2D1-2D5_&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=OHBlqWV1VXvwFf5nvY252P_gr_QfCAuD30jb3iRCly0&s=StA2l0hnrXKnNDv0Ux7H9SbKAwquISpJbvtugrjPTYA&e= >, “There’s lots of bat speed and excellent natural loft in Fabian’s swing, allowing him to lift and drive (the) ball with authority on the regular, including to the opposite field gap.
“He’s rapidly making a case to go in the first round.”
In the Florida Collegiate Summer League, Fabian scored 15 runs, had 11 runs batted in, and drew 14 walks in 19 games.
Mace made four Friday starts (all of which were quality starts) for the Gators last season, posting a 3-0 record and a 1.67 earned run average across a team-high 27 innings pitched. The highlight of Mace’s junior season was his role in Florida’s sweep of then-No. 1 Miami in Coral Gables. The Tampa, Fla., native allowed just one run on two hits, and struck out eight batters in seven innings against the Hurricanes.
“Overall, Mace profiles as a starting pitcher at the next level with his stuff, command, athleticism and delivery/arm action,” D1Baseball.com wrote<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__d1baseball.com_prospects_2021-2Ddraft-2Dreports-2Dcollege-2Dprospects-2D16-2D20_&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=OHBlqWV1VXvwFf5nvY252P_gr_QfCAuD30jb3iRCly0&s=6Q670_2DO9y1pmp0n3NLE0i1g1C1vv9yB_l2hYHrDPY&e= >.
Leftwich was the Gators’ Saturday starter last season, which included a pair of wins and a 4.15 ERA across 21.2 innings pitched. In a no decision at then-No. 1 Miami, Leftwich went six innings and allowed one run on four hits. The Orlando, Fla., product also took a perfect game into the seventh inning against South Florida in his final start of the year.
In three starts and a relief appearance in the Florida Collegiate Summer League, Leftwich allowed two runs on four hits across 13 innings, good for a 1.39 ERA and a 4-0 record. Leftwich finished with 18 strikeouts as well.
“Leftwich has a huge upside with a good, physical frame, a fastball up to 95 and a good slider,” D1Baseball.com wrote<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__d1baseball.com_prospects_2021-2Ddraft-2Dreports-2Dcollege-2Dprospects-2D26-2D30_&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=OHBlqWV1VXvwFf5nvY252P_gr_QfCAuD30jb3iRCly0&s=4y7JUpkyAO9z0dVd8TkjXl0CHlQpL4RRccqF3v2zi0E&e= >. “We’ll see if he can get the changeup in order to boost his value in the upcoming draft.”
Four of the five Gators rounding out Florida’s bundle of top-150 prospects will be familiar names, but the other, Franco Aleman, is a newcomer for 2021.
Aleman logged a 3.97 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 65.2 innings as a freshman for Florida International in 2019, then transferred to St. Johns River State College for the 2020 season. The Alonso High School graduate racked up 51 strikeouts and a 3.26 ERA in his seven starts and 38.2 innings pitched with St. Johns River State.
A full listing of the eight Gators who cracked D1Baseball.com’s top 150 is below.
4. Jud Fabian (OF)
19. Tommy Mace (RHP)
30. Jack Leftwich (RHP)
53. Franco Aleman (RHP)
87. Ben Specht (RPH)
116. Jacob Young (OF)
122. Christian Scott (RHP)
148. David Luethje (RHP)
