The Gators are one of three college programs to place a trio of players inside the top-100 overall.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – MLB Pipeline released its top-100 prospects for the 2023 MLB Draft on Tuesday night, with Florida outfielder Wyatt Langford<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/wyatt-langford/15097>, right-handed pitcher Hurston Waldrep and right-hander Brandon Sproat<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/brandon-sproat/15106> all making the cut.
Leading the charge, Langford checks in as the No. 3 overall prospect in the sport. Waldrep also received a lofty ranking at No. 10, while Sproat came in at No. 78.
Florida is one of three college programs to place a trio of players inside the top-100 overall. Only two schools boast a pair of players inside the top-20 – with each of Florida’s sitting within the top-10.
As the No. 3 prospect for the Draft, Langford represents a true first-overall pick candidate for the Orange & Blue – a feat which Florida has never accomplished despite producing 23 first-round picks. Last season, the Trenton, Fla. native tied Florida’s single-season home run record and paced the SEC with 26 long balls en route to First Team All-America status. As one of two Gators to start all 66 games, Langford slashed .355/.447/.867 while adding three triples, nine doubles, 73 runs, 63 RBI and seven steals to his resume. He went on to suit up for the USA Collegiate National Team, where he batted .333/.381/.407 across seven games at Honkbalweek Haarlem in the Netherlands as Team USA claimed a bronze medal.
Waldrep enters his first season as a Gator after transferring in from Southern Miss during the offseason. Highly regarded as one of the top arms in the nation, Waldrep was named a 2022 Third Team All-American by D1Baseball after churning out 90 frames of 3.20 ERA ball with 140 strikeouts – translating to 14.0 strikeouts per nine innings. The Thomasville, Ga. native was equally brilliant in limited action as a freshman in 2021, working to a 3.35 ERA and .217 batting average against with 16 strikeouts in 16 1/3 innings of work. Waldrep also competed for the USA CNT this past summer.
Back in Gator Country for a fourth campaign, Sproat collected Southeast All-Region Second Team honors in 2022 after pitching to a 9-4 record and 3.43 ERA across 89 2/3 frames. Hailing from Pace, Fla., Sproat was tremendous for the Gators down the stretch, going 5-0 with a 1.59 ERA and .218 batting average against in his last six starts of the season. The right-hander wields a 3.92 ERA and 108 strikeouts in 117 1/3 career innings.
Across program history, Florida has produced 215 individual draftees. Since Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan<https://floridagators.com/staff.aspx?staff=33>’s 2008 arrival, Florida’s 99 total draft picks and 11 first-round selections both rank second in the country. Also during that time, the Orange & Blue has seen 20 pitchers chosen in the first-five rounds – a total which is tied for third nationally. In all, 55 Gator pitchers have been drafted in 15 seasons under O’Sullivan, equating to 3.7 per year.
Florida’s 2023 season<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/schedule> officially opens at home on Friday, Feb. 17 with the first of three games in a weekend series against Charleston Southern. Fans will have plenty of opportunities to cheer on the Gators at Condron Family Ballpark, as 20 of Florida’s first-22 games take place at home.
###
