The Florida Gators have the #2 ranked recruiting class in the 2019 recruiting cycle according to Perfect Game (though only because Vanderbilt has two more commitments). Head coach, Kevin O’Sullivan, and his staff have targeted many of the top prospects in the country and in the last two years has landed commitments from a number of these targets.
See also: Meet Tyler Owens, the former FSU commit who throws 98 mph
In the last two weeks, the coaching staff has received incredible news. Two of the top targets in Florida’s class have made the announcement that they intend to enroll early at UF in January and forgo their senior season as well as the MLB Draft in June of 2019.
Power hitting outfielder Judson Fabian, whom we profiled just a few weeks ago, was the first to make this move:
BREAKING: @GatorsBB commit and premier OF Jud Fabian is enrolling early for the #Gators and will be on campus in January. Big news for Kevin O’Sullivan and #UF. Fabian is ranked 14th by @prepbaseball in the 2019 #MLBDraft class.
— Kendall Rogers (@KendallRogers) August 17, 2018
One day later, RHP Nolan Crisp announced he would be making the same move:
BREAKING: @GatorsBB gets even more good early enrollee news today — RHP Nolan Crisp, ranked No. 157 by @prepbaseball, will enroll with Jud Fabian in January. Crisp was up to 91 recently at the @ACBaseballGames, per @NathanRode.
— Kendall Rogers (@KendallRogers) August 18, 2018
Crisp has been committed to Florida since August of 2016, making it official a little more than a week after the Gators offered. Crisp told us that he decided the draft could wait a few years, “I wanted to go ahead and start my college career. [I want] to help the Gators get back to a College World Series.”
The Locust Grove, GA native credits Coach O’Sullivan for helping him make his decision a little easier. “[We} have a good relationship, [he’s] a great coach and an even better person.” Crisp also credits his travel team trainer, Josh Reidt for helping him work on his weaknesses.
“I wanted to go ahead and start my college career. [I want] to help the Gators get back to a College World Series.”
-Nolan Crisp
According to Perfect Game, Crisp is rated as the #81 prospect in the 2019 recruiting cycle, and the #25 pitching prospect in the country. Crisp was originally committed to Mississippi State, but due to the instability in the coaching staff, he decommitted and landed on Florida’s radar.
Crisp has a fastball that he has seen as high as 95, but sits comfortably in the 92-93 mph range. In addition to his fastball, he throws a nice slider and a good change-up.
Crisp has faced some criticism for his choice, but his family has remained supportive, and he is looking forward to next baseball season.
Until Crisp arrives in Gainesville, he and Fabian are talking daily about their excitement to join the team this spring and how they can contribute to the team this season, as well as how they can improve on the field.