The long awaited 2024 baseball season starts Friday. The 2024 campaign comes with high expectations after last year’s National Runner-Up finish to the season.
The Gators open their season Friday against St. John’s at Condron Family Ballpark. It will be the first of a three game series.
The reigning regular season SEC champions will start SEC play March 15th in a series against Texas A&M. The rest of their regular season SEC opponents include LSU, Mississippi State, Missouri, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky and Georgia. Non-SEC opponents include St. John’s, Columbia, Miami, Saint Mary’s, Florida State, USF, Stetson, Jacksonville University, Florida A&M, UCF, Florida Atlantic, Bethune-Cookman and North Florida.
After posting an incredible 54-17 record last season, the Gators will have a lot to live up to. They lost large contributors from last years team, especially the pitching staff, including Brandon Sproat and Hurston Waldrup. Other large contributors included Wyatt Langford, BT Riopelle and Josh Rivera. The Gators picked up Brody Donay, Tanner Garrison and Colby Shelton in the transfer portal. They should be major contributors and fill some of the openings the Gators lost.
Some of the Gators returners from last season include two-way star Jac Caglianone, second-baseman Cade Kurland, pitcher Cade Fisher, pitcher Brandon Neely and catcher Luke Heyman. Also Michael Robertson, Ty Evans, Dale Thomas and Tyler Shelnut who were important pieces of the 2023 team will step up in larger roles this year. Veteran pitching experience will also be essential from arms like Ryan Slater and Blake Purnell.
The Gators also have a freshman class that will look to contribute in big ways. Pitcher Liam Peterson was named the Gators Saturday starter, a huge honor for a freshman. Other freshman arms that might contribute this season include Luke McNeillie and Robert Satin.
The 2024 team looks different than last year, but the end goal remains the same. The road to Omaha for the Gators starts Friday.
ChompTalk.com 
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