The 2020 Florida Gators baseball team represented the University of Florida in the sport of baseball during the 2020 college baseball season. Florida competed in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Home games were played at Alfred A. McKethan Stadium on the university's Gainesville, Florida campus, in the final season at the ballpark. The team was coached by Kevin O'Sullivan in his thirteenth season as Florida's head coach. The Gators entered the season looking to return to the College World Series after an early regional exit in last year's Lubbock Regional.

The season was cut short in stages by March 17 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Gators finished with a 16–1 record, tied for the best in the country, and ranked No. 1 in all major polls. A tightly contested road sweep of the Miami Hurricanes helped propel Florida to the top spot in the rankings. Not knowing at the time it would be their final game, the Gators saw their 11-game winning streak over Florida State come to an end in the last game played at McKethan Stadium.

Previous season The Gators finished the 2019 season with a 34–26 record, compiling a 13–17 mark in the SEC.

2019 MLB draft The Gators had five players drafted in the 2019 MLB draft.

Brady McConnell Shortstop 2 44 Kansas City Royals Tyler Dyson Pitcher 5 153 Washington Nationals Wil Dalton Outield 8 257 Boston Red Sox Nelson Maldonado Outfield 21 642 Chicago Cubs Hunter Barco Pitcher 24 718 New York Mets Feleipe Franks Pitcher 31 947 Boston Red Sox Tyler Nesbitt Pitcher 32 969 Colorado Rockies

Players in bold are signees drafted from high school that will attend Florida.

Preseason

SEC media poll The SEC media poll was released on February 6, 2020, with the Gators predicted to finish in second place in the Eastern Division.

Media poll (East) 1 Vanderbilt 87 (9) 2 Florida 77 (3) 3 Georgia 76 (2) 4 Tennessee 50 5 South Carolina 48 6 Missouri 32 7 Kentucky 22

Personnel

By player

By position 2020 Florida Gators roster Pitchers 3 - Garrett Milchin - Junior 5 - Brandon Sproat - Freshman 10 - Tyler Nesbitt - Freshman 14 - Christian Scott - Sophomore 16 - Ryan Cabarcas - Freshman 17 - David Luethje - Sophomore 20 - Nick Pogue - Sophomore 23 - Jack Leftwich - Junior 30 - Hunter Mink - Freshman 33 - Trey Van Der Weide - Graduate Student 37 - Nolan Crisp - Sophomore 39 - Justin Alintoff - Junior 46 - Nick Ficarrotta - Freshman 47 - Tommy Mace - Junior 55 - Ben Specht - Sophomore Catchers 2 - Cal Greenfield - Junior 28 - Matt Powell - Freshman

Infielders 13 - Andrew Roberts - Freshman 21 - Nick Blasucci - Senior 22 - Cory Acton - Sophomore 24 - Josh Rivera - Freshman 27 - Isaac Nunez - Freshman 34 - Kris Armstrong - Sophomore 52 - Kirby McMullen - Senior Outfielders 1 - Jacob Young - Sophomore 4 - Jud Fabian - Sophomore 18 - Brock Edge - Junior 29 - Austin Brinling - Freshman 32 - Tucker Talbott - Freshman

Utility 6 - Kendrick Calilao (1B/OF) - Sophomore 9 - Brady Smith (INF/C) - Junior 11 - Nathan Hickey (C/INF) - Freshman 12 - Hunter Barco (P/1B) - Freshman 15 - Jordan Butler (P/1B) - Junior 44 - Austin Langworthy (OF/P) - Senior 

Coaching staff 2020 Florida Gators coaching staff Name Position Seasons atFlorida Alma mater Kevin O'Sullivan Head coach 13 Virginia (1991) Craig Bell Assistant coach 12 North Florida (1989) Chuck Jeroloman Assistant coach 1 Auburn (2005) Lars Davis Volunteer Assistant Coach 6 Illinois (2007) Matt den Dekker Student Assistant Coach 1 Florida (2010) Nolan Fontana Student Assistant Coach 1 Florida (2013)

Schedule Legend Florida win Florida loss PostponementBoldFlorida team member

2020 Florida Gators baseball game log Regular season February Date Opponent Rank StadiumSite Score Win Loss Save Attendance OverallRecord SECRecordFebruary 14 No. 4 McKethan StadiumGainesville, FL W 9–2 T. Mace (1–0) W. Martin (0–1) None 4,441 1–0 –February 15 Marshall No. 4 McKethan Stadium W 10–0 J. Leftwich (1–0) B. Choban (0–1) None 4,453 2–0 –February 16 Marshall No. 4 McKethan Stadium W 15–8 C. Scott (1–0) B. Callaly (0–1) None 3,903 3–0 –February 18 at No. 2 John Sessions StadiumJacksonville, FL W 13–3 N. Ficarrotta (1–0) M. Cassala (0–2) None 1,063 4–0 –February 19 Jacksonville No. 2 McKethan Stadium W 4–310 N. Pogue (1–0) C. Mauloni (0–1) None 3,300 5–0 –February 21 at No. 1 Miami (FL)Rivalry No. 2 Alex Rodriguez ParkCoral Gables, FL W 2–111 B. Specht (1–0) D. Federman (0–1) N. Pogue (1) 4,046 6–0 –February 22 at No. 1 Miami (FL)Rivalry No. 2 Alex Rodriguez Park W 7–410 B. Specht (2–0) A. McFarlane (1–1) None 4,172 7–0 –February 23 at No. 1 Miami (FL)Rivalry No. 2 Alex Rodriguez Park W 5–3 H. Barco (1–0) S. Cecconi (1–1) R. Cabarcas (1) 3,554 8–0 –February 25 No. 1 McKethan Stadium Postponed (rain) Makeup: Unscheduled before season was terminatedFebruary 26 at No. 1 Conrad ParkDeLand, FL Postponed (rain) Makeup: March 18February 28 Troy No. 1 McKethan Stadium W 3–2 T. Mace (2–0) L. Johnson (0–1) B. Specht (1) 3,377 9–0 –February 29 Troy No. 1 McKethan Stadium W 10–7 D. Luethje (1–0) D. Wilder (0–1) B. Specht (2) 4,140 10–0 – March Date Opponent Rank StadiumSite Score Win Loss Save Attendance OverallRecord SECRecordMarch 1 Troy No. 1 McKethan Stadium W 7–1 H. Barco (2–0) T. Ellis (0–1) None 4,001 11–0 –March 3 vs. Florida Atlantic No. 1 FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm BeachesWest Palm Beach, FL W 7–3 D. Luethje (2–0) M. DeGusipe (0–1) None 1,984 12–0 –March 4 Florida A&M No. 1 McKethan Stadium W 5–0 T. Nesbitt (1–0) K. Coleman (1–1) None 2,684 13–0 –March 6 No. 1 McKethan Stadium W 9–1 T. Mace (3–0) C. Sullivan (1–2) None 3,594 14–0 –March 7 South Florida No. 1 McKethan Stadium W 15–5 J. Leftwich (2–0) J. Jasiak (1–2) None 4,538 15–0 –March 8 South Florida No. 1 McKethan Stadium W 2–1 C. Scott (2–0) O. Kerkering (0–1) B. Specht (3) 3,978 16–0 –March 10 No. 15 Florida StateRivalry No. 1 McKethan Stadium L 0–2 A. Velez (1–0) N. Pogue (1–1) P. Messick (1) 5,276 16–1 –March 13 No. 3 Georgia No. 1 McKethan Stadium Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)March 14 No. 3 Georgia No. 1 McKethan Stadium Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)March 15 No. 3 Georgia No. 1 McKethan Stadium Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)March 17 Jacksonville McKethan Stadium Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)March 18 at Stetson Conrad Park Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)March 20 at Kentucky Kentucky Proud Park Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)March 21 at Kentucky Kentucky Proud Park Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)March 22 at Kentucky Kentucky Proud Park Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)March 24 vs. Florida StateRivalry Baseball Grounds of JacksonvilleJacksonville, FL Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)March 27 Texas A&M McKethan Stadium Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)March 28 Texas A&M McKethan Stadium Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)March 29 Texas A&M McKethan Stadium Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)March 31 Stetson McKethan Stadium Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic) April Date Opponent Rank StadiumSite Score Win Loss Save Attendance OverallRecord SECRecordApril 2 at Arkansas Baum–Walker StadiumFayetteville, AR Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)April 3 at Arkansas Baum–Walker Stadium Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)April 4 at Arkansas Baum–Walker Stadium Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)April 7 McKethan Stadium Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)April 9 Missouri McKethan Stadium Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)April 10 Missouri McKethan Stadium Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)April 11 Missouri McKethan Stadium Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)April 14 at Florida StateRivalry Dick Howser StadiumTallahassee, FL Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)April 17 at Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumKnoxville, TN Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)April 18 at Tennessee Lindsey Nelson Stadium Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)April 19 at Tennessee Lindsey Nelson Stadium Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)April 21 Florida Atlantic McKethan Stadium Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)April 24 Ole Miss McKethan Stadium Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)April 25 Ole Miss McKethan Stadium Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)April 26 Ole Miss McKethan Stadium Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic) May Date Opponent Rank StadiumSite Score Win Loss Save Attendance OverallRecord SECRecordMay 1 at Auburn Plainsman ParkAuburn, AL Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)May 2 at Auburn Plainsman Park Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)May 3 at Auburn Plainsman Park Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)May 5 McKethan Stadium Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)May 8 Vanderbilt McKethan Stadium Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)May 9 Vanderbilt McKethan Stadium Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)May 10 Vanderbilt McKethan Stadium Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)May 14 at South Carolina Founders ParkColumbia, SC Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)May 15 at South Carolina Founders Park Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic)May 16 at South Carolina Founders Park Canceled (COVID-19 pandemic) Schedule source:floridagators.com *Rankings are based on the team's current ranking in the D1Baseball poll.

Rankings

2020 MLB draft The Gators did not have anyone selected in the 2020 MLB draft.

References