Florida Gators in the MLB roundup

The Florida Gators are well represented in the MLB. 13 former Gators can be found in the big leagues. Another 23 former Florida players hold status on Minor League rosters.
 
Florida has a lengthy history of producing MLB talent. 80 Gators have reached the Major Leagues. That total has steadily risen during the 2022 season thanks to the debuts of catcher Mark Kolozsvary (Cincinnati Reds), right-handed pitcher Alex Faedo (Detroit Tigers), and left-hander Danny Young (Seattle Mariners). Dating back to the start of Kevin O’Sullivan’s tenure in 2008, 28 Gators have made it to the Major Leagues.

Gators in the MLB

National League

Pete Alonso | 1B | New York Mets | UF 2014-16
2022: .281/.357/.547, 26 HR, 18 2B, 84 RBI, 55 R, 37 BB, 154 OPS+ (97 G – 360 AB)

Alonso earned his second-career All-Star Game nod thanks to a league-leading 84 RBI and career-high 154 OPS+. He also has 28 home runs, which ranks third in the National League. Alonso has been a pillar in the Mets’ strong season. The slugger has powered the Metropolitans to a 61-37 record, and first place in the NL East.

Harrison Bader | OF | St. Louis Cardinals | UF 2013-15
2022: .256/.303/.370, 5 HR, 3 3B, 7 2B, 21 RBI, 35 R, 13 BB, 5 SB (72 G – 246 AB)
 
Coming off a Gold Glove 2021 campaign, Bader has tied his career high with 15 steals while playing in 72 games for the second-place Cardinals. The Cards are currently tied with Philadelphia for the final Wild Card spot in the National League. Holding true to his calling card, Bader owns a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage with three outfield assists over 177 defensive chances in center field this season.

Anthony DeSclafani | RHP | San Francisco Giants | UF 2009-11
2022: 0-2, 5 GS, 19.0 IP, 6.63 ERA, 2.00 WHIP, 4 BB, 17 K
 
Desclafani’s season concluded after just 19 innings of work due to season-ending ankle surgery on June 12. With a four-to-five month timetable for recovery, DeSclafani projects to be ready for the start of Spring Training in 2023.

Jonathan India | INF | Cincinnati Reds | UF 2016-18
2022: .235/.301/.374, 6 HR, 7 2B, 21 R, 20 RBI, 9 BB, 2 SB, 82 OPS+ (46 G – 179 AB)
 
The 2021 NL Rookie of the Year has battled injuries in his sophomore campaign. India is finally returning to form since returning from the most-recent injury to his ankle. He is batting .306 with four home runs, four doubles, 12 runs, and 11 RBI across 15 games from July 7 through July 27.  
 
Mark Kolozsvary | C | Cincinnati Reds | UF 2015-17
2022 (MLB): .177/.177/.471, 1 HR, 2 2B, 3 R, 3 RBI (9 G – 17 AB)
2022 (MiLB): .188/.317/.306, 2 HR, 4 2B, 12 R, 8 RBI, 11 BB (28 G – 85 AB)
 
Kolozsvary was the first Gator to make his MLB debut in 2022, doing so on April 20. As the 78th Gator to appear in the MLB and the 26th player to do so under O’Sullivan, Kolozsvary was subsequently demoted but received another call-up on July 23. The former Olympian clubbed his first MLB homer later that same day vs. St. Louis.
 
Dane Dunning | RHP | Texas Rangers | UF 2014-16
2022: 1-6, 19 GS, 100.2 IP, 4.38 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 40 BB, 89 K, 90 ERA+
 
Although Texas enters the weekend nearly 10 games out of playoff contention, Dunning has been one of the more reliable arms on the staff. Pitching in his third MLB season, the right-hander is on track to set career highs in starts, innings and strikeouts.
 
Alex Faedo | RHP | Detroit Tigers | UF 2015-17
2022 (MLB): 1-5, 12 GS, 53.2 IP, 5.53 ERA, 1.64 WHIP, 25 BB, 44 K, 71 ERA+
2022 (MiLB): 2-1, 4 G, 2 GS, 15.2 IP, 1.72 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 3 BB, 20 K
 
Faedo became the 79th Gator to make it to the MLB and the 27th former player to do so under O’Sullivan, debuting with the Tigers on May 4, 2022. He fired five innings of two-run ball in his first big-league start. Unfortunately, Faedo’s rookie year came to a halt after 53 2/3 frames, as he was forced to undergo season-ending hip surgery.

Darren O’Day | RHP | Atlanta Braves | UF 2003-06
2022: 2-2, 28 G, 21.2 IP, 4.15 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 10 BB, 26 K, 104 ERA+
 
Pitching in his 15th MLB season, O’Day is having another above-average year as evidenced by a 104 ERA+. If that mark holds, 2022 would mark O’Day’s 13th campaign performing above league average on the mound. All told, he has compiled a career 2.59 ERA and 167 ERA+ across 644 appearances spanning 609 innings.

American League

Jackson Kowar | RHP | Kansas City Royals | UF 2016-18
2022 (MLB): 0-0, 6 G, 15.1 IP, 8.80 ERA, 2.22 WHIP, 9 BB, 17 K
2022 (Triple-A): 3-6, 12 GS, 55.1 IP, 6.34 ERA, 1.65 WHIP, 23 BB, 62 K
 
Kowar was recently recalled from Triple-A on July 27, marking his second stint with Kansas City of the 2022 season. He saw action out of the bullpen in six games the first time around, most notably churning out a 10.0 K/9 across 15 1/3 frames.
 
A.J. Puk | LHP | Oakland Athletics | UF 2014-16
2022: 2-1, 2 SV, 38 G, 42.1 IP, 2.13 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 8 BB, 44 K, 176 ERA+
 
Puk appears to have found a sustainable role in the big leagues as a high-leverage member of the Oakland bullpen, where he has pitched 76% above league average this season. The left-hander already set career highs in innings and strikeouts, while his current ERA, WHIP and ERA+ would all mark personal bests as well.
 
Brady Singer | RHP | Kansas City Royals | UF 2016-18
2022 (MLB): 4-3, 16 G, 13 GS, 84.2 IP, 3.51 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 21 BB, 91 K, 117 ERA+
2022 (Triple-A): 1-0, 3 GS, 13.2 IP, 3.29 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 4 BB, 11K
Singer has spent the bulk of the season with the big-league club in Kansas City, where he has enjoyed his most-productive year to date. All but three of Singer’s 16 appearances have come as a starter, while his 9.7 strikeouts per nine innings and 2.2 walks per nine are both career bests. He is coming off the best outing of his career, having held the first-place Yankees to one hit across seven shutout innings in the Bronx while striking out 10 batters.
 
Kirby Snead | LHP | Oakland Athletics | UF 2014-16
2022 (MLB): 1-0, 24 G, 22.0 IP, 6.55 ERA, 2.14 WHIP, 17 BB, 20 K, 58 ERA+
2022 (Triple-A): 2-0, 1 SV, 11 G, 13.2 IP, 4.61 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 3 BB, 20 K
 
Snead has been up with Oakland since June 21 after opening the campaign in Triple-A, but he has been unable to replicate the same success he did as a rookie with Toronto in 2021, when he pitched to a 2.35 ERA in a 7 2/3-inning cameo. This is the southpaw’s first go-around with the Athletics after being shipped out of Toronto this past offseason in a trade package for All-Star third baseman Matt Chapman.
 
Mike Zunino | C | Tampa Bay Rays | UF 2010-12
2022: .148/.195/.304, 5 HR, 3 2B, 16 RBI, 7 R, 6 BB, 44 OPS+ (36 G – 115 AB)
 
After earning his first-career All-Star nod last season thanks to a 33-homer breakout, Zunino had a down year in 2022 that was exacerbated by reports of season-ending shoulder surgery near the end of July. Zunino should be ready to go for the 2023 campaign but enters the offseason as an impending free agent.