Six Florida players, two Gators commits selected in 2023 MLB Draft

A half dozen Florida players had their names called in the 2023 MLB Draft this week, along with a pair of commits from UF’s recruiting class. The Gators produced four selections inside the top 85 picks, which tied for the most in the nation.

The Gators had a pair of first-round picks on Sunday night with Wyatt Langford going fourth overall to the Texas Rangers and the Atlanta Braves drafting Hurston Waldrep with the No. 24 pick. Fellow starting pitcher Brandon Sproat was selected in the second round by the New York Mets.

Josh Rivera became the fifth highest-drafted shortstop in school history when the Chicago Cubs took him with the 81st pick and a third UF pitcher — Philip Abner — went 175th overall to Arizona. The final draft pick from Florida’s 2023 roster was infielder Colby Halter to Oakland at No. 496.

Two commits from the Gators’ recruiting class were also selected in RHP Steven Echavarria (72nd to Oakland) and infielder Stone Russell (529th to Kansas City). Another commit on draft watch, RHP Liam Peterson, was not picked and is UF bound. Echavarria has a decision to make on turning pro, while Russell is expected to enroll at Florida.

However, the Gators have lost one player committed to them for the 2024 season. UCLA transfer Kelly Austin, a RHP who pledged last month, signed with the Houston Astros as an undrafted free agent on Wednesday.

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Gators MLB Draft history

Lanford and Waldrep became the 18th and 19th first-round picks in program history (25 including the post-secondary phase). With Sproat going in the second round, Florida was one of only three schools in the nation with a trio of day one draftees.

The Gators now have 220 unique draft picks in team history, including a whopping 105 during the Kevin O’Sullivan era. Florida’s 13 first-round selections since his arrival in 2008 ranks second in the country. Eight of those 13 have been pitchers.

2023: OF Wyatt Langford – Round 1, Pick 4 (Texas Rangers)
2023: RHP Hurston Waldrep – Round 1, Pick 24 (Atlanta Braves)
2022: OF Sterlin Thompson – Round 1, Pick 31 (Colorado Rockies)
2018: 3B Jonathan India – Round 1, Pick 5 (Cincinnati Reds)
2018: RHP Brady Singer – Round 1, Pick 18 (Kansas City Royals)
2018: Jackson Kowar – Round 1, Pick 33 (Kansas City Royals)
2017: RHP Alex Faedo – Round 1, Pick 18 (Detroit Tigers)
2016: LHP A.J. Puk – Round 1, Pick 6 (Oakland Athletics)
2016: RHP Dane Dunning – Round 1, Pick 29 (Washington Nationals)
2015: SS Richie Martin – Round 1, Pick 20 (Oakland Athletics)
2013: RHP Jonathon Crawford – Round 1, Pick 20 (Detroit Tigers)
2012: C Mike Zunino – Round 1, Pick 3 (Seattle Mariners)
2012: LHP/1B Brian Johnson – Round 1, Pick 31 (Boston Red Sox)
2007: 1B Matt LaPorta – Round 1, Pick 7 (Milwaukee Brewers)
1998: 1B/OF/LHP Brad Wilkerson – Round 1, Pick 33 (Montreal Expos)
1993: RHP Marc Valdes – Round 1, Pick 27 (Florida Marlins)
1992: RHP John Burke – Round 1, Pick 27 (Colorado Rockies)
1991: RHP John Burke – Round 1, Pick 6 (Houston Astros)
1989: RHP Jamie McAndrew – Round 1, Pick 28 (Los Angeles Dodgers)
1986: OF Scott Ruskin – Round 1, Pick 8 (Montreal Expos) *secondary phase*
1983: RHP Rich Rice – Round 1, Pick 3 (Baltimore Orioles) *secondary phase*
1983: SS Robby Thompson – Round 1, Pick 2 (San Francisco Giants) *secondary phase*
1981: LHP Rob Murphy – Round 1, Pick 3 (Cincinnati Reds) *secondary phase*
1981: RHP Randy O’Neal – Round 1, Pick 15 (Detroit Tigers) *secondary phase*
1978: C Jim Watkins – Round 1, Pick 1 (Atlanta Braves) *secondary phase*

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