Scouting Report: What the Florida Gators bring to the table for the College World Series finals

The finals series is set. There are two teams left standing. But while they haven’t seen each other before this season, they have in Omaha recently.

The LSU Tigers and the Florida Gators are the last two teams standing. Two powerhouse programs ready to compete to be the last team alive. 

In a rematch of the 2017 College World Series finals, which Florida won in two games, the Gators have a chance to take down the Tigers again, or the Tigers can get their revenge and even the score.

LSU and Florida will take Charles Schwab Field on Saturday, June 24 at 6 p.m. C.T., and the game will be televised on ESPN. The series is a best of three series.

If Thursday night had any competition of being a better matchup, this championship series would give that night a run for its money. From the high-projected draft picks to the rich history within the programs, the two teams sitting in the finals are deserving of being in the spot they’re in. 

The Florida Gators are coming in well-rested, as they last played on Wednesday to clinch their spot in the finals. But while rest can halt a team’s momentum, the Gators have had no problem picking up where they left off. Since they lost to Texas Tech in the winner’s bracket game of the Gainesville Regional, they’ve won every game since.

“For us it’s been momentum in the postseason,” Florida catcher, B.T. Riopelle, said. “We’re just looking to keep it going.”

On offense, like LSU, Florida is well-rounded; there isn’t a player that clearly stands out amongst the rest. They all excel at a high level. 

Wyatt Langford has been the team’s most consistent force this season, as he leads the team with a .373 batting average. Langford, who leads the team in doubles with 24 and is second in home runs with 18, is a projected top 10 pick in this year’s MLB draft as an outfielder.

“He’s a great kid, great player too, I have a lot of respect for him,” Dylan Crews said. “Some of the best bat-to-ball skills and power I’ve ever seen.”

But Jac Caglianone may be Florida’s biggest all-around threat. He not only leads not only the team in home runs, but the entire country, with 31 and has a .336 batting average, but he also came into the College World Series leading the team with a 3.78 ERA from the mound.

Josh Rivera is right behind Langford with a .362 batting average. The starting shortstop has 17 home runs on the season and homered in the Gators’ last matchup against TCU. When it comes to consistent power, Rivera exemplifies that.

B.T. Riopelle bats in the fifth spot right behind Rivera. In the SEC Tournament, Riopelle homered three times and homered in Omaha against Oral Roberts in the team’s winner’s bracket matchup. Luke Heyman came to Omaha batting .327, as homered against Oral Roberts, and Ty Evans homered against both Virginia and Oral Roberts. Cade Kurland came into the College World Series with a .300 batting average in the lead-off spot.

The Gators are a team with a lot of power. But just like their depth in the batter’s box, their depth on the mound is the strongest it’s been all season. If the Tigers find themselves playing in a Game Three on Monday, Caglianone will likely be the guy LSU sees start on the mound. But for the two games guaranteed to happen, Brandon Sproat and Hurston Waldrep will lead the charge. 

Sproat will likely be the Saturday starter for the Gators. With a .469 ERA and 120 strikeouts in 96 innings pitched, Sproat will lean on his fastball, which averages around 96 miles per hour. Similar to Paul Skenes, however, his ability to accompany that with an effective slider has allowed him to thrive.

On contrary to Sproat, Waldrep works with a three-pitch mix, and he executes all three on a very high level. With a fastball that sits from 95-99 miles per hour, he throws hitters off-balance with a sharp split-change up and a slider. Waldrep has a 4.15 ERA on the season, and leads the team with 142 strikeouts in 93.1 innings pitched.

Similar to LSU, Florida’s bullpen has also improved as the season progressed. Brandon Neely has led the Gator’s bullpen, and he’s appeared in all three of Florida’s games in Omaha. He holds a 3.66 ERA and has struck out 64 in 46.2 innings pitched.

True freshman, Cade Fisher, was a key piece to the Gator’s win over Oral Roberts on Sunday, as he came in to close and secure a 5-4 win. He has a 3.02 ERA with 41 strikeouts on the year. 

Florida’s biggest weapon that can’t be seen, however, is its consistency. From top to bottom, the Gators could arguably have the most complete lineup in the country. They run with a “next man up” mentality similar to LSU, and anyone can catch fire on any given day.

The Gators have their best ready for the College World Series finals, they’re rested, and they’re ready to compete.

“Obviously, we’re excited to be in this position,” Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “We’re excited to have the opportunity to play here, the road to get here was not easy.”