Last year, Trenton (FL) native and former University of Florida baseball star Wyatt Langford became the second-highest Major League Baseball (MLB) draft pick in team history when he was selected fourth overall by the Texas Rangers.
Langford, who was the American League Rookie of the Month for the month of June, trails only Gator catcher Mike Zunino (third overall in 2012) as the top draft pick in the history of the program.
Can Florida’s Jac Caglianone top them?
The MLB draft is this weekend, taking place on July 14–16, in Fort Worth, Texas.
It will air live on ESPN and MLB Network from Cowtown Coliseum with the first and second rounds on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET.
Rounds 3-10 follow on Monday, July 15, on MLB.com beginning at 2 p.m. ET.
The third and final day features Rounds 11-20 on Tuesday, July 16, at 2 p.m. on MLB.com.
As the draft approaches, Caglianone’s star shines bright, as the “most famous college baseball player in years,” according to ESPN analyst Kiley McDaniel.
Setbacks put Caglianone on the path to stardom and he almost didn’t end up at UF.
But once he was in the Orange and Blue, he flourished, rising from his No. 175 projection in 2021’s Draft rankings.
The first baseman/left handed pitcher is projected to go as high as No. 3 overall after a year in which he was named the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year and Unanimous First Team All-American.
It’s unclear if Caglianone will continue playing both ways, but his power at the plate will make him a high draft pick.
No Florida Gator has ever gone No. 1 overall in any sport, but Florida’s all-time home run leader has perhaps the best power in the class.
The highest-drafted first baseman in program history was Matt LaPorta, who was selected seventh overall in the 2007 draft (Milwaukee Brewers).
Shortstop Colby Shelton (No. 133 according to MLB Pipeline), and RHP Brandon Neely (No. 193) are the next two highest-rated Gators who are likely to be selected first in the MLB Draft.
Dating back to the inaugural year of the MLB Draft in 1965, Florida has seen 220 individuals combine for 250 draft selections, including 19 first-round picks (25 counting the draft’s secondary phase).
Under head coach Kevin O’Sullivan, Florida has 105 draft selections and 13 first-round picks, which ranks second nationally.
The top two picks in the draft will likely be Georgia’s Charlie Condon, the 2024 Golden Spikes Award winner, and Oregon State second baseman Travis Bazzana, who are ahead of Caglianone in the MLB rankings.
In the latest mock draft, Caglianone is slated to be drafted fifth overall by the Chicago White Sox.
If Condon goes first Sunday, UGA would be the third school to have the No. 1 pick in the MLB, NFL, and NBA drafts.
LSU and UCLA are the only two schools to produce a No. 1 overall pick in baseball, basketball and football.
First Round Draft Picks in Gator Baseball History (17)
2023: OF Wyatt Langford – Round 1, Pick 4 (Texas Rangers)
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*