It comes as no surprise when Florida Baseball, under the leadership of head coach Kevin O’Sullivan, has multiple players listed with national superlatives. That is the case this season with three Gators being named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Preseason All-American team.
Founded in 1962, the NCBWA is dedicated to the advancement of college baseball. Membership is open to writers, broadcasters and publicists of the sport. The preseason All-America squads are considered the first step toward the eventual selection of the 2023 Dick Howser Trophy, which is voted upon by members of the NCBWA.
Leading off the Gator trio is junior left fielder Wyatt Langford who was named to the first team by the NCBWA and in doing so was a unanimous First Team Preseason All-American. From nearby Trenton, Fla, Langford had one of the best seasons in Florida Baseball history last season. He batted .355/.447/.719 with an SEC-leading 26 home runs last season, and in doing so became a First Team All-American and First Team All-Southeast Region. Not bad for a guy that appeared in just four games as a true freshman in 2021.
Langford is listed as the No. 3 overall prospect for the Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft according to MLB Pipeline. The 2022 SEC home run king garnered First Team status from Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, D1Baseball and Perfect Game in addition to the NCWBA.
The first of two Second Team All-American nods on the Florida roster goes to junior right-handed pitcher Hurston Waldrep. A 2022 D1Baseball Third Team All-American from Southern Miss last season, Waldrep transferred in to Florida in the offseason and is expected to be a weekend starter for the Gators. He finished last year with a 3.21 ERA and 140 strikeouts over 90.0 innings. The Thomasville, Ga. native was also great as a freshman in 2021, finishing with a 3.35 ERA and .217 batting average against, with 16 strikeouts in 16 1/3 innings of work.
He has thrown just south of 100 MPH this fall and recorded an immaculate inning against Stetson downing three Hatters with nine straight strikes in the same inning. He’s listed among the Top 25 overall prospects for the MLB Draft by MLB Pipeline. Like Langford, Waldrep is listed among all of the preseason award lists.
Junior catcher BT Riopelle also earned Preseason Second Team All-American honors from the NCBWA. From Marietta, Georgia, Riopelle transferred into Florida from Coastal Carolina before last season and was a First team All-SEC selection as a catcher. He was tops in the conference at the position in homeruns with 15, RBI with 55, and a .551 slugging percentage in 2022. He posted a .304 batting average and .447 on-base percentage to go with 125 total bases, one triple, nine doubles, 38 runs and six stolen bases while turning in a .992 fielding percentage. He was also named a Third Team Preseason All-American by Collegiate Baseball for this upcoming year.
The first pitch of the 2023 season is scheduled to be thrown on Friday, Feb. 17, in the first of a three-game series with Charleston Southern.
Florida’s 2023 Preseason All-America Honors
OF Langford – First Team (Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, D1Baseball, NCBWA, Perfect Game)
C Riopelle – Second Team (NCBWA), Third Team (Collegiate Baseball)
RHP Brandon Sproat – Second Team (Collegiate Baseball), Third Team (Baseball America)
RHP Hurston Waldrep – First Team (Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, D1Baseball), Second Team (NCBWA, Perfect Game)
By Bob Redman.
Photo Credit: Chloe Hyde/ UAA Communications