Fall Gators Baseball: Caglianone's HR Leads to Sweep Against Stetson

It only took one swing to let everyone at Condron Family Ballpark know that Jac Caglianone is still the most compelling figure in all of college baseball for a 2024 season that is still three months away.

Caglianone hits home run bottom of 1st inning against Stetson (Photo Credit FloridaGators.com)

It was the bottom of the first in Florida’s final fall doubleheader against the Stetson Hatters. The Gators already led, 1-0, on a run-scoring double to right center by Alabama transfer Colby Shelton that scored Michael Robertson from second. On the first pitch he saw, Caglianone launched a 447-foot homer that left his bat at 111 miles per hour. It bounced off the back wall of the stadium. Another two or three feet and it would have left the ballpark completely.

For good measure, Caglianone hit a 2-run double in the bottom of the sixth to help the Gators to a 7-4 win in game one, an 8-inning affair. The Gators won game two in shutout fashion, 7-0.

Caglianone got the start in game one, going one inning in which he gave up a hit, walked a batter and struck out one. Caglianone was one of seven pitchers head coach Kevin O’Sullivan paraded out to the mound. They gave up six hits and walked five while striking out 10.

The Gators managed only six hits off Stetson pitchers in game one, but they were helped by 10 walks.

Seven pitcher contributed an inning each in the 7-inning win in game two. The most impressive was freshman Liam Peterson, who got the start and needed only 13 pitches to induce a leadoff ground out followed by a pair of strikeouts.

At the plate, the Gators again managed only six hits, but one of them was an opposite field homer to right by Tyler Shelnut, who also had a single. Shelnut played left field in game one, but went to first in game two and then finished the game at third. Cade Kurland delivered a pair of run-scoring singles and Liberty transfer Jalen Guy came through with a 2-run single.

Sunday observations

Caglianone: He probably remains the Sunday starter on the mound to take advantage of his hitting in the first two games on the weekend. He’s likely to play first on Friday, DH on Saturday and then pitch on Sunday.

Colby Shelton: The Alabama transfer has serious power (20 homers as a true freshman in Tuscaloosa) but makes good, consistent contact. There won’t be much, if any dropoff in the field as Shelton replaces Josh Rivera at shortstop.

Pitching rotation: Last year’s closer, Brandon Neely, probably moves into the Friday night starting role. Either Peterson or Cade Fisher probably starts on Saturday with Caglianone starting on Sunday. Peterson or Fisher will probably be the main weekday starter along with freshman Luke McNeillie. Ryan Slater is likely to take on the closer role with Blake Purnell the setup man. If and when Pierce Coppola is cleared to go (surgery on his back in 2022; surgery on his elbow last year), expect he will do weekday and relief work while trying to get him ready for the final regular season stretch in SEC play.

Third base: Dale Thomas played both games at third against Stetson. He was a second baseman at Coastal Carolina but can play second or third. He has power and makes good contact. Tyler Shelnut played third at Santa Fe before he transferred to UF. He played left and first base Sunday, but is a natural third baseman.

Center field: Defensively, Michael Robertson is outstanding, but he didn’t hit last year and then had a difficult time at Cape Cod in the summer. If he can hit, he will be in the lineup for his defense and his speed. Liberty transfer Jalen Guy will get his chances, especially if he can hit. He is the real deal defensively.

Catcher: Luke Heyman and Virginia Tech transfer Brody Donay are power hitters who can catch, play first and DH. Coastal Carolina transfer Tanner Garrison is probably the best defensive catcher of the three but he doesn’t have the raw power of Heyman and Donay. A possible scenario: Heyman catches Friday night with Donay at DH and Caglianone at 1B. Saturday, Heyman to 1B with Donay catching and Caglianone at DH. Sunday, Caglianone starts on the mound with Heyman catching and Donay at 1B.

Don’t be surprised if the starting lineup in the field looks like this: 1B Caglianone, Heyman or Donay; 2B Kurland; SS Shelton; 3B Thomas or Shelnut; LF Shelnut or Landon Russel; CF Robertson or Guy; RF Ty Evans; C Heyman, Donay or Garrison.

Team makeup by class: 5 seniors, 6 juniors, 9 sophomores, 16 freshmen