GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A grand total of six Florida Gators were chosen in the 2025 MLB Draft on Monday with the Tampa Bay Rays selecting catcher/designated hitter Brody Donay with the 507th overall pick in the 17th round.
 
As the sixth and final Gator off the board, Donay follows teammates Colby Shelton (Round 6, Pick 166 – Chicago White Sox), Jake Clemente (Round 7, Pick 198 – Miami Marlins), Pierce Coppola (Round 7, Pick 211 – Chicago Cubs), Bobby Boser (Round 11, Pick 320 – Athletics) and Luke Heyman (Round 14, Pick 422 – Seattle Mariners) as choices in this year’s draft. Donay’s selection gives Florida six-plus draft picks in two of the last three years, as well as three of the last five drafts (2021, 2023, 2025).
 
Additionally, the Lakeland, Fla. native marks the 231st individual draft pick in program history and the 116th of the Kevin O’Sullivan era. This is Donay’s first-career draft selection.
 
Tying for the second-highest OPS on the roster at 1.064 this past season, Donay slugged a career-high 18 home runs while slashing .303/.418/.646. The junior also added two triples, 10 doubles, 45 runs, 41 RBI and eight steals. Called upon to fill a variety of roles, Donay drew starts at designated hitter (30), catcher (16) and first base (seven) across 57 games (53 starts). His 128 total bases ranked second on Florida behind Boser’s 146 while his 12 multi-RBI performances and 19 multi-hit games were good for third and fourth, respectively.
 

Swatting 32 homers in 106 games (97 starts) in his two seasons at Florida, Donay was a .277/.376/.592 hitter in Orange & Blue – good for a lofty .968 OPS. Across his three collegiate seasons, he popped 44 home runs and 19 doubles while driving in 111 runs. In 145 career games, Donay slashed .273/.370/.590.
 
Final List of Florida’s 2025 MLB Draft Picks (6)
SS Colby Shelton – Round 6, Pick 166 (Chicago White Sox)
RHP Jake Clemente – Round 7 – Pick 198 (Miami Marlins)
LHP Pierce Coppola – Round 7 – Pick 211 (Chicago Cubs)
3B Bobby Boser – Round 11, Pick 320 (Athletics)
C Luke Heyman – Round 14, Pick 422 (Seattle Mariners)
C Brody Donay – Round 17, Pick 507 (Tampa Bay Rays)
 
What They’re Saying About Donay
 
MLB Pipeline
“Donay’s calling card was, is and always will be his prodigious raw power from the right side of the plate. He’s a towering presence in the box at 6-foot-5 and when he makes contact, he can launch the ball a long way, and he is fully capable of hitting the ball out to all fields. The big question is if he can make enough contact to get to that power. Donay owns a career 30.9 percent strikeout rate, and while he did cut that to 25.2 percent this spring while upping his walk rate, the holes in his swing are still concerning. There are some who feel that Donay has a chance to catch at the next level, and he has easily plus arm strength as a big asset. But others think his size and lack of agility will be obstacles too large to overcome. He has seen time at first base and in right field at various spots, should a team decide to move his power potential out from behind the dish.”
 
Baseball America
“Donay is a hulking catcher and righthanded hitter with a massive 6-foot-5, 235-pound frame and some of the most exciting raw power in the class. He started his career at Virginia Tech but transferred to Florida in 2024, using a slight mechanical tweak to hit over .400 and homer eight times in his first 15 games. While Donay has big-time raw power, he’s also been an aggressive free-swinger with real contact questions that have led to a career strikeout rate north of 30%. Defensively, he has double-plus arm strength but has spent as much time as Florida’s designated hitter and catcher and is a strong risk to move to either first base or right field at the next level.”
 
Florida’s MLB Draft History
 
All Draft Picks Under Kevin O’Sullivan (116)
2025: SS Colby Shelton – Round 6, Pick 166 (Chicago White Sox)
2025: RHP Jake Clemente – Round 7 – Pick 198 (Miami Marlins)
2025: LHP Pierce Coppola – Round 7 – Pick 211 (Chicago Cubs)
2025: 3B Bobby Boser – Round 11, Pick 320 (Athletics)
2025: C Luke Heyman – Round 14, Pick 422 (Seattle Mariners)
2025: C Brody Donay – Round 17, Pick 507 (Tampa Bay Rays)
2024: 1B/LHP Jac Caglianone – Round 1, Pick 6 (Kansas City Royals)
2024: RHP Brandon Neely – Round 3, Pick 86 (Boston Red Sox)
2024: RHP Fisher Jameson – Round 10, Pick 288 (Colorado Rockies)
2024: RHP Ryan Slater – Round 18, Pick 538 (San Francisco Giants)
2024: SS Colby Shelton – Round 20, Pick 590 (Washington Nationals)
2023: OF Wyatt Langford – Round 1, Pick 4 (Texas Rangers)
2023: RHP Hurston Waldrep – Round 1, Pick 24 (Atlanta Braves)
2023: RHP Brandon Sproat – Round 2, Pick 56 (New York Mets)
2023: SS Josh Rivera – Round 3, Pick 81 (Chicago Cubs)
2023: LHP Philip Abner – Round 6, Pick 175 (Arizona Diamondbacks)
2023: INF Colby Halter – Round 17, Pick 496 (Oakland Athletics)
2022: OF Sterlin Thompson – Round 1, Pick 31 (Colorado Rockies)
2022: LHP Hunter Barco – Round 2, Pick 44 (Pittsburgh Pirates)
2022: OF Jud Fabian – Round 2, Pick 67 (Baltimore Orioles)
2022: RHP Brandon Sproat – Round 3, Pick 90 (New York Mets)
2021: OF Jud Fabian – Round 2, Pick 40 (Boston Red Sox)
2021: RHP Tommy Mace – Round 2, Pick 69 (Cleveland Indians)
2021: C Nathan Hickey – Round 5, Pick 136 (Boston Red Sox)
2021: RHP Christian Scott – Round 5, Pick 142 (New York Mets)
2021: OF Jacob Young – Round 7, Pick 203 (Washington Nationals)
2021: RHP Jack Leftwich – Round 7, Pick 216 (Cleveland Indians)
2021: RHP Franco Aleman – Round 10, Pick 306 (Cleveland Indians)
2019: SS Brady McConnell – Round 2, Pick 44 (Kansas City Royals)
2019: RHP Tyler Dyson – Round 5, Pick 153 (Washington Nationals)
2019: OF Wil Dalton – Round 8, Pick 257 (Boston Red Sox)
2019: OF Nelson Maldonado – Round 21, Pick 642 (Chicago Cubs)
2018: 3B Jonathan India – Round 1, Pick 5 (Cincinnati Reds)
2018: RHP Brady Singer – Round 1, Pick 18 (Kansas City Royals)
2018: RHP Jackson Kowar – Round 1, Pick 33 (Kansas City Royals)
2018: C JJ Schwarz – Round 8, Pick 233 (Oakland Athletics)
2018: SS Deacon Liput – Round 10, Pick 314 (Los Angeles Dodgers)
2018: RHP Michael Byrne – Round 14, Pick 409 (Cincinnati Reds)
2018: OF/LHP Nick Horvath – Round 25, Pick 745 (Baltimore Orioles)
2017: RHP Alex Faedo – Round 1, Pick 18 (Detroit Tigers)
2017: SS Dalton Guthrie – Round 6, Pick 173 (Philadelphia Phillies)
2017: C Mike Rivera – Round 6, Pick 192 (Cleveland Indians)
2017: C Mark Kolozsvary – Round 7, Pick 197 (Cincinnati Reds)
2017: RHP David Lee – Round 27, Pick 808 (Pittsburgh Pirates)
2017: RHP Frank Rubio – Round 29, Pick 876 (San Francisco Giants)
2017: 2B Deacon Liput – Round 29, Pick 880 (Los Angeles Dodgers)
2017: C JJ Schwarz – Round 38, Pick 1129 (Tampa Bay Rays)
2016: LHP A.J. Puk – Round 1, Pick 6 (Oakland Athletics)
2016: RHP Dane Dunning – Round 1, Pick 29 (Washington Nationals)
2016: RHP Logan Shore – Round 2, Pick 47 (Oakland Athletics)
2016: OF Buddy Reed – Round 2, Pick 48 (San Diego Padres)
2016: 1B Pete Alonso – Round 2, Pick 64 (New York Mets)
2016: RHP Shaun Anderson – Round 3, Pick 88 (Boston Red Sox)
2016: LHP Scott Moss – Round 4, Pick 108 (Cincinnati Reds)
2016: LHP Kirby Snead – Round 10, Pick 312 (Toronto Blue Jays)
2015: SS Richie Martin – Round 1, Pick 20 (Oakland Athletics)
2015: OF Harrison Bader – Round 3, Pick 100 (St. Louis Cardinals)
2015: RHP Eric Hanhold – Round 6, Pick 181 (Milwaukee Brewers)
2015: LHP Danny Young – Round 8, Pick 242 (Toronto Blue Jays)
2015: RHP Taylor Lewis – Round 9, Pick 270 (Atlanta Braves)
2015: 3B Josh Tobias – Round 10, Pick 294 (Philadelphia Phillies)
2015: LHP Bobby Poyner – Round 14, Pick 411 (Boston Red Sox)
2015: RHP Mike Vinson – Round 24, Pick 730 (Detroit Tigers)
2015: RHP Aaron Rhodes – Round 28, Pick 855 (Los Angeles Angels)
2014: C Taylor Gushue – Round 4, Pick 131 (Pittsburgh Pirates)
2014: RHP Justin Shafer – Round 8, Pick 234 (Toronto Blue Jays)
2014: RHP Karsten Whitson – Round 11, Pick 344 (Boston Red Sox)
2014: 2B Casey Turgeon – Round 24, Pick 735 (St. Louis Cardinals)
2014: RHP Ryan Harris – Round 26, Pick 794 (Boston Red Sox)
2014: RHP Keenan Kish – Round 34, Pick 1025 (Cincinnati Reds)
2013: RHP Jonathon Crawford – Round 1, Pick 20 (Detroit Tigers)
2013: LHP Daniel Gibson – Round 7, Pick 210 (Arizona Diamondbacks)
2013: OF Taylor Ratliff – Round 13, Pick 390 (Arizona Diamondbacks)
2013: RHP Johnny Magliozzi – Round 17, Pick 506 (New York Mets)
2013: SS Cody Dent – Round 22, Pick 676 (Washington Nationals)
2013: OF Jeff Driskel – Round 29, Pick 863 (Boston Red Sox)
2013: RHP Karsten Whitson – Round 37, Pick 1126 (Washington Nationals)
2012: C Mike Zunino – Round 1, Pick 3 (Seattle Mariners)
2012: LHP/1B Brian Johnson – Round 1, Pick 31 (Boston Red Sox)
2012: SS Nolan Fontana – Round 2, Pick 61 (Houston Astros)
2012: LHP Steven (Paco) Rodriguez – Round 2, Pick 82 (Los Angeles Dodgers)
2012: RHP Austin Maddox – Round 3, Pick 118 (Boston Red Sox)
2012: OF Preston Tucker – Round 7, Pick 219 (Houston Astros)
2012: RHP Hudson Randall – Round 7, Pick 244 (Detroit Tigers)
2012: OF Daniel Pigott – Round 9, Pick 292 (Cincinnati Reds)
2012: RHP Greg Larson – Round 20, Pick 631 (Boston Red Sox)
2011: LHP Nick Maronde – Round 3, Pick 104 (Los Angeles Angels)
2011: RHP Anthony DeSclafani – Round 6, Pick 199 (Toronto Blue Jays)
2011: RHP Alex Panteliodis – Round 9, Pick 282 (New York Mets)
2011: RHP Tommy Toledo – Round 11, Pick 341 (Milwaukee Brewers)
2011: 2B Josh Adams – Round 13, Pick 403 (Florida Marlins)
2011: 1B/OF Preston Tucker – Round 16, Pick 498 (Colorado Rockies)
2011: C Ben McMahan – Round 23, Pick 701 (Milwaukee Brewers)
2011: RHP Matt Campbell – Round 24, Pick 751 (Philadelphia Phillies)
2011: RHP Greg Larson – Round 29, Pick 885 (Los Angeles Angels)
2011: OF Bryson Smith – Round 34, Pick 1045 (Cincinnati Reds)
2011: OF Tyler Thompson – Round 46, Pick 1387 (Washington Nationals)
2010: LHP Kevin Chapman – Round 4, Pick 119 (Kansas City Royals)
2010: OF Matt den Dekker – Round 5, Pick 152 (New York Mets)
2010: RHP Tommy Toledo – Round 32, Pick 975 (Minnesota Twins)
2010: C Hampton Tignor – Round 36, Pick 1104 (Los Angeles Angels)
2010: RHP Justin Poovey – Round 41, Pick 1254 (Los Angeles Angels)
2010: RHP Matt Campbell – Round 43, Pick 1297 (Cincinnati Reds)
2009: RHP Billy Bullock – Round 2, Pick 70 (Minnesota Twins)
2009: OF Avery Barnes – Round 11, Pick 331 (Colorado Rockies)
2009: LHP Tony Davis – Round 12, Pick 372 (Minnesota Twins)
2009: OF Matt den Dekker – Round 16, Pick 475 (Pittsburgh Pirates)
2009: RHP Patrick Keating – Round 20, Pick 602 (Kansas City Royals)
2009: C Buddy Munroe – Round 22, Pick 672 (Minnesota Twins)
2009: LHP Stephen Locke – Round 22, Pick 681 (Los Angeles Angels)
2009: SS Mike Mooney – Round 23, Pick 686 (Baltimore Orioles)
2009: OF Riley Cooper – Round 25, Pick 754 (Texas Rangers)
2009: LHP Kevin Chapman – Round 50, Pick 1513 (Chicago White Sox)
2008: SS Cole Figueroa – Round 6, Pick 195 (San Diego Padres)
2008: OF Avery Barnes – Round 40, Pick 1201 (Washington Nationals)
2008: RHP Josh Edmondson – Round 41, Pick 1249 (Los Angeles Angels)