Florida Quartet Ranked Among Top-100 College Draft Prospects
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Four Florida Gators have been named top-100 college prospects for the 2026 MLB Draft in right-hander Liam Peterson, outfielder Kyle Jones, outfielder Jaden Bastian and righty Russell Sandefer, as announced by Baseball America on Wednesday.
Headlined by the UF ace, Peterson was previously unveiled as the No. 2 overall college player and No. 1 pitcher for the 2026 Draft back in July. The Palm Harbor, Fla. product is joined by three more members of the Orange & Blue as top draft prospects per Baseball America: Jones (No. 43), Bastian (No. 65) and Sandefer (No. 85).
Gators in Baseball America’s Top-100 2026 MLB Draft Rankings
RHP Liam Peterson – No. 2
OF Kyle Jones – No. 43
OF Jaden Bastian – No. 43
RHP Russell Sandefer – No. 85
As the 2026 Draft’s top-projected arm, Peterson is one of two UF returners to make Baseball America’s list. Deployed as a weekend starter for the second time in as many seasons in 2025, Peterson served as staff ace from start to finish and led the Gators in victories (eight), games started (15) and strikeouts (96). Compiling 69 1/3 innings, he posted a 4.28 ERA, .250 batting average against, 1.43 WHIP and four quality starts while striking out 11 or more batters in three outings. His 12.5 strikeouts per nine ranked fifth in the SEC and 20th nationally.
Entering his second year as a Gator, Jones made four starts for Florida in 2025 before going down with a season-ending injury and slashed .313/.353/.375 (5-for-16). Holding status as a 2024 NCBWA Freshman All-American, the Athens, Ga. native played his rookie year at Stetson and started 62 games in center field. He finished the campaign batting .355/.459/.476 with five homers, 32 RBI, 53 runs and 23 stolen bases in 248 at bats while being an NCAA Gold Glove Finalist.
Coming to Florida from Jacksonville University, Bastian holds status as UF’s top-ranked incoming transfer (No. 25) in addition to being a top-100 draft prospect. In two seasons at Jacksonville, Bastian slashed .289/.429/.524 with 17 homers, 12 doubles, 91 runs, 58 RBI and 47 stolen bases. The Winter Garden, Fla. native enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2025, swiping a conference-high 36 bags while hitting .302/.433/.552 backed by 11 homers and 10 doubles. Bastian produced that output while fielding at a .973 clip in center field.
Also tabbed as a top impact transfer this past offseason (No. 63), Sandefer comes to the Gators for his junior campaign after two years at UCF, where he made 18 appearances including six starts on the mound as a sophomore. Striking out 49 batters over 50 2/3 frames, the Tampa, Fla. product posted a 3.38 ERA and one save. As a result, Sandefer wrapped up his Knights career with a 3.36 ERA and 88-to-23 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 96 1/3 innings pitched.
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Headlined by the UF ace, Peterson was previously unveiled as the No. 2 overall college player and No. 1 pitcher for the 2026 Draft back in July. The Palm Harbor, Fla. product is joined by three more members of the Orange & Blue as top draft prospects per Baseball America: Jones (No. 43), Bastian (No. 65) and Sandefer (No. 85).
Gators in Baseball America’s Top-100 2026 MLB Draft Rankings
RHP Liam Peterson – No. 2
OF Kyle Jones – No. 43
OF Jaden Bastian – No. 43
RHP Russell Sandefer – No. 85
As the 2026 Draft’s top-projected arm, Peterson is one of two UF returners to make Baseball America’s list. Deployed as a weekend starter for the second time in as many seasons in 2025, Peterson served as staff ace from start to finish and led the Gators in victories (eight), games started (15) and strikeouts (96). Compiling 69 1/3 innings, he posted a 4.28 ERA, .250 batting average against, 1.43 WHIP and four quality starts while striking out 11 or more batters in three outings. His 12.5 strikeouts per nine ranked fifth in the SEC and 20th nationally.
Entering his second year as a Gator, Jones made four starts for Florida in 2025 before going down with a season-ending injury and slashed .313/.353/.375 (5-for-16). Holding status as a 2024 NCBWA Freshman All-American, the Athens, Ga. native played his rookie year at Stetson and started 62 games in center field. He finished the campaign batting .355/.459/.476 with five homers, 32 RBI, 53 runs and 23 stolen bases in 248 at bats while being an NCAA Gold Glove Finalist.
Coming to Florida from Jacksonville University, Bastian holds status as UF’s top-ranked incoming transfer (No. 25) in addition to being a top-100 draft prospect. In two seasons at Jacksonville, Bastian slashed .289/.429/.524 with 17 homers, 12 doubles, 91 runs, 58 RBI and 47 stolen bases. The Winter Garden, Fla. native enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2025, swiping a conference-high 36 bags while hitting .302/.433/.552 backed by 11 homers and 10 doubles. Bastian produced that output while fielding at a .973 clip in center field.
Also tabbed as a top impact transfer this past offseason (No. 63), Sandefer comes to the Gators for his junior campaign after two years at UCF, where he made 18 appearances including six starts on the mound as a sophomore. Striking out 49 batters over 50 2/3 frames, the Tampa, Fla. product posted a 3.38 ERA and one save. As a result, Sandefer wrapped up his Knights career with a 3.36 ERA and 88-to-23 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 96 1/3 innings pitched.
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