The Florida Gators may have wrapped up their 2024 season, but they keep rolling on the recruiting trail.
Florida Gators baseball reeled in a commitment from former Samford pitcher Michael Ross on Saturday, per D1 Baseball’s Kendall Rogers.
Ross is a 6-foot-2, 205 -pound righty that hails from Lakeland, Fla., and is the reigning Southern Conference Pitcher of the Year.
This past season, he went 13-0 on the mound across 15 starts. Over these 15 starts, he tossed 96.1 innings and recorded a 3.27 ERA. Moreover, Ross struck out 88 batters to just 21 walks.
Now, there is no guarantee that Ross will make it to Gainesville as he is a redshirt junior and is draft eligible for this year’s upcoming draft.
He could potentially still forego his remaining eligibility in favor of the pros if he is drafted or signed as an undrafted free agent.
We saw it last year when the Gators got the commitment from Kelly Austin, but he decided to instead sign with the Houston Astros.
Now, Ross becomes the fifth commitment the Gators have earned this offseason, joining former Miami utility player Blake Cyr, former outfielder Kyle Jones from Stetson, former Texas Tech infielder Landon Stripling, and former Jacksonville infielder Justin Nadeau.
This commitment’s timing coincides nicely with the recent departure of Gators rookie righty Grayson Smith.
With this move, Florida gains a more seasoned presence on the mound, which is expected to take over at the opening position on the opening weekend following the losses of Brandon Neely and Jac Caglianone.
With the poorest team ERA in the SEC this past season, Ross will undoubtedly be among the more seasoned players the Gators have next year. Ross will be looking to provide a strong level of pitching.
