With the transfer portal closed and the MLB Draft in the rearview, there is now a much clearer picture of what Florida baseball will look like in 2027.

Many of the top players from the 2026 season are returning next year in what Florida hopes will be its first run to Omaha since 2024. With a talented mix of established stars, rising prospects and impact players ready for larger roles, the Gators enter the offseason with one of the strongest returning groups in the country.

Leading that group is sophomore shortstop Brendan Lawson, who is set to make arguably the biggest impact for Florida next season.

Lawson was recently listed at No. 1 overall in 2027 MLB mock drafts from Perfect Game USA and Bleacher Report. He was also projected No. 2 overall by MLB.com and No. 3 overall by Baseball America.

The Canadian’s bat is what has made him such a highly regarded prospect. Lawson hit .312 while reaching base at a staggering .511 clip, which led the SEC. He logged a team-leading 19 home runs while also pacing the team in OPS, OBP, SLG, extra-base hits, runs scored, walks and hit-by-pitches.

In his final 10 games of the season, the Toronto native clubbed six homers, highlighted by a 496-foot tank against LSU — the second-longest home run in Gators history — and a walk-off home run against Rider in the opening game of the Gainesville Regional.

The second-team All-American will look to expand upon his breakout season while chasing a championship and the Golden Spikes Award.

While Lawson leads the offense, Florida’s pitching staff will be anchored by reigning SEC Pitcher of the Year sophomore starter Aidan King.

After a strong freshman season, King had a dominant sophomore campaign that saw him take home the award for the top pitcher in the conference. In 2026, the Jacksonville native posted a 3.21 ERA and a WHIP of 1.034 while striking out 92 batters through 87 innings pitched.

The rising junior was named a first-team All-American by NCBWA, first-team All-SEC and a Golden Spikes Award semifinalist.

King is also a projected first-round pick in 2027, being mocked at No. 15 overall by MLB.com and No. 29 overall by Perfect Game USA.

The Bishop Snyder High School product will once again head up the weekend rotation for the Gators after taking that duty away from eventual No. 19 overall pick Liam Peterson earlier in the 2026 season.

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Another pitcher expected to make a major impact in 2027 is sophomore right-handed pitcher Jackson Barberi.

Barberi pitched to a 3.13 ERA while striking out 55 batters in 37.1 innings pitched out of the bullpen. The rising junior was the relief ace of the Gators, with 11 of his 19 appearances being scoreless outings and 10 outings lasting four outs or more.

He also held opposing batters to a .156 batting average and posted a 13.3 K/9 in 2026.

The flamethrower was named SEC Pitcher of the Week on March 30 after pitching a combined 6.1 innings with zero earned runs allowed and 13 strikeouts against then-No. 10 Florida State and then-No. 4 Arkansas.

Expect Barberi to compete for a rotation spot next season following the Gators’ MLB Draft loss of starters Peterson and junior Russell Sandefer.

Another returning player poised to have a major impact is sophomore third baseman Ethan Surowiec.

Surowiec led Florida in hits, batting average, RBIs and at-bats while starting all 62 games for the Gators.

The rising junior was draft-eligible due to being 21 years old at the time of the draft but was not selected despite being the No. 249-ranked player overall by MLB.com. This was likely due to his strong commitment to the program, evidenced by his signing of a new deal with the University’s NIL collective, Florida Victorious.

The Gulfport, Mississippi, native will man the hot corner for the Gators in 2027 and look to build upon his strong numbers from last season.

A dark horse who could end up having a much bigger impact than expected is freshman outfielder Cash Strayer.

The rising sophomore started the year for the Gators in right field after a strong fall performance but ended up only playing 32 games after missing significant time due to a fractured hand.

Despite limited playing time, the Tampa native delivered when given opportunities, batting .272 with an impressive .375 OBP along with four doubles and four home runs.

Strayer has carried that success into the summer with the Brewster Whitecaps.

The former SEC Freshman of the Week is batting .263 with a .406 OBP along with two doubles and three homers. With those numbers, Strayer was selected to play in the Cape Cod League All-Star Game, the only Gator selected out of 10 players.

Strayer is expected to start the season in left or right field for the Gators while batting in the middle of the order.

One of the biggest returning impacts could come from redshirt sophomore two-way player Caden McDonald.

The rising redshirt junior caught fire for the Gators during the latter half of the season, hitting .319 with nine doubles and nine home runs in only 103 plate appearances.

The second-team All-American added to his impressive offensive display by pitching to a 3.42 ERA while striking out 48 batters in 47.1 innings out of the bullpen.

The way “Mactani” impacts the game from both sides will be an integral part of Florida’s success in 2027. The Tampa native will start the season as the designated hitter while serving as a trusted reliever out of the bullpen.

The final returning player expected to have a valuable impact is redshirt freshman right-handed closer Joshua Whritenour.

In his second year with the team, the rising redshirt sophomore manned the closer role, logging a 5.40 ERA and 49 strikeouts through 36.2 innings pitched. Whritenour also recorded seven saves and a 12 K/9.

The Tampa native is expected to hold down the closer role for the Gators, pumping gas up to 100 mph when called upon.

Overall, Florida has one of the best returning crops of players not just in the SEC, but in the entire country.

With multiple potential first-round picks and a roster full of experienced contributors, this group could be the foundation of a championship run in 2027.

Contact Colton Veres at cveres@alligator.org. Follow him on X at @colton_veres.

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Colton Veres

Colton Veres is a senior sports journalism student in his first semester at The Alligator. He is currently the Summer 2026 baseball reporter. In his free time he enjoys watching the Red Sox and spending times with friends and loved ones.