Florida baseball players selected on Day 3 of the 2024 MLB Draft
Swampcast talks about Florida Football, CWS, Gators at the Olympics
The Sun’s David Whitley and Kevin Brockway talk with Sun colleague Noah Ram about Florida football, Florida baseball in the CWS and Olympic sports
On the final day of the 2024 MLB Draft, two more baseball players from Florida were selected on Tuesday.
Right-handed pitcher Ryan Slater went to the San Francisco Giants in the 18th round, while shortstop Colby Shelton was selected in the 20th round by the Washington Nationals.
Slater, who went 5-2 with a 6.70 ERA and one save for the Florida Gators, will likely begin his professional career.
Whether Shelton will leave UF remains uncertain, as he was considered a third- to fifth-round pick before slipping to the 20th round. So the Nationals would have to negotiate a high price, in the range of $500 million to $1 million, to sign him.
The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Shelton hit .254 with 20 home runs and 56 RBIs for Florida. Shelton, who came out of Alabama, started all 66 games at shortstop and posted a .974 fielding percentage with just six errors on the season.
Shelton offers plenty of power for a center fielder, but his strikeout rate (82 in 256 at-bats) was high, which may have kept organizations from drafting him higher. He’s certainly in play, but it’s questionable whether he has the range to play shortstop at the major league level. He could be moved to second or third base instead.
Also of note, Michael Ross, who transferred from Samford and committed to Florida in 2025, was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 18th round. Ross, a power-throwing right-handed pitcher, could find a spot in UF’s rotation in 2025 if he decides to stay in school.
Three more Florida high school players for the 2025 baseball team were signed in the MLB Draft: shortstop Kellon Lindsey (Hardee HS, first round, 23rd overall, Los Angeles Dodgers), right-handed pitcher Jayden Dubanewicz (Majory Stoneman Douglas HS, 16th round, Milwaukee Brewers) and shortstop Brendan Lawson (P27 Academy, 19th round, St. Louis Cardinals).
Florida baseball player selected in 2024 MLB Draft
1B/P Jac Caglianone
Elaborated: Kansas City Royals, Round 1 (No. 6 overall)
Slot value: 7.2 million US dollars
What you should know: Caglianone is the first player in SEC history to hit 30 home runs in back-to-back seasons and left UF as the school’s all-time home run record holder (75). In January, Caglianone said he wanted to try both pitching and hitting at the major league level, but he’s more of a slugger with the Royals.
RHP Brandon Neely
Elaborated: Boston Red Sox, Round 3 (No. 86 overall)
Slot value: 878,800 USD
What you should know: Neely made 19 saves in three seasons at UF. In his final season at UF, he moved from the starting lineup to the bullpen, but needed to establish a third pitch to be eligible for a major league start.
RHP Fisher Jameson
Elaborated: Colorado Rockies, Round 10 (No. 288 overall)
Slot value: 185,800 USD
What you should know: Made three saves for the Gators in 2024 and was reliable out of the bullpen as a set-up man or closer for multiple innings.
Right-hander Ryan Slater
Elaborated: San Francisco Giants, Round 18 (No. 538 overall)
Slot value: N/A
What you should know: Recorded 21 career wins and 10 career saves in three seasons at UF as a spot starter and middle reliever.
SS Colby Shelton
Elaborated: Washington Nationals, Round 20 (No. 590 overall)
Slot value: N/A
What you should know: Shelton should go in rounds three through five after posting a .254 batting average with 20 home runs and 56 RBIs for the Gators in 2024. He could opt to return to UF if his claims for a vocal bonus are not met.
Commitments for Florida’s baseball teams in the 2024 MLB Draft
SS Kellon Lindsey
Elaborated: Los Angeles Dodgers, Round 1 (No. 23 overall)
Slot value: 3.68 million US dollars
What you should know: A Hardee High product, Lindsey is a shortstop with good playmaking skills, above-average speed and growing power. He will most likely begin his professional career this summer.
RHP Jayden Dubanewicz
Elaborated: Milwaukee Brewers. Round 16 (No. 485 overall)
Slot value: N/A
What you should know: Dubanewicz, a 6-foot-3, 175-pound pitcher from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, went 7-2 with a 1.52 ERA his final season. He has 19 career wins in three seasons and helped lead Marjory Stoneman Douglas High to state titles in 2022 and 2023.
RHP Michael Ross
Elaborated: Minnesota Twins. Round 18 (No. 548 overall)
Slot value: N/A
What you should know: Ross went 13-0 with a 3.27 ERA for Samford last season, earning him Southern Conference Pitcher of the Year honors. If Ross decides to transfer to Florida rather than pursue a pro career, he could earn a spot in UF’s rotation and improve his draft value.
SS Brendan Lawson
Elaborated: St. Louis Cardinals. Round 19 (No. 561 overall)
Slot value: N/A
What you should know: One of Canada’s top young players, Lawson came to the United States for his senior year to play at the P27 Academy in Lexington, SC. At 6’3″ and 200 pounds, Lawson is more likely to be a third baseman or outfielder at the college or professional level.
Kevin Brockway is the Gainesville Sun’s Florida reporter. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1
Cardi B is accused of using a song from the FX show “Rez Dogs” without permission: lawsuit
The Bikeriders Review – Life in the motorcycle club
South Korean Samsung union declares “indefinite” strike
About The Author
