The college baseball transfer portal officially closed June 30, meaning no more players can enter. However, players already in the portal still have time to weigh their options and head to new programs.
Florida has put together a good — but not great — portal class so far with nine commitments for the 2027 season: Florida Gulf Coast catcher Jon Embury, Samford catcher Eddie Marshall, Utah Tech second baseman Kyle McDaniel, Florida Atlantic infielder John Martinez, Gaston College infielder Caden Davidson, Oklahoma outfielder Drew Dickerson, Oregon State left-handed pitcher Trey Morris, Oregon State right-handed pitcher Zach Edwards and Jacksonville State right-handed pitcher Maddox McDougall.
While the Gators addressed several roster needs, one concern remains: left-handed pitching.
Florida entered the portal needing more production from lefty arms after relying almost exclusively on graduate Ernesto-Lugo Canchola during the 2026 season. Canchola, who earned the nickname "Everyday Ernie" for how frequently he pitched, was the only left-handed reliever head coach Kevin O'Sullivan consistently trusted.
When the transfer portal opened, every left-handed pitcher besides freshman Jackson Hoyt entered the portal, leaving Hoyt the only returning left-hander after Canchola graduated.
To this point, Florida has added just one left-handed pitcher, Oregon State Freshman All-American Trey Morris.
Morris followed pitching coach Rich Dorman to Gainesville after Dorman was officially hired on June 15. In his lone season with the Beavers, Morris posted a 1.98 ERA with 67 strikeouts through 59 innings while working both out of the bullpen and in the starting rotation.
His best pitch is his changeup, which generated an impressive 61.3% miss rate. Morris is ranked as the No. 58 overall transfer by Baseball America.
With junior starter Liam Peterson likely to depart in the Major League Baseball Draft, Morris appears to be the favorite to fill the Saturday starter role. However, Hoyt would still be the lone left-handed option in the bullpen.
Florida currently has three left-handed pitchers committed from the high school ranks: Colin White, Carter Cox and Tyler Ellis.
In a best-case scenario, all three arrive on campus. More realistically, one or two could be selected in the MLB Draft before they ever reach Gainesville.
White appears to have the highest chance of signing professionally. Baseball America projected him as a pitcher who could soar up draft boards before the season, and he strengthened his stock at the MLB Draft Combine by posting the fourth-highest spin rate among Day 1 attendees while reaching 96 mph with his fastball.
Both Cox and Ellis also have opportunities to be drafted and sign professionally before enrolling at Florida. The MLB Draft is scheduled for July 11-12.
Even if all three arrive in Gainesville, it is difficult to project how much they would contribute as freshmen.
That uncertainty could leave Florida searching for additional left-handed pitching.
Although most of the top left-handed arms have committed elsewhere, a few notable names remain available.
Michigan freshman Shane Brinham is one option.
The All-Big Ten freshman appeared in 18 games, including 10 starts, posting a 3.88 ERA with 61 strikeouts across 65 innings during his lone season with the Wolverines.
His best outing came May 21 against Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament, when he threw a complete-game shutout with 11 strikeouts.
The Canadian's calling card is his advanced feel for breaking balls, featuring a low-80s slider paired with an almost slurve-like curveball in the upper 70s. He also throws a mid-80s changeup, while his fastball can reach 95 mph.
Brinham is ranked as the No. 29 overall transfer by Baseball America.
The Gators could also look to secure another vetted left-hander in Stony Brook senior Micah Worley.
Worley started 14 games in 2026, throwing 69.1 innings with 93 strikeouts and a 3.12 ERA.
His best performance came April 11 against Hofstra, when he tossed 7.2 scoreless innings while striking out 13.
The 6-foot-5 left-hander features a gyro slider in the low-to-mid 80s that generated a 43% whiff rate in 2026. His fastball sits around 92 mph, has touched 98 and features an above-average ride.
Worley ranks as the No. 45 overall transfer, according to Baseball America.
One final name to monitor is Bradley University junior Davis Webb.
Webb posted a 6.66 ERA with 67 strikeouts in 52.2 innings while primarily working out of the bullpen during his lone season with the Braves.
The 6-foot-6 reliever generates more than 7 feet of extension from a low arm slot and is ranked as Baseball America's No. 61 overall transfer.
While left-handed pitching remains the biggest question, Florida addressed several other needs during the portal cycle.
After losing senior second baseman Cade Kurland to Louisiana State, the Gators filled the void with Utah Tech junior Kyle McDaniel.
McDaniel projects to be Florida's Opening Day second baseman. While he may not match Kurland's power, he brings an elite contact profile after posting a .951 OPS, a 92.4% overall contact rate and a 96.3% in-zone contact rate last season.
He ranks as Baseball America's No. 94 overall transfer.
Behind the plate, FGCU sophomore Jon Embury became Florida's first portal addition.
The Atlantic Sun Player of the Year is expected to relieve Karson Bowen of his starting catcher duties after Bowen exhausted his eligibility. Embury projects as a middle-of-the-order bat after recording an OPS above 1.000 with 17 home runs.
He is ranked as the No. 27 overall player in the portal by Baseball America.
Florida also reinforced its bullpen with Jacksonville State sophomore Maddox McDougall and Oregon State sophomore Zach Edwards.
Like Morris, Edwards followed Dorman to Gainesville and projects to become a key bullpen arm. Although he finished with a 5.61 ERA, he pitched better late in the season and struck out 37 batters in 25.2 innings.
McDougall, ranked No. 37 overall by Baseball America, posted a 2.76 ERA with 54 strikeouts in 49 innings while primarily pitching out of the bullpen.
Florida also added depth behind the plate with Samford freshman Eddie Marshall.
The Lighthouse native hit 12 home runs and batted .252 through 43 games. Marshall is expected to serve as the backup catcher in 2027 with the opportunity to compete for the starting job in 2028.
Former Gator John Martinez also returns to Gainesville after spending time at Florida Atlantic.
The Orlando native strengthens the middle infield depth with his defensive versatility at second base and shortstop. He also contributed offensively, batting .297 with 16 doubles in 55 games with FAU.
Gaston College freshman Caden Davidson gives Florida another impact bat.
Davidson posted video game-like numbers this season at the JUCO level, batting .500 with 23 home runs, 18 doubles and 110 RBIs in 58 games.
Although he primarily played first base, Davidson also has experience at third. His exact role remains uncertain, but he is poised to contribute immediately.
UF’s most recent position player addition came in the form of Oklahoma sophomore outfielder Drew Dickerson.
Fresh off a national championship, Dickerson adds outfield depth with Hayden Yost and Kyle Jones both draft eligible.
He batted .281 with four doubles, two triples, four home runs and 21 RBIs in 35 games. However, strikeouts remain a concern after fanning 77 times in 206 plate appearances.
Although the transfer portal has officially closed, Florida's class is not necessarily complete. Players already in the portal remain eligible to commit elsewhere.
Overall, Florida put together a solid transfer class by filling needs at catcher and the infield, adding outfield depth and strengthening the right-handed pitching in the bullpen.
After losing multiple arms, including likely top MLB Draft pick Liam Peterson, one thing is certain: Left-handed pitching remains Florida's top priority.
Though UF has begun to address its pitching needs, the Gators should have a much clearer picture of that position after the MLB Draft.
Contact Colton Veres at cveres@alligator.org. Follow him on X at @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.
