Luke McNeillie appeals for a check swing on a strikeout during the Gators' game against the Arkansas Razorbacks on Sunday, April 27, 2025 at in Gainesville, Fla. / UAA Communications photo by Lorenzo Vasquez
McNeillie, Peterson Nab BA Preseason All-America Honors
Tuesday, February 3, 2026 | Baseball
Liam Peterson was named a first-team starting pitcher and Luke McNeillie a second-team reliever.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Baseball America revealed its 2026 Preseason All-America teams on Tuesday morning highlighted by a pair of Florida right-handed pitchers in juniors Liam Peterson (first team) and Luke McNeillie (second team).
Additionally, Baseball America released 20-man, preseason watch lists for its 2026 awards. Peterson was among those named to the Preseason College Pitcher of the Year Watch List while sophomore infielder Brendan Lawson was tabbed on the Preseason College Player of the Year Watch List.
Chosen by a respected pool of Major League Baseball scouts, Baseball America's list of Preseason All-Americans included a first, second and third team. McNeillie's second-team honor as a relief pitcher marked the first All-America recognition of his career while Peterson hauled in his second first-team starting pitcher accolade in the last month.
McNeillie joins Peterson and sophomore righty Aidan King as a Preseason All-American, as the latter was handed a second-team nod by D1Baseball on Jan. 20. Over his first two years in Orange & Blue, McNeillie solidified himself as a go-to weapon out of the UF bullpen and is primed for an even bigger role in his junior campaign.
Likely to be deployed as either the Sunday starter or a multi-inning relief ace, McNeillie will be turned to early and often in 2026 after making a team-high 28 appearances last season (two starts). Pitching to a 5-2 record, the Milton, Ga. product held opposing hitters to a .230 batting average while working to a 4.82 ERA and one save. By fanning 72 batters against just 24 walks in 52 1/3 frames, McNeillie finished with 9.9 strikeouts per nine and a 3.0 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
All told, McNeillie has thrown in 54 career games as a Gator including four starts. He carries a .241 batting average against and 115 strikeouts to 45 walks in 88.0 innings into his junior season.
Highly regarded as one of the top pitchers for the 2026 MLB Draft, Peterson finished his sophomore 2025 campaign ranked 20th nationally and fifth in the SEC with 12.5 strikeouts per nine – the third-highest, single-season rate in program history. Pitching in 16 games including 15 weekend starts as staff ace, the Palm Harbor, Fla. native logged an 8-4 record, 4.28 ERA, .250 batting average against and 3.0 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Pacing the Gators in wins, starts and strikeouts, the flame-throwing righty tossed a career-high four quality starts and fanned 11 or more batters in three separate outings. Peterson also lowered his ERA by 2.15 points compared to his rookie year. As no stranger to the spotlight, every appearance of his career has occurred in weekend series play, with all but one outing being of the starting variety.
Holding status as Baseball America's top-ranked college player for the 2027 MLB Draft, Lawson is fresh off Freshman All-America honors after starting 60 of 61 games and slashing .317/.417/.522 for a .939 OPS. Slugging 10 homers and 14 doubles, Lawson ranked second on the team in RBI (61), multi-RBI games (15) and multi-hit games (23) while seeing action at first, second and third base.
The Gators are currently in week four of preseason practice, with all practices and scrimmages free to attend and open to the public. Florida opens up the 2026 season at home on Friday, Feb. 13 with the first contest of a three-game series against UAB. Season tickets and SEC Saturday Packs are currently on sale and can be accessed via the baseball ticketing home.
2026 Preseason All-America Honors
RHP Liam Peterson – 2x First Team (Baseball America, Perfect Game), Preseason College Pitcher of the Year Watch List (Baseball America)
RHP Aidan King – Second Team (D1Baseball)
INF Brendan Lawson - Preseason College Player of the Year Watch List (Baseball America)
RHP Luke McNeillie – Second Team (Baseball America)
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Additionally, Baseball America released 20-man, preseason watch lists for its 2026 awards. Peterson was among those named to the Preseason College Pitcher of the Year Watch List while sophomore infielder Brendan Lawson was tabbed on the Preseason College Player of the Year Watch List.
Chosen by a respected pool of Major League Baseball scouts, Baseball America's list of Preseason All-Americans included a first, second and third team. McNeillie's second-team honor as a relief pitcher marked the first All-America recognition of his career while Peterson hauled in his second first-team starting pitcher accolade in the last month.
McNeillie joins Peterson and sophomore righty Aidan King as a Preseason All-American, as the latter was handed a second-team nod by D1Baseball on Jan. 20. Over his first two years in Orange & Blue, McNeillie solidified himself as a go-to weapon out of the UF bullpen and is primed for an even bigger role in his junior campaign.
Likely to be deployed as either the Sunday starter or a multi-inning relief ace, McNeillie will be turned to early and often in 2026 after making a team-high 28 appearances last season (two starts). Pitching to a 5-2 record, the Milton, Ga. product held opposing hitters to a .230 batting average while working to a 4.82 ERA and one save. By fanning 72 batters against just 24 walks in 52 1/3 frames, McNeillie finished with 9.9 strikeouts per nine and a 3.0 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
All told, McNeillie has thrown in 54 career games as a Gator including four starts. He carries a .241 batting average against and 115 strikeouts to 45 walks in 88.0 innings into his junior season.
Highly regarded as one of the top pitchers for the 2026 MLB Draft, Peterson finished his sophomore 2025 campaign ranked 20th nationally and fifth in the SEC with 12.5 strikeouts per nine – the third-highest, single-season rate in program history. Pitching in 16 games including 15 weekend starts as staff ace, the Palm Harbor, Fla. native logged an 8-4 record, 4.28 ERA, .250 batting average against and 3.0 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Pacing the Gators in wins, starts and strikeouts, the flame-throwing righty tossed a career-high four quality starts and fanned 11 or more batters in three separate outings. Peterson also lowered his ERA by 2.15 points compared to his rookie year. As no stranger to the spotlight, every appearance of his career has occurred in weekend series play, with all but one outing being of the starting variety.
Holding status as Baseball America's top-ranked college player for the 2027 MLB Draft, Lawson is fresh off Freshman All-America honors after starting 60 of 61 games and slashing .317/.417/.522 for a .939 OPS. Slugging 10 homers and 14 doubles, Lawson ranked second on the team in RBI (61), multi-RBI games (15) and multi-hit games (23) while seeing action at first, second and third base.
The Gators are currently in week four of preseason practice, with all practices and scrimmages free to attend and open to the public. Florida opens up the 2026 season at home on Friday, Feb. 13 with the first contest of a three-game series against UAB. Season tickets and SEC Saturday Packs are currently on sale and can be accessed via the baseball ticketing home.
2026 Preseason All-America Honors
RHP Liam Peterson – 2x First Team (Baseball America, Perfect Game), Preseason College Pitcher of the Year Watch List (Baseball America)
RHP Aidan King – Second Team (D1Baseball)
INF Brendan Lawson - Preseason College Player of the Year Watch List (Baseball America)
RHP Luke McNeillie – Second Team (Baseball America)
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