Jackson Barberi (left), Aidan King (center) and Joshua Whritenour (right) pose together at USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team Training Camp in Cary, N.C. / Photo courtesy of USA Baseball
Summer Ball Recap: Gators Geared for Fall
Monday, August 24, 2026 | Baseball
Gator destinations included the USA Collegiate National Team, Cape Cod League, Florida Collegiate Summer League and Valley League.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The 2027 Florida Gators baseball team has arrived on campus for the 2026 fall semester, signifying the conclusion of participation in developmental summer leagues across the country for select players.
This past summer, 12 Gators took their talents to either the USA Collegiate National Team, Cape Cod League, Florida Collegiate Summer League or Valley League. More Gators competed in the Cape Cod League (seven) than any other summer destination while a nation-high three Florida players were named to the USA Collegiate National Team roster in right-handed pitchers Jackson Barberi, Aidan King and Joshua Whritenour.
With student-athletes back on campus, Florida's focus will shift to its fall practice season in the coming weeks. An announcement regarding the start of fall ball, as well as key dates and games, is expected on social media and FloridaGators.com in early September.
A complete breakdown of Gators who played summer baseball and how they performed can be found below.
RHP Jackson Barberi | Collegiate National Team | USA Baseball
Following three appearances at Collegiate National Team Training Camp, Barberi made his fourth and final appearance in the World Collegiate Baseball Championship against Japan after being selected to the official Team USA roster. The rising junior right-hander worked 4 2/3 innings with just one run allowed on one hit, two walks and five strikeouts for a 1.93 ERA and 0.64 WHIP.
C Jon Embury | Hyannis Harbor Hawks | Cape Cod League
As the reigning Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Year and a Buster Posey Award finalist, Embury played in 15 Cape Cod League games in preparation of his first season in Orange & Blue. Starting games at catcher (eight), third base (four) and designated hitter (two), Embury batted .320 with a .426 on-base percentage while tallying three doubles and eight walks.
RHP Cameron Hanes* | Winter Park Diamond Dogs | Florida Collegiate Summer League
In advance of his true freshman year at Florida, Hanes spent the summer pitching for the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs of the FCSL where he made five starts and nailed down one save for a total of six appearances. Across 24 2/3 innings, Hanes logged a 3.65 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 34-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
LHP Jackson Hoyt | Wareham Gatemen | Cape Cod League
Entering his sophomore season with the Gators, Hoyt spent the summer on the Cape and made nine pitching appearances highlighted by one start for the Wareham Gatemen. The left-handed hurler finished with one hold and a 3.79 ERA, striking out 20 batters over 19.0 frames.
RHP Aidan King | Collegiate National Team | USA Baseball
Fresh off being the fourth-ever underclassman to be crowned SEC Pitcher of the Year, King served as the co-ace of the USA Collegiate National Team this past July. The rising junior right-hander picked up right where he left off, chucking 8.0 innings without allowing an earned run during training camp and the World Collegiate Baseball Championship in Taiwan. Across King's three outings (two starts), he surrendered just six hits and one walk while racking up 14 strikeouts – translating to a 0.88 WHIP, 15.75 K/9 and 1.13 BB/9.
C Eddie Marshall | Chatham Anglers | Cape Cod League
Transferring to the Gators this past offseason, Marshall prepared for year one in Orange & Blue by playing 15 games for the Chatham Anglers. Starting 11 contests behind the dish, Marshall swatted two homers and two doubles on his way to a .353 on-base percentage, eight RBI, six runs scored and nine walks. He fielded at a .990 clip at the catching position while throwing out nine would-be base stealers in 37 tries.
RHP/DH Caden McDonald | Wareham Gatemen | Cape Cod League
In a short stint with Wareham on the Cape, McDonald went 2-for-4 at the plate with one double, one walk and one stolen base for a .500/.667/.750 slash line. The two-way All-American also pitched in two games including one start, striking out seven batters against three walks in 6.0 innings.
INF Nic Partridge | DeLand Suns | Florida Collegiate Summer League
After redshirting in his freshman 2026 campaign at Florida, Partridge got back into game action this summer across 16 games with the DeLand Suns of the FCSL. Primarily seeing time at third base, Partridge posted a .292/.435/.396 batting line while recording one triple, three doubles and five RBI. He also drew significantly more free passes (13) than strikeouts (seven).
RHP Schuyler Sandford | Brewster Whitecaps | Cape Cod League
Pitching mainly out of the Brewster bullpen, Sandford followed a strong redshirt freshman campaign with 14 2/3 frames of 3.07 ERA ball on the Cape. All but one of his eight appearances came in relief, as he was credited with one save and one hold while limiting opposing offenses to just five runs on 11 hits.
INF Colton Schwarz | Strasburg Express | Valley League
In advance of his second collegiate season, Schwarz sharpened his craft in eight games for the Valley League's Strasburg Express. Tapping into his power stroke, the rising sophomore infielder popped two home runs in 22 at bats and produced a .272/.543/.591 slash line. Schwarz showed maturity in his approach as evidenced by 11 walks to three strikeouts in 35 plate appearances.
OF Cash Strayer | Brewster Whitecaps | Cape Cod League
As the lone Gator to earn a spot in the Cape League All-Star Game, Strayer amassed 98 at bats in 30 games for Brewster. The rising sophomore outfielder reached base at a .353 clip while bashing three home runs and two doubles. Seeing most of his action in right field, Strayer compiled 33 total bases, 15 runs, 12 RBI, 16 walks and five steals.
RHP Joshua Whritenour | USA Collegiate National Team | Brewster Whitecaps (Cape Cod League)
Florida paced all schools with three players on the 2026 USA Collegiate National Team roster, as Whritenour also participated in training camp and was selected to the official 28-man squad for the World Collegiate Baseball Championship in Taiwan. Although the flame-throwing righty did not see action in Taiwan, he made three appearances at training camp in the form of 3.0 shutout, no-hit innings. He walked two and fanned three batters en route to a 0.67 WHIP.
Whritenour also went 1-0 with one save in three relief outings for Brewster on the Cape. He did not issue a walk and struck out two batters in 4 1/3 frames.
*denotes incoming freshman
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This past summer, 12 Gators took their talents to either the USA Collegiate National Team, Cape Cod League, Florida Collegiate Summer League or Valley League. More Gators competed in the Cape Cod League (seven) than any other summer destination while a nation-high three Florida players were named to the USA Collegiate National Team roster in right-handed pitchers Jackson Barberi, Aidan King and Joshua Whritenour.
With student-athletes back on campus, Florida's focus will shift to its fall practice season in the coming weeks. An announcement regarding the start of fall ball, as well as key dates and games, is expected on social media and FloridaGators.com in early September.
A complete breakdown of Gators who played summer baseball and how they performed can be found below.
RHP Jackson Barberi | Collegiate National Team | USA Baseball
Following three appearances at Collegiate National Team Training Camp, Barberi made his fourth and final appearance in the World Collegiate Baseball Championship against Japan after being selected to the official Team USA roster. The rising junior right-hander worked 4 2/3 innings with just one run allowed on one hit, two walks and five strikeouts for a 1.93 ERA and 0.64 WHIP.
C Jon Embury | Hyannis Harbor Hawks | Cape Cod League
As the reigning Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Year and a Buster Posey Award finalist, Embury played in 15 Cape Cod League games in preparation of his first season in Orange & Blue. Starting games at catcher (eight), third base (four) and designated hitter (two), Embury batted .320 with a .426 on-base percentage while tallying three doubles and eight walks.
RHP Cameron Hanes* | Winter Park Diamond Dogs | Florida Collegiate Summer League
In advance of his true freshman year at Florida, Hanes spent the summer pitching for the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs of the FCSL where he made five starts and nailed down one save for a total of six appearances. Across 24 2/3 innings, Hanes logged a 3.65 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 34-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
LHP Jackson Hoyt | Wareham Gatemen | Cape Cod League
Entering his sophomore season with the Gators, Hoyt spent the summer on the Cape and made nine pitching appearances highlighted by one start for the Wareham Gatemen. The left-handed hurler finished with one hold and a 3.79 ERA, striking out 20 batters over 19.0 frames.
RHP Aidan King | Collegiate National Team | USA Baseball
Fresh off being the fourth-ever underclassman to be crowned SEC Pitcher of the Year, King served as the co-ace of the USA Collegiate National Team this past July. The rising junior right-hander picked up right where he left off, chucking 8.0 innings without allowing an earned run during training camp and the World Collegiate Baseball Championship in Taiwan. Across King's three outings (two starts), he surrendered just six hits and one walk while racking up 14 strikeouts – translating to a 0.88 WHIP, 15.75 K/9 and 1.13 BB/9.
C Eddie Marshall | Chatham Anglers | Cape Cod League
Transferring to the Gators this past offseason, Marshall prepared for year one in Orange & Blue by playing 15 games for the Chatham Anglers. Starting 11 contests behind the dish, Marshall swatted two homers and two doubles on his way to a .353 on-base percentage, eight RBI, six runs scored and nine walks. He fielded at a .990 clip at the catching position while throwing out nine would-be base stealers in 37 tries.
RHP/DH Caden McDonald | Wareham Gatemen | Cape Cod League
In a short stint with Wareham on the Cape, McDonald went 2-for-4 at the plate with one double, one walk and one stolen base for a .500/.667/.750 slash line. The two-way All-American also pitched in two games including one start, striking out seven batters against three walks in 6.0 innings.
INF Nic Partridge | DeLand Suns | Florida Collegiate Summer League
After redshirting in his freshman 2026 campaign at Florida, Partridge got back into game action this summer across 16 games with the DeLand Suns of the FCSL. Primarily seeing time at third base, Partridge posted a .292/.435/.396 batting line while recording one triple, three doubles and five RBI. He also drew significantly more free passes (13) than strikeouts (seven).
RHP Schuyler Sandford | Brewster Whitecaps | Cape Cod League
Pitching mainly out of the Brewster bullpen, Sandford followed a strong redshirt freshman campaign with 14 2/3 frames of 3.07 ERA ball on the Cape. All but one of his eight appearances came in relief, as he was credited with one save and one hold while limiting opposing offenses to just five runs on 11 hits.
INF Colton Schwarz | Strasburg Express | Valley League
In advance of his second collegiate season, Schwarz sharpened his craft in eight games for the Valley League's Strasburg Express. Tapping into his power stroke, the rising sophomore infielder popped two home runs in 22 at bats and produced a .272/.543/.591 slash line. Schwarz showed maturity in his approach as evidenced by 11 walks to three strikeouts in 35 plate appearances.
OF Cash Strayer | Brewster Whitecaps | Cape Cod League
As the lone Gator to earn a spot in the Cape League All-Star Game, Strayer amassed 98 at bats in 30 games for Brewster. The rising sophomore outfielder reached base at a .353 clip while bashing three home runs and two doubles. Seeing most of his action in right field, Strayer compiled 33 total bases, 15 runs, 12 RBI, 16 walks and five steals.
RHP Joshua Whritenour | USA Collegiate National Team | Brewster Whitecaps (Cape Cod League)
Florida paced all schools with three players on the 2026 USA Collegiate National Team roster, as Whritenour also participated in training camp and was selected to the official 28-man squad for the World Collegiate Baseball Championship in Taiwan. Although the flame-throwing righty did not see action in Taiwan, he made three appearances at training camp in the form of 3.0 shutout, no-hit innings. He walked two and fanned three batters en route to a 0.67 WHIP.
Whritenour also went 1-0 with one save in three relief outings for Brewster on the Cape. He did not issue a walk and struck out two batters in 4 1/3 frames.
*denotes incoming freshman
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