Florida Gators 2023 MLB Draft Recap: Eight Total Prospects Selected

The 2023 MLB Draft has concluded, with six current and two prospective Florida players selected over 20 rounds.

Six Gators and two of Florida’s high school commitments were selected in the 2023 MLB Draft, offering eight players in total the chance to go to pro across the three-day, 20-round event. 

Each prospect has the option to join the Gators for the 2024 campaign or enter the farm system of their pro teams now, with most of those decisions being influenced largely by the negotiations surrounding the player's signing bonus.

Florida now boasts 220 unique MLB draft selections in program history, including an incredible 105 picks since head coach Kevin O'Sullivan's 2008 hiring. 

Find each of the Gators' 2023 MLB Draft selections below, including both committed prospects.

OF Wyatt Langford: Texas Rangers, first round, No. 4 overall

Slot value: $7.7 million

Langford became Florida's 18th first-round pick and second-highest-selected player in the MLB Draft in program history when his name was called upon by the Rangers.

Langford produced a career .363/.471/.746 slash line with 180 hits (including six triples and 37 doubles), 47 home runs, 120 RBI and 156 runs scored in 134 games played with the Gators. He took more walks (92) than strikeouts (89) and stole 16 bases over three seasons at UF, the majority of his appearances coming between the 2022-23 seasons after four at-bats as a freshman.

RHP Hurston Waldrep: Atlanta Braves, first round, No. 24 overall

Slot value: $3.27 million

A one-season stint with the Gators following two years at Southern Miss turned Waldrep into a first-round pick, viewed as a potential starter in the big leagues with a knack for retiring batters at the plate. 

Waldrep went 10-3 in 19 starts for the Gators, giving up a batting average of .228 and an ERA of 4.16. He tossed a whopping 156 strikeouts over 101.2 innings, good for the second-most Ks in Florida history behind Alex Faedo (157 in 2017). Waldrep also posted 156 strikeouts over 28 appearances (106.1 innings) in two seasons with the Golden Eagles.

RHP Brandon Sproat: New York Mets, second round, No. 56 overall

Slot value: $1.47 million

Sproat was selected No. 90 overall by the New York Mets a year ago following his first season as a starter for Florida, in which he went 9-4 over 17 appearances with 82 strikeouts with a batting average of .251 allowed. 

He opted to return to UF for a fourth-year junior campaign (with COVID-19-extended eligibility), and the decision paid off as he jumped over 30 spots in the day-one draft order this time around. Sproat went 8-3 in 19 appearances for Florida in 2023, posting an ERA of 4.66 while striking out 134 and giving up a batting average of .222.

RHP Steven Echavarria (commit): Oakland Athletics, third round, No. 72 overall

Slot value: $1.01 million

Echavarria was Florida's first high school commitment selected in this year's draft, and for good reason. The Millburn, N.J. product is considered the No. 10 righty in his recruiting class by Perfect Game after going 8-1 with 80 strikeouts and a 0.28 ERA over 50 innings during his senior season. MLB.com credits Echavarria with consistently clocking 96 miles per hour on his fastball in 2023.

Echavarria is leaning toward signing with the Athletics but has yet to reach a final decision, according to NJ.com. 

SS Josh Rivera: Chicago Cubs, third round, No. 81 overall

Slot value: $872,400

Rivera took on a starting role for Florida as a second-year freshman, and while he never gave it up, he failed to build an MLB Draft-caliber résumé as a junior which led brought him back to Gainesville for a fourth season in 2023.

Then things clicked offensively. As a fourth-year junior, Rivera produced 29 runs, 32 hits, 10 home runs and 40 RBIs more than he did as a third-year sophomore, in only six more games. He raised his batting average from .254 to .348 and his slugging percentage from .429 to .617 year-over-year.

LHP Philip Abner: Arizona Diamondbacks, sixth round, No. 175 overall

Slot value: $328,300

A 21-year-old sophomore, Abner was draft-eligible this year and on day two became the Gators' fifth player selected. Swamp247 reports that Abner is "more likely" to sign with Arizona than to return to UF.

Abner displayed dramatic growth this year compared to his freshman campaign, cutting his ERA by more than half from 8.06 in 2022 to 3.16 in 2023, trimming his batting average allowed down to .220, and striking out 14.6 batters per nine innings in a relief role. He took the mound for 31.1 innings across 25 appearances this season, winning three games.

INF Colby Halter: Oakland Athletics, 17th round, No. 496 overall 

Halter was the final member of Florida's 2023 roster to be selected in the draft, and he maintains college eligibility if he prefers to return to UF for his senior season. The left-handed batter, who has started 163 games across the Gators' infield over the past three seasons, posted a slash line of .247/.354/.405 with 43 hits, three home runs and 30 RBI as a junior.

INF Stone Russell (commit) Kansas City Royals, 18th round, No. 529 overall

A 19-year-old prospect from Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy, Russell is regarded as the No. 46 shortstop in his recruiting class by Perfect Game. He recorded a .436 batting average as a senior with 34 hits, three home runs and 35 RBI over 78 at-bats. 

Russell is viewed as "more likely" to join the Gators than go pro at this time, according to Swamp247, although that could change if Kansas City offers him a lucrative signing bonus relative to his selection value. 

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