Freshman Emerging as Gators 2B Cade Kurland Continues to Recover from Oblique Injury

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Florida Gators redshirt junior second baseman Cade Kurland entered the 2026 season hoping to find a groove after back-to-back injury-riddled campaigns. Instead, his 2026 season has seen him battle another injury.

Kurland, batting .323 on the year with seven RBIs and one home run, has not played since the Feb. 25 midweek win over FIU due to an oblique injury. While Florida targeted a return for this weekend's SEC-opener against South Carolina, Kurland remains out of the lineup.

"I probably shouldn't have put a timeline on it because this oblique thing is something you have to take care of, because if you don't take care of it fully, then it could be recurring. It's a really difficult injury," head coach Kevin O'Sullivan told Florida Gators on SI after Friday's win. "It's not season-ending by no means, but you do have to be careful because one swing and here we are back again, and it's another couple weeks you're out.

"So, the next time we get him back in the lineup, rest assured that he's 100 percent."

An oblique injury has kept Florida infielder Cade Kurland out for nearly a month. | Cyndi Chambers/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After Saturday's series-clinching victory over the Gamecocks, O'Sullivan provided a positive update on Kurland, saying he had taken ground balls and dry swings (practice swings without a ball) and that Kurland "looked great" while doing sprints in the outfield.

"He's getting better. He said he's feeling good," O'Sullivan said. "I'm going to be awfully excited to get him back.”

In his place, Florida has used freshman Colton Schwarz with veteran Justin Nadeau as a secondary option. Schwarz, however, continues to impress defensively.

The 6-foot freshman, and younger brother of program legend JJ Schwarz, recorded an impressive put-out with the bases loaded two outs in the ninth inning to ultimately save the game for the Gators. Florida went on to win, 1-0, in the 10th thanks to Schwarz's play.

"You can get caught up in the sac-fly and get caught up in all that stuff, but if he doesn't make that play, I'm not quite sure I'm sitting here telling you guys we've won the game," O'Sullivan said.

On Saturday, Schwarz had another impressive play in the infield with two outs in the ninth inning, this time with much lower stakes. A back-handed stop on a hard-hit ball directly to him allowed Schwarz to record the final out in Florida's 3-0 win over the Gamecocks.

"He's a great player. We've seen it all fall. It's nothing new to him," pitcher Aidan King told Florida Gators on SI. "He doesn't allow the pressure to get to him or anything. He trusts himself and goes out there and performs."

slick snag to strand 'em loaded! ❌❌❌

🎥 SECN+ pic.twitter.com/X9q3enKhzO
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) March 14, 2026

While Kurland remains out for the time being, Schwarz has emerged as a nice defensive piece and one of multiple true freshmen who have made an impact this season alongside outfielders Cash Strayer and Jacob Kendall.

“In order to play as a freshman at this level, number one, you have to be talented enough. But your baseball IQ has got to be high," O'Sullivan said. "You have to be very mature, and most of the young men that have success as freshmen are very even-keeled. They do not get too high; they do not get too low. Like I said, they have instincts.”