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Gators Baseball Flips Top-100 Recruit from Oklahoma

After hiring Oklahoma assistant Todd Butler, the Gators have flipped one of the Sooners' top high school recruits.
Cam Parker|
The Florida Gators have flipped a top-100 prospect in the 2026 recruiting class.
The Florida Gators have flipped a top-100 prospect in the 2026 recruiting class. | Courtesy of UAA Communications

The Florida Gators baseball program added one of the top high school prospects to its 2026 recruiting class on Thursday,

Walker (La.) outfielder Braylen Montgomery, the top-ranked outfielder in the state of Louisiana and No. 91 overall prospect in the class, has flipped his commitment from Oklahoma to Florida, he announced on social media.

Montgomery's flip comes after Florida hired Oklahoma assistant Todd Butler, who recruited Montgomery, as an assistant coach last week. Butler will also lead the Gators' recruiting efforts moving forward.

While his 2026 stats are not listed, Montgomery hit .424 with six home runs and 29 RBIs as a junior in 2025, according to GeauxPreps. He also stole 19 bases. He also hit .373 with seven home runs, 38 RBIs and another 19 stolen bases in 2024.

Across his preps career, he earned Class 5A All-State First-Team honors from Louisiana Prep Baseball Report and Louisiana Baseball Coaches Association and helped Walker appear in the Class 5A State Tournament in 2025.

While Montgomery has flipped his commitment, there is no guarantee he ends up on campus as a 2026 MLB Draft prospect. Among Florida's 2026 recruiting class, four signees were among the expected participants in last week's MLB Draft Combine: right-handed pitcher Brady Snow, left-handed pitcher Colin White, infielder Kevin Roberts Jr. and outfielder Brady Harris.

Roberts Jr. is Florida's highest-rated draft prospect at No. 128 overall, while Harris is rated as the No. 160 overall prospect, and Snow is rated as the No. 168 overall prospect, according to MLB.com.

The 2026 MLB Draft begins with Rounds 1-4 on Saturday, July 11 and concludes with Round 5-20 on Sunday, July 12. The deadline for drafted prospects to elect to either return or enroll in college is on July 27 at 5 p.m. ET.

Meanwhile, the Gators signed one of the top 2026 recruiting classes in the country with the four aforementioned prospects and now Montgomery. Joining those five are infielder Keaton Neal, outfielder Lorenzo Laurel, right-handed pitcher Cameron Hines, left-handed pitcher Carter Cox, left-handed pitcher Tyler Ellis, right-handed pitcher Ethan Wheeler, catcher Luke Labbe, shortstop Brandon Lorenzo and second baseman Brandon Heller.

Florida's 2026 recruiting class ranks 11th nationally by Perfect Game after being No. 6 on signing day in November. Baseball America had the Gators at No. 5 on signing day, as well.

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Cam Parker
CAM PARKER

Cam Parker is a reporter covering the Florida Gators, Auburn Tigers and Clemson Tigers with a degree in journalism from the University of Florida. He also covers and broadcasts Alachua County high school sports with The Prep Zone and Mainstreet Daily News. When he isn't writing, he enjoys listening to '70s music such as The Band or Lynyrd Skynyrd, binge-watching shows and playing with his cat, Chester, and dog, Rufus.

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