How Transfer P Russell Sandefer is Making a Push for Gators' Weekend Starting Role

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Florida Gators head baseball coach Kevin O'Sullivan seemingly has a good problem: he's got plenty of trustworthy arms but not enough innings to go around.

So when UCF transfer Russell Sandefer took the mound on Tuesday against Stetson for his first start as a Gator, O'Sullivan wanted to see if he could take advantage of the opportunity. Safe to say, the 6-foot-1 junior did, allowing no baserunners while striking out six batters in three innings of work.

And, so much so that Sandefer may be on the way to improving his standing from being a reliever to being a weekend starter.

"Moving forward, he is going to push us to make some tough decisions for the weekends," O'Sullivan said after the 10-1 win. "I'm not saying we are going to make a move right now or anything like that. I don't want to press the panic button, or anything like that, but if he keeps throwing the ball the way he did tonight, he is going to have to force our hand. That's the reality of it."

first start in Orange & Blue 🔥 pic.twitter.com/2otdY0AlQp
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) March 18, 2026

Sandefer, who made six starts last season with the Knights, was competing for Florida's Sunday starter role behind Liam Peterson (Friday) and Aidan King (Saturday) but ultimately lost the job to Hawai'i transfer Cooper Walls. Relegated to bullpen duty, Sandefer pitched in just 2/3 innings in the season-opener against UAB, suffering an injury that held him out until March 3.

Since returning, though, Sandefer has made a strong case for more innings in limited appearances in relief. In 7 1/3 innings in his last five appearances, Sandefer struck out 13 batters against five hits and four walks with no runs allowed.

While he admitted he would "prefer to start," Sandefer told Florida Gators on SI that he is focusing on just contributing to wins.

"I'm just trying to focus on contributing however I can. Whatever that role is, is out of my control," Sandefer said. "We've been playing really good baseball. We've been pitching the ball well. So, I'm just going to take whatever I can get. I guess I would prefer to start, but I just want to win."

O'Sullivan, meanwhile, is trying to find a balance in giving the arms who have earned innings those opportunities while giving others, such as lefty Jackson Hoyt, Caden McDonald and Billy Barlow, chances when the opportunity reveals itself, especially with reliever Ricky Reeth (shoulder) out for the next two weeks at least.

In Sandefer's case, this includes pushing for Walls' role as the Sunday starter. In five starts this season, Walls has pitched 18.1 innings with 23 hits and 10 earned runs against 16 strikeouts. The sophomore, albeit effective in his later innings, has struggled to get off to fast starts.

In 2 2/3 innings last week against High Point, he gave up six hits, four runs (two earned) against jjust one strike out. On Sunday against South Carolina, he gave up seven hits and three earned runs (all on a home run in the second) in 4 1/3 innings, but he struck out five batters and did not allow a run after giving up the long ball.

Before Sunday's game against the Gamecocks, O'Sullivan said Walls understands the importance of getting off to a good start even with the series clinched. After the win, O'Sullivan praised the sophomore's performance.

"I thought that after we scored three in the bottom of second, top of the third was really efficient, and he was really good. And that's what you need on Sunday," O'Sullivan said. "You just need strikes. I thought he threw the ball better."

Hawai'i transfer Cooper Walls is currently Florida's Sunday starter. | Kyle Lander / Florida Gators on SI

Only using McDonald, Hoyt and Barlow after Sandefer's start on Tuesday, Florida will have almost all of its main arms available for this weekend's series against Alabama, with Peterson, King and Walls presumably starting and Jackson Barberi, Ernesto Lugo-Canchola, Joshua Whritenour, Schuyler Sandford, Luke McNeillie and Sandefer available out of the pen.

Sandefer, should he get an opportunity, will have a chance to add to his resume as O'Sullivan mulls over his pitching assignments.

"It's definitely really good to hear, especially just because baseball is a hard game," Sandefer said when asked about O'Sullivan's praises. "... My fall performances, our Jacksonville game and our Georgetown game weren't great. My pre-spring, I wanted to be a little bit better. So hearing stuff like that is definitely going to boost my confidence a lot."