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D1 Baseball is already prepping for the 2021 MLB Draft by releasing their top-150 college prospects for next year's draft, with the University of Florida leading the nation with the most prospects from a single program.
The Gators have eight of their student-athletes on the list, including three in the top 30. Only two other programs had five or more of their players on the list, while the SEC led all conferences with 37 prospects named to the list.
Below are the eight Gators who were named to the D1 Baseball Top College Draft Prospects List:
#4 OF Jud Fabian
#19 RHP Tommy Mace
#30 RHP Jack Leftwich
#53 RHP Franco Aleman
#87 RHP Ben Specht
#116 OF Jacob Young
#122 RHP Christian Scott
#148 RHP David Luethje
OF Jud Fabian
Outfielder Jud Fabian is the fourth-ranked prospect and the first Florida baseball player named to D1 Baseball’s list. He is also the top-ranked position player on their list. Fabian has five-tool potential and projects as an everyday center fielder and a top of the order batter at the next level.
Fabian had a strong 2020 season as he slashed .294/.407/.603. He also led the team with five home runs and 13 RBIs. Fabian spent his summer playing for the Orlando Scorpions in the Florida Collegiate Summer League. The Ocala native had a good summer as he batted .304 with two home runs, 11 RBIs and 15 walks. He also led his team eight stolen bases.
RHP Tommy Mace
Mace is the first of six Florida pitchers on D1 Baseball’s list. Mace was a projected second or third round pick in the 2020 MLB Draft. He’s now projected as a late first round selection. He will likely be a starting pitcher at the next level and has been clocked at 98 mph over the summer.
Mace had a bounce back season in 2020 after a rough 2019 season. In his four outings, Mace posted a 3-0 record with a 1.67 ERA, 26 strikeouts and 0.96 WHIP. Over the summer, Mace had two outings with the Orlando Scorpions. Mace posted a 1.80 ERA with six strikeouts in two outings.
RHP Jack Leftwich
Another starting pitcher in Florida’s weekend rotation that makes the list is right-hander, Jack Leftwich. The TNXL Academy graduate cracks No. 30 on D1 Baseball’s list. Like Mace, Leftwich was a top collegiate prospect in the 2020 MLB Draft who went undrafted.
During his junior season, Leftwich had a 2-0 record in four starts. He also posted a 4.15 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and struck out 23 batters in 21.2 innings pitched. Over the summer, Leftwich pitched and had a lot of success for the Orlando Scorpions, making three starts in four outings.
Leftwich had a 4-0 record, 1.38 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 13 innings pitched.
RHP Franco Aleman
Newcomer Franco Aleman comes in as the 53rd-ranked college draft prospect on D1 Baseball. Aleman was the only JUCO signee in Florida’s 2020 recruiting class. He projects to be the midweek starter on Florida’s 2021 pitching staff.
As a 2018 high school prospect, Aleman was the nation's 80th-ranked prospect on Perfect Game. He enrolled to Florida International University and made an impact for their team. The 6-foot-6 right-hander started the season as a midweek arm and earned his way into the rotation entering conference play. As a freshman, Aleman posted a 3-5 record with a 3.97 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 2.7 BB/9.
Aleman transferred out of FIU and committed to the Florida Gators while also announcing he’ll be attending St. Johns River State College for his sophomore season. The Tampa native was named the Preseason JUCO Pitcher of the Year on Baseball America.
At St. Johns, Aleman made seven appearances as a starter. He posted a 3-1 record with 3.26 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 38.2 innings pitched. He went undrafted and decided to honor his commitment and enroll at Florida.
RHP Ben Specht
Gators closer Ben Specht checks in as the 87th-ranked college draft prospect. He has spent the majority of his career at Florida as a relief pitcher and earned the closer role in the 2020 season. Specht has a fastball that sits 93-95 mph and tops out at 96. He also possesses a plus changeup and an above average slider.
Specht was impressive during the Gators' shortened 2020 season, making nine appearances all as a reliever. During his sophomore season, Specht posted a 0.75 ERA with three saves and a 0.83 WHIP while also striking out 16 batters in 12 innings pitched.
OF Jacob Young
Outfielder Jacob Young is coming off a terrific sophomore season in which his hitting streak from the 2019 season is still alive heading into the 2021 season. He is one of the top contact hitters in the country with elite speed and plus defense.
There aren’t many hitters in college that had a better season than the Gators outfielder. In the shortened 2020 season, Young batted .450 with 27 hits, six stolen bases and a 1.031 OPS. He also had four doubles, nine RBIs, and led the Gators with a .514% OBP.
Young was a draft-eligible sophomore earlier this year but still went undrafted. It’s believed that Young went undrafted because scouts want to see another season of him at the plate and see if he can develop any power with his bat-to-ball skills.
RHP Christian Scott
Right-handed pitcher Christian Scott was one of Florida’s most reliable and used arms in the bullpen, and checks in as the 122nd-ranked prospect on D1 Baseball.
Scott had some struggles as a freshman but rebounded with a strong 2020 season. As a sophomore, Scott posted a 2-0 record in seven appearances. He also had a 1.20 ERA, .200 opponent batting average and struck out 16 batters.
Over the summer, Scott played for the Delray Beach Lightning in the South Florida Collegiate League. Scott wasn’t himself and struggled in his three starts with the team. He recorded a 0-1 record and 7.56 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 8.1 innings pitched.
RHP David Luethje
Luethje, a former Under Armour All-American, is coming off a 2020 season in which he had some rough outings for Kevin O'Sullivan's program.
As a sophomore, Luethje made six appearances and posted a 2-0 record. He also had a 5.19 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and nine strikeouts. At 6-foot-5, 205 pounds, Luethje is an intriguing prospect for pro scouts. He’s a prototypical pitcher with size and still has room to fill in his long frame.
His fastball sits 90-93 mph and tops out at 94 mph with two-seam movement. Luethje also throws a plus slider that gets some swing and misses vs. right-handed hitters. A strong season for Luethje in 2021 could help his case for being a top-10 round draft pick a year from now.
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