The Gators have an abundance amount of arms on their pitching staff heading into the 2021 season. They have one of the best rotations in the country and are also believed to have the best and deepest bullpen in the country.
With top pitchers like Tommy Mace, Jack Leftwich and Hunter Barco, it’s easy to forget the other top pitchers in Florida’s staff. Their bullpen consists of tall, power arms that can light up a radar gun while also pounding the strike zone.
The Gators have a lot more quality arms due to all of them returning from the shortened 2020 season. Florida also signed a couple more quality pitchers from their 2020 recruiting class. There are a lot of pitchers on Florida’s staff to keep an eye on, but here are three pitchers that are breakout candidates.
1. RHP Franco Aleman
Aleman was one of the top JUCO prospects in the 2020 recruiting class after spending his freshman season at Florida International University. Aleman transferred to St. John’s River State College but also made his commitment to Florida.
After his sophomore season, Aleman has made his way to Gainesville and is a candidate to be the Gators in 2021. Aleman is competing for the closer role with graduate transfer left-handed pitcher Trey Van Der Weide and 2020 closer, Ben Specht.
Aleman is a 6-foot-6 235-pound right-handed pitcher with a power fastball that’s been clocked at 97 mph. His secondary pitches are average right now, but Aleman has a limited baseball background.
The junior right-hander was primarily a basketball player from Cuba. Aleman has a lot of potential and the coaching staff is very high on the Cuban hurler. It will be interesting to watch how Kevin O’Sullivan and the Gators coaching staff utilizes him.
2. LHP Timmy Manning
The Gators lost many of their pitching signees after the MLB Draft due to lack of roster spots. However, Florida did keep some of their top pitching prospects, including the left-handed pitcher out of Cardinal Gibbons High School, Timmy Manning.
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound southpaw was considered one of the best left-handed pitching prospects in the 2020 MLB Draft. Many believed Manning would have signed with a MLB organization and wouldn’t make it to campus.
Manning went undrafted in the five-round 2020 MLB Draft and is one of the rising stars on the Gators. Manning doesn’t possess an upper 90s fastball like some of the pitchers on Florida’s staff, but he might have the best curveball.
His best pitch is his 12-6 curveball that impressed many scouts during the draft process. Manning also has a low 90s fastball that he can command and keep in the bottom part of the zone. Florida doesn’t have a lot of left-handers in their bullpen, so they will surely count on Manning out of the bullpen. I could also see Manning get some midweek starts during the season.
3. RHP Tyler Nesbitt
Finally, right-handed pitcher Tyler Nesbitt is another pitcher who could be a breakout candidate due to his strong but quiet 2020 season. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound pitcher made five appearances as a freshman, including a start against Florida A&M.
During his freshman season, Nesbitt threw 11.2 innings allowing seven hits, no runs, three walks and 17 strikeouts. He was also selected to the 2020 Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American team as a relief pitcher.
Nesbitt is a very solid pitcher who mixes his pitches very well and has a fastball that sits in the low 90s and tops out at 93 mph. The LaBelle native will mostly be used out of the bullpen in the upcoming season but could also get some midweek starts against non conference opponents.
