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Report: Standout baseball transfer commits to Florida Gators

On3 imageby: Keith Niebuhr06/14/25On3Keith
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Photo by @GatorsBB

The Florida Gators have landed a talented baseball transfer who had a strong 2025 season for another program in the Sunshine State. That player is Jaden Bastian, according to Jacob Rudner of Baseball America.

Bastian, who plays center field, is transferring to UF from Jacksonville. He is considered one of the top college baseball players in the transfer portal. Last season, Bastian hit .302/.433/.552 with 11 homers, 10 doubles, 5 triples and 33 RBI. Additionally, he recorded 36 stolen bases in 2025.

Bastian, a native of Winter Garden, Fla., just completed his sophomore season with the Dolphins. He also had a productive freshman season, when he posted a slash line of .263/.421/.465 with 6 home runs, 2 doubles, 25 RBI and 11 stolen bases.

Here are Florida’s other baseball pickups thus far since the season ended:

RHP Russell Sandefer commits

Florida landed UCF right-handed pitcher Russell Sandefer on June 6. Sandefer went 2-3 this season and recorded a 3.38 ERA with 49 strikeouts in 50.2 innings as a sophomore for the Knights. He had the third lowest ERA on the team.

C/DH AJ Malzone commits

The Gators landed their second commitment on June 5 from junior college catcher/DH AJ Malzone of Wabash Valley College in Illinois. In 2025, he batted .347 and had 10 homers, 58 RBI and a .602 slugging percentage over 58 games.

RHP Ricky Reeth commits

Notre Dame pitcher Ricky Reeth committed to Florida on June 5 for his final year of eligibility. This season Reeth posted a 4-2 record, 4.31 ERA and 43 strikeouts against 12 walks in 22 appearances. He allowed 23 earned runs and 44 hits in 48 innings.

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