Key Florida Gators player announces his return to Gainesville.
The Florida Gators were hit hard by the MLB Draft, but they’ll have a vital player back for next season.
On Monday, Florida Gators starting shortstop Colby Shelton confirmed his return to Gainesville for the upcoming season via X. Shelton was a significant coup out of the transfer portal last year, filling the shortstop void left by former Gator Josh Rivera heading into 2024.
There were high hopes for Shelton entering the season after an impressive freshman year with Alabama where he hit .300 and smashed 25 homers.
However, he was unable to maintain his previous level of performance in his sophomore year at Florida. However, he remained impressive with the Gators in 2024. He hit.254/.374/.551, with 20 home runs, 14 doubles, and 56 RBI.His.925 OPS was third on the squad, trailing Jac Caglianone (1.419) and Ty Evans (.987).
One of the reasons he did not replicate his freshman year was his inability to regulate his strikeouts. He scored 82 last season.
Shelton didn’t have the season he hoped for in his first year with the Gators, but he still made significant contributions. He was one of the primary reasons they made it to Omaha.
In an elimination game against Oklahoma State in the Stillwater Regional, he hit a three-run homer to give them the lead and eventually the win, putting them in position for a winner-take-all rematch with the same opponents.
Returning Shelton strengthens Kevin O’Sullivan’s infield and adds a powerful bat to his lineup. When Shelton is paired with the incoming transfers O’Sullivan brought in, the infield should look like Bobby Boser at third base, Shelton at shortstop, Cade Kurland at second base, and Justin Nadeau/Brody Donay/Luke Heyman at first.
With this revelation, the Gators will have a top infield in the SEC and will undoubtedly be a top team nationally in 2025.