| Player: Russell Sandefer | |||||||||||
| School: Florida | Position(s): RHP | ||||||||||
| Height: 6’1″ | Weight: 180 lbs. | Bats: Right | Throws: Right | ||||||||
| Summary: One of the top arms in the transfer portal this off season, Sandefer will join the Gators pitching staff in 2026. At Central Florida in 2025, Sandefer logged an impressive 3.38 era over 50.2 innings of work. Sandefer started the season in the bullpen for the Golden Knights, allowing just four earned runs over twenty innings against some top teams in the country. As a starter, Sandefer logged five plus innings in four of his six starts. His SO/W ratio is impressive at 2.58. Sandefer also displays the ability to keep the ball in the yard, giving up only two long balls during the 2025 season over his 50.2 innings. There is room to grow in his 6’1″, 180 lbs. frame. The fastball has historically sat in the low 90’s, climbing up to 96mph. This fall, Sandefer has sat 94-95mph at Florida. The slider is his out pitch, with a 47% whiff rate in 2025. He also works in a change-up, primarily to lefties. With experience coming out of the pen and as a starter, Sandefer may be used as a swiss army knife for the Gators. Should he continue to mature physically, Sandefer projects to be a late round pick in 2026. | |||||||||||
Eric Dillinger is currently the Head Baseball Coach at Erie High School, entering his 4th season as the Head Coach and 9th season overall. Dillinger was the pitching coach at Erie prior to becoming head coach. At the club level, he has coached nationally for multiple organizations including the Colorado Yard Dawgs, the Colorado Rockies Scout program, and USA Prime. Dillinger is also currently the General Manager for D-BAT NW Denver. In addition to his duties as GM, he is also a senior pitching instructor. He is certified in Rapsodo Pitching and is also Driveline Certified (Pitch Design). Beyond coaching on the field, Dillinger enjoys helping athletes in the recruiting process. He has helped over 40 athletes find homes at the next level.
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