Third baseman Jonathan India is hitting .318 in conference play. The Gators host Vanderbilt Friday through Sunday in their final regular-season home series. (Photo: Madison Schultz for UAA)
India Continues to Impress as Gators Hit Homestretch of Regular Season
Thursday, May 12, 2016 | Baseball, Scott Carter
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Freshman third baseman is batting .302 and has flashed a steady glove
By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – If the Gators needed him to, freshman Jonathan India has all the tools to easily play second base. What about shortstop, the most demanding position on the infield?
Florida starting shortstop Dalton Guthrie offered his thoughts on India's defensive range Thursday afternoon following the No. 1-ranked Gators' final practice before they open a three-game series against No. 7 Vanderbilt on Friday night.
"He's not any normal third baseman,'' Guthrie said. "He's a great fielder, a great defender. I tell him to take anything he can. I trust him more than I trust myself probably."
Coming out of American Heritage High in Coral Springs, India was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers (25th round) in the 2015 MLB amateur draft and was ranked as the nation's top middle-infield prospect by PerfectGame.org.
India
Faced with the dilemma of having to replace the left side of the infield after the departures of third baseman Josh Tobias and shortstop Richie Martin from a year ago, Gators coach Kevin O'Sullivan moved Guthrie from second to shortstop. He put freshman Deacon Liput at second and inserted India into the lineup at the hot corner.
Whatever concerns existed prior to the season about replacing Tobias' dependable glove have long since disappeared. While India does have a team-high six errors, two of those miscues came during the first week of the season.
India has been the real deal in the field and at the plate the past three months.
"A very good baseball player,'' O'Sullivan said. "He is just playing third because of the dynamic of our infield. I can see Jonathan playing short his junior year for sure. I would not hesitate one bit if we ever had to play him at short if something ever happened."
While India's defensive play has steadied, his bat has heated up since the Gators opened SEC play. India is hitting .318 in conference play – second on the team behind first baseman Pete Alonso (.322) – with 10 extra-base hits and 19 RBI.
India delivered the game-winning hit in Florida's come-from-behind 11-4 victory over USF on Tuesday night, drilling a pitch from Bulls reliever Garrett Bye down the left-field line for an RBI double to score Guthrie in the seventh inning. India's 12th double of the season broke a 4-4 tie and gave the Gators their first lead of the game.
In his transition to the college game, India has relied on his mind as much as his talent.
"One big thing I've learned is always maintain a good attitude,'' he said Thursday. "Always work hard and you'll get somewhere in life. You can't bring bad at-bats onto the field. If you have a bad at-bat, there's always another one a couple of innings after."
India began the season batting at the bottom of the order. However, he has climbed the lineup card over the course of the season, hitting eighth, seventh, sixth and fifth at different times. O'Sullivan has batted India second in the order the past three games. India is hitting .302 overall, with three home runs and 30 RBI entering Friday's showdown against Vanderbilt ace Jordan Sheffield (7-3, 2.09 ERA, 92 SO in 77 2/3 IP).
India wore a protective bandage over his sore left thumb Thursday as he spoke to reporters. He also has been hampered by a hamstring injury.
Neither has slowed his progress down.
"The thing with Jonathan, he's tough now,'' O'Sullivan said. "He has been banged up from time to time throughout the season and he will not say a word. He just kind of keeps plugging along."
India wasn't around the last time the Gators faced Vanderbilt, a 7-3 victory in the SEC Tournament championship game. However, he understands the challenge this weekend starting with Sheffield.
The Gators (41-8, 16-7) are tied with South Carolina (37-11, 16-7) atop the SEC East and Vanderbilt (36-13, 14-10) remains within striking distance. With the hard-throwing Sheffield on the mound – he is a likely first-round pick in June's draft – India will step into the batter's box with a plan.
"Have a good approach,'' he said. "Stay on his fastball, drive it up the middle. You can't have big swings because he'll blow it past you."
Guthrie bats a spot ahead of India and plays next to him in the field. A year ago he was a freshman playing a new position. Guthrie has seen enough of India to have faith his new teammate can handle whatever situation arises as the Gators try to return to Omaha.
