GAINESVILLE, Fla. – As a freshman in 2017,
Tyler Dyson proved he can step into the spotlight without falling off the stage.
If anyone needs a refresher course, it was Dyson who won a pair of do-or-die games in the postseason, first against Wake Forest in the Gainesville Super Regional that sent the Gators to Omaha, and then against LSU in Game 3 of the College World Series.
As Dyson prepares for the start of his junior season – the Gators opened preseason practice on Friday – he is set to make his first opening-night start when UF hosts Long Beach State on Feb. 15. Dyson will become the 11th different opening-night starter in 12 seasons for UF head coach
Kevin O'Sullivan.
Logan Shore is the only pitcher to start twice on opening night for the Gators under O'Sullivan.
"There's a lot of expectations on that day, but you treat it as any other,'' Dyson said.
O'Sullivan has turned out an impressive crop of pitchers at UF, including two first-rounders in 2018 in
Brady Singer and
Jackson Kowar. Dyson has the tools to become UF's next first-rounder if he can rediscover the form he showed late in his freshman season.
He was named a preseason first-team All-American by
Baseball America this week, an indication of how those closely connected to the game view him. Dyson seeks to rebound from a sub-par sophomore season (5-3, 4.47 ERA) that was inconsistent due to control issues (28 walks in 50 1/3 innings) and a nagging injury.
Still, with a nasty repertoire and fastball in the mid-to-upper 90s, Dyson is an intriguing talent who will be closely watched throughout the season by MLB scouts visiting McKethan Stadium.
He is now a veteran in a starting rotation that will feature sophomores
Tommy Mace and
Jack Leftwich to open the season. In his first two seasons, Dyson was behind upperclassmen
Alex Faedo, Singer and Kowar.
"I'm happy to be in that role,'' he said. "I love talking to these guys, whether it's on-the-field stuff, off-the-field stuff. Whatever they need I'm there for them. It's kind of natural for me to be a leader and take those guys on. I've had a lot of guys to lean on. It's been huge for me."
The Gators will definitely lean on 6-foot-3 Dyson in 2019, staring on Feb. 15. A look at UF's opening-night starters under O'Sullivan:
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OPENING ACTS
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| SEASON |
PLAYER |
Yr. |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
RESULT |
| 2008 |
Kyle Mullaney |
So. |
3 |
9 |
6 |
6 |
1 |
3 |
No-decision in win vs. Siena |
| 2009 |
Patrick Keating |
Sr. |
7 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
7 |
Won 6-3 against Louisville |
| 2010 |
Tommy Toledo |
So. |
3.1 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
4 |
ND in 6-2 win over USF |
| 2011 |
Brian Johnson |
So. |
6 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
Won 7-2 against USF |
| 2012 |
Hudson Randall |
Jr. |
5.2 |
5 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
ND in win over Cal-Fullerton |
| 2013 |
Jonathon Crawford |
Jr. |
3.2 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
ND in 4-3 loss to Duke |
| 2014 |
Bobby Poyner |
Jr. |
5.1 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
5 |
Won 4-0 against Maryland |
| 2015 |
Logan Shore |
So. |
5 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
Won 9-1 vs. Rhode Island |
| 2016 |
Logan Shore |
Jr. |
5 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
6 |
Won 4-2 vs. FGCU |
| 2017 |
Alex Faedo |
Jr. |
4.2 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
7 |
ND in W vs. William & Mary |
| 2018 |
Brady Singer |
Jr. |
7 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
8 |
Defeated Siena 7-1 |
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