Josh Rivera arrived at UF as one of the top prep shortstop prospects in the country from IMG Academy in Bradenton. (Photo: Aydan Child/UAA Communications)
Carter's Corner: Freshmen Rivera, Hickey Fit Right In
Saturday, February 15, 2020 | Baseball, Scott Carter
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By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In the press box on Friday night shortly before the first pitch, Gators radio announcers Steve Russell and Jeff Cardozo commented during their intro about the special aura that engulfs a ballpark on opening day.
If you are a baseball fan, you can relate. Everything is fresh and potential blooms.
That was especially true for the Gators, coming off a lackluster 34-26 season, on Friday as they played their final opener at McKethan Stadium. Their future home, Florida Ballpark, is rising higher from the ground each day. They did not disappoint the 4,441 fans who turned out on a celebratory night.
The Gators started the 2020 season with a 9-2 win over Marshall. They play again this afternoon and close out their season-opening series Sunday.
Part of the intrigue of opening day is the new faces on the roster that you may have heard about, you may have read about, but you have not seen play with your own eyes. Two of those players were in Florida's starting lineup Friday: freshman shortstop Josh Rivera and freshman designated hitter/catcher Nathan Hickey.
Both showed why head coach Kevin O'Sullivan had them in the lineup.
Rivera went 1-for-4 with a solo homer and Hickey was 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored.
"I think they both handled it pretty well," O'Sullivan said. "It's not easy. You're playing in front of 5,000 people. It's something they are not used to at all."
Let's start with Rivera, who arrived at UF from IMG Academy in Bradenton. Rivera hit .352 with 25 RBI in 25 games during his injury plagued senior season. He has superb raw tools and a 6-foot-2, 205-pound frame that moves gracefully as he glides to field ground balls.
Rivera looked antsy his first two trips to the plate Friday night, striking out both times. However, with Florida nursing a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth, Rivera lined a 1-1 pitch from Marshall reliever Trey Alderman into the left-field bleachers for his first career hit and UF's first home run of the season. Rivera showed off his strong arm in the eighth when he fielded a grounder by Jordan Billups in the hole and threw a dart to first for the out.
At first glance, it's easy to see why the Padres took a 22nd-round flyer on Rivera in last summer's MLB amateur draft.
"You see exactly what we see, why Josh is starting at short,'' O'Sullivan said. "He's really good defensively. I mean, really good. He is sure-handed. The first couple of at-bats were obviously freshman at-bats, then he ran into a ball. He led our team in home runs in the fall.
"He's a very confident kid. He's got a chance to be a really good player. He's got a chance to follow in the same footsteps as some of the other guys we've had play that positive over the years."
Freshman Nathan Hickey picked up a pair of hits in his Gators debut on Friday night at McKethan Stadium. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA Communications)
Meanwhile, Hickey made his college debut at DH on Friday as junior Cal Greenfield started at catcher and senior Kirby McMullen at third, the two positions Hickey plays in the field. A gifted player from the Providence School in Jacksonville, where he hit 14 home runs as a senior, Hickey is expected to play behind the plate before the weekend series is over.
He struck out his first at-bat Friday before a single in the fourth for his first career hit. He singled again in the seventh and scored on first baseman Kris Armstrong's three-run homer.
Hickey's presence in the batter's box stands out.
"Hickey can really hit. He's versatile, too. He's just a natural hitter," O'Sullivan said.
Rivera and Hickey started in a lineup that featured several new faces, including McMullen at third, Armstrong at first and Greenfield behind the plate. O'Sullivan considers the versatility and depth of the everyday lineup as one of the team's strengths heading into the season.
Another freshman who impressed in his debut was right-handed reliever Nick Ficarrotta, who pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings to close out the victory.
Unlike Rivera and Hickey, Ficarrotta flew under the radar at Palm Harbor University High. To even earn a shot on the mound with a roster of strong arms says something about his competitiveness.
"I mean a true walk-on, a non-recruited walk-on,'' O'Sullivan said. "He got into school on his own and went through the whole walk-on process. He just continues to get better and better. You just never know."
Those are wise words in this game. But at least for one night, the stars aligned for the Gators and a pair of their high-profile freshmen.
It's a long season. There are sure to ebbs and flows.
Still, Rivera and Hickey were easy to spot on the first night of their UF careers.
"It means a lot when they finally get their first hit,'' O'Sullivan said. "As minimal as it may seem -- it's only game one of 56 – just to get that first hit out of the way kind of takes some of the pressure off."
