Meet the Gators: Frank Menendez & Jacob Gomberg
Friday, December 1, 2023 | Baseball
Toeing the slab this week in the 2023 Meet the Gators series are two freshman southpaws in Frank Menendez of Miami, Fla. and Jacob Gomberg, who hails from Coral Springs, Fla.
As a product of Doral Academy Charter School, Menendez is set to wear No. 31 in Orange & Blue. Meanwhile, Gomberg will be found sporting jersey No. 17 in his rookie campaign after graduating from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School last spring. Both players ranked as top-350 prospects nationally entering college per Perfect Game, with Menendez coming in at No. 181 and Gomberg following closely behind at No. 327.
Luckily for Gators fans, this duo already had the opportunity to debut in Florida uniforms. Menendez appeared against Georgia and Stetson this fall, impressing with a clean inning of work and one strikeout in the win over the Bulldogs. Gomberg took the rubber at Condron Family Ballpark for the first time vs. Stetson on Nov. 5, firing one scoreless frame on one walk with two strikeouts.
Playing under head coach Ralph Suarez, Menendez was a three-time letterwinner at Doral Academy. Over the course of his career, he posted a 12-4 record backed by a 1.84 ERA and .138 batting average against across 33 appearances. That resume featured 158 strikeouts in 99 innings, translating to 14.4 strikeouts per nine.
In his senior campaign, Menendez went 5-2 with a sparkling 1.94 ERA and 55 strikeouts across 36 frames. In fact, the young lefty pitched to a sub-2.00 ERA in each of his three varsity seasons from 2021-23. As a result, Menendez entered college ranked as the No. 26 left-hander in the country while holding status as the No. 24 player and No. 4 lefty in Florida.
Having also competed for Canes National and the New York Mets Scout Team during his prep days, Menendez earned a pair of Perfect Game Preseason First Team All-Region nods his final two years. He was named to four all-tournament teams at PG events from 2019-22, including capturing Most Valuable Pitcher honors at the 2023 PG Gulf Coast High School Showdown.
Fellow rookie hurler Gomberg also arrives with a strong track record, lettering under head coach Scott Fitzgerald at Marjory Stoneman Douglas. Helping build MSD into a powerhouse, Gomberg and the Eagles captured three-straight state titles from 2021-23 including a pair of national championships. As a junior, Gomberg struck out 27 batters across 17 1/3 innings for a staunch 14.0 K/9. Most notably, the left-hander held opposing hitters to a miniscule .200 batting average.
Gomberg's work on the Perfect Game circuit earned him four PG Preseason All-Region accolades, culminating with first-team status in each of 2022 and 2023. He was named to 18 different all-tournament teams at PG events from 2017-2022, highlighted by a Tournament Most Valuable Pitcher award at the 2023 16U BCS National Championship.
Just like Menendez, Gomberg also suited up for Canes National and the Mets Scout Team as a prepster. He was a PG National Showcase participant in 2022 and exited high school as the No. 45 left-handed pitcher nationally. Gomberg also ranked as the No. 46 recruit and No. 9 southpaw in the state.
Season Ticket Information
Season tickets are currently on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online or by contacting the Gator Ticket Office at (352) 375-4683. Season ticket prices and availability can be accessed directly here.
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As a product of Doral Academy Charter School, Menendez is set to wear No. 31 in Orange & Blue. Meanwhile, Gomberg will be found sporting jersey No. 17 in his rookie campaign after graduating from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School last spring. Both players ranked as top-350 prospects nationally entering college per Perfect Game, with Menendez coming in at No. 181 and Gomberg following closely behind at No. 327.
Luckily for Gators fans, this duo already had the opportunity to debut in Florida uniforms. Menendez appeared against Georgia and Stetson this fall, impressing with a clean inning of work and one strikeout in the win over the Bulldogs. Gomberg took the rubber at Condron Family Ballpark for the first time vs. Stetson on Nov. 5, firing one scoreless frame on one walk with two strikeouts.
Playing under head coach Ralph Suarez, Menendez was a three-time letterwinner at Doral Academy. Over the course of his career, he posted a 12-4 record backed by a 1.84 ERA and .138 batting average against across 33 appearances. That resume featured 158 strikeouts in 99 innings, translating to 14.4 strikeouts per nine.
In his senior campaign, Menendez went 5-2 with a sparkling 1.94 ERA and 55 strikeouts across 36 frames. In fact, the young lefty pitched to a sub-2.00 ERA in each of his three varsity seasons from 2021-23. As a result, Menendez entered college ranked as the No. 26 left-hander in the country while holding status as the No. 24 player and No. 4 lefty in Florida.
Having also competed for Canes National and the New York Mets Scout Team during his prep days, Menendez earned a pair of Perfect Game Preseason First Team All-Region nods his final two years. He was named to four all-tournament teams at PG events from 2019-22, including capturing Most Valuable Pitcher honors at the 2023 PG Gulf Coast High School Showdown.
Fellow rookie hurler Gomberg also arrives with a strong track record, lettering under head coach Scott Fitzgerald at Marjory Stoneman Douglas. Helping build MSD into a powerhouse, Gomberg and the Eagles captured three-straight state titles from 2021-23 including a pair of national championships. As a junior, Gomberg struck out 27 batters across 17 1/3 innings for a staunch 14.0 K/9. Most notably, the left-hander held opposing hitters to a miniscule .200 batting average.
Gomberg's work on the Perfect Game circuit earned him four PG Preseason All-Region accolades, culminating with first-team status in each of 2022 and 2023. He was named to 18 different all-tournament teams at PG events from 2017-2022, highlighted by a Tournament Most Valuable Pitcher award at the 2023 16U BCS National Championship.
Just like Menendez, Gomberg also suited up for Canes National and the Mets Scout Team as a prepster. He was a PG National Showcase participant in 2022 and exited high school as the No. 45 left-handed pitcher nationally. Gomberg also ranked as the No. 46 recruit and No. 9 southpaw in the state.
Season Ticket Information
Season tickets are currently on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online or by contacting the Gator Ticket Office at (352) 375-4683. Season ticket prices and availability can be accessed directly here.
Follow the Gators
#GoGators
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