Meet the Gators: Reilly Witmer & Hayden Yost
Friday, December 22, 2023 | Baseball
As the holiday season reaches its pinnacle, the penultimate edition of the 2023 Meet the Gators series highlights a pair of freshmen in outfielder Hayden Yost of Tampa, Fla. and right-handed pitcher Reilly Witmer of Naples, Fla.
A product of Naples High School, Witmer will be found repping No. 25 in Orange & Blue this spring. Yost is set to suit up in No. 16 in his first campaign away from Sickles High School.
As a four-year letterwinner under head coach Jimmy Nocera at Naples, Witmer made 37 career appearances including 18 starts on the hill. All told, he provided 134 2/3 innings of 2.50 ERA ball backed by a .216 batting average against and 177 strikeouts. Witmer also stood out with the bat in 84 career games as a position player, hitting .311/.409/.520 with eight homers, 11 doubles and 52 RBI.
In his senior 2023 campaign, Witmer went 4-4 with a 2.49 ERA, .233 BAA and 54 strikeouts in 39 1/3 frames. The righty enjoyed arguably his best year as a sophomore in 2021, posting a 4-2 record, 1.72 ERA and .174 BAA in 40 2/3 innings.
Witmer was named Perfect Game Preseason First Team All-Region twice from 2022-23 and was a member of the 2022 PG National Showcase Top Prospect Team. Coming out of high school, he ranked as the No. 7 right-hander and No. 19 player in Florida, as well as the No. 125 recruit nationally.
Majoring in business at the University of Florida, Reilly is the son of Kimberly and Ian Witmer. He has one brother, Wyett Owen.
Also earning a quartet of letters as a prepster, Yost arrived in Gator Country after a standout career under head coach Eric Luksis at Sickles. Across 93 career games, Yost slashed .319/.481/.478 while totaling five homers, four triples, 15 doubles. 95 runs and 34 RBI over 317 plate appearances. On the basepaths, the speedy outfielder racked up 29 stolen bags.
Standing out for his plate discipline, Yost walked more than twice as many times (63) as he struck out (28) during his high school career – finishing with a miniscule 8.8% strikeout rate. Keeping steady with the mantra of handling the fundamentals, Yost made just one error in 107 defensive chances and finished his time at Sickles with a .991 fielding percentage.
Yost broke out in a big way as a senior, setting career highs in every slash category with a .404/.517/.606 batting line as Sickles won its first state title in program history. He swatted three homers, two triples and six doubles while scoring 37 runs and driving in another 19.
As a 2023 PG Preseason Second Team All-Region recipient, Yost was named to seven different all-tournament teams at PG events from 2018-22. He was also included on the 2021 Florida Top Prospect Games Showcase Top Prospect Team. Entering college, PG tabbed Yost as the No. 99 outfielder in the country in addition to being the No. 16 outfielder and No. 83 recruit in Florida.
Intending to major in business administration at the University of Florida, Hayden is the son of Lee and Kimberly Yost. He has one brother, Jordan.
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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A product of Naples High School, Witmer will be found repping No. 25 in Orange & Blue this spring. Yost is set to suit up in No. 16 in his first campaign away from Sickles High School.
As a four-year letterwinner under head coach Jimmy Nocera at Naples, Witmer made 37 career appearances including 18 starts on the hill. All told, he provided 134 2/3 innings of 2.50 ERA ball backed by a .216 batting average against and 177 strikeouts. Witmer also stood out with the bat in 84 career games as a position player, hitting .311/.409/.520 with eight homers, 11 doubles and 52 RBI.
In his senior 2023 campaign, Witmer went 4-4 with a 2.49 ERA, .233 BAA and 54 strikeouts in 39 1/3 frames. The righty enjoyed arguably his best year as a sophomore in 2021, posting a 4-2 record, 1.72 ERA and .174 BAA in 40 2/3 innings.
#Florida Commit ('23,FL) RHP Reilly Witmer @NaplesHS • 6'7" 215lbs. Up to 91 in the first. Retires the side on some elevated heat. #SpringClassic @PSBaseballinc pic.twitter.com/Y5G6BUlQqq
— Austin Legg (@realaustinlegg) March 15, 2023
Witmer was named Perfect Game Preseason First Team All-Region twice from 2022-23 and was a member of the 2022 PG National Showcase Top Prospect Team. Coming out of high school, he ranked as the No. 7 right-hander and No. 19 player in Florida, as well as the No. 125 recruit nationally.
Majoring in business at the University of Florida, Reilly is the son of Kimberly and Ian Witmer. He has one brother, Wyett Owen.
Also earning a quartet of letters as a prepster, Yost arrived in Gator Country after a standout career under head coach Eric Luksis at Sickles. Across 93 career games, Yost slashed .319/.481/.478 while totaling five homers, four triples, 15 doubles. 95 runs and 34 RBI over 317 plate appearances. On the basepaths, the speedy outfielder racked up 29 stolen bags.
Standing out for his plate discipline, Yost walked more than twice as many times (63) as he struck out (28) during his high school career – finishing with a miniscule 8.8% strikeout rate. Keeping steady with the mantra of handling the fundamentals, Yost made just one error in 107 defensive chances and finished his time at Sickles with a .991 fielding percentage.
Hayden Yost '23 - OF
— PBR Florida (@PBRFlorida) May 24, 2023
The @GatorsBB recruit got his State Final started lacing a 2B to RCF👇 pic.twitter.com/H48FE2SP8B
Yost broke out in a big way as a senior, setting career highs in every slash category with a .404/.517/.606 batting line as Sickles won its first state title in program history. He swatted three homers, two triples and six doubles while scoring 37 runs and driving in another 19.
As a 2023 PG Preseason Second Team All-Region recipient, Yost was named to seven different all-tournament teams at PG events from 2018-22. He was also included on the 2021 Florida Top Prospect Games Showcase Top Prospect Team. Entering college, PG tabbed Yost as the No. 99 outfielder in the country in addition to being the No. 16 outfielder and No. 83 recruit in Florida.
Intending to major in business administration at the University of Florida, Hayden is the son of Lee and Kimberly Yost. He has one brother, Jordan.
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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