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Jersey Number 21
Caden McDonald
- Height:
- 6-3
- Class:
- Redshirt Sophomore
- B/T:
- R/R
- Hometown:
- Tampa, Fla.
- High School:
- Sickles
2026 Second Team All-American (Baseball America, NCBWA, Perfect Game)
2026 NCAA Gainseville Regional All-Tournament Team
2026 CSC Academic All-District
2026 NCBWA John Olerud National Two-Way Player of the Week (May 5)
2025 CSC Academic All-District
2025 SEC Academic Honor Roll
2024 SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll
2026 (Redshirt Sophomore):
2025 (Redshirt Freshman):
2024 (Freshman):
SICKLES HS:
PERSONAL
SINGLE-GAME HIGHS:
Innings pitched: 4.2, vs. Florida A&M, March 19, 2025
Walks allowed: 4, vs. Florida State, April 8, 2025
Runs allowed: 4, vs. Georgia, March 23, 2025
Strikeouts: 7, vs. Florida A&M, March 19, 2025
Assists: N/A
2026 NCAA Gainseville Regional All-Tournament Team
2026 CSC Academic All-District
2026 NCBWA John Olerud National Two-Way Player of the Week (May 5)
2025 CSC Academic All-District
2025 SEC Academic Honor Roll
2024 SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll
2026 (Redshirt Sophomore):
- Named a Second Team All-American as a utility/two-way player by Baseball America, Perfect Game and the NCBWA
- Honored as the two-way player on Baseball America’s National Team of the Week for three-consecutive weeks (April 28, May 5, May 12) while being named the NCBWA John Olerud National Two-Way Player of the Week on May 5
- Played in 41 games while starting 21 games at designated hitter in addition to making 20 relief appearances as one of the nation’s top two-way stars
- Concluded the campaign with a .319/.379/.702 slash line and 18 extra-base hits
- Posted a 1.081 OPS on top of nine homers, nine doubles, 28 RBI, 22 runs and eight walks in just 94 at bats
- Also worked to a 5-1 record, one save, 3.42 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and .222 batting average against over 20 relief appearances
- Struck out 48 batters against just eight walks in 47 1/3 frames, finishing with a 9.1 K/9, 1.5 BB/9 and 6.0 K-to-BB ratio
- Surrendered just one home run over 183 batters faced, equating to a 0.2 HR/9
- Successfully converted all five defensive chances on the mound (four assists, one putout) for a 1.000 fielding percentage
- After being inserted into the starting lineup on April 24 vs. Texas A&M, emerged as one of the country’s premier two-way stars by reaching base in 18 of 20 games and popping a team-best nine home runs
- Slashed .326/.376/.744 in the final 20 games of the season, totaling a team-high 18 extra-base hits, nine doubles and 27 RBI as well as 22 runs scored
- Prior to the series at Oklahoma, only two players in UF history had recorded a home run, thrown three-plus scoreless innings and earned the win in the same game: Jac Caglianone and Brian Johnson – McDonald accomplished that feat twice in consecutive series against OU and UK
- Named to the Gainesville Regional All-Tournament Team at designated hitter after bashing three homers in four games, combining to go 6-for-18 with a .333/.368/.889 slash line, 16 total bases, one double, eight runs and four RBI
- Pitched three shutout, one-hit innings backed by four strikeouts to log the save in his season debut at Stetson on Feb. 17
- Picked up his first win of the campaign after tossing three scoreless frames with three strikeouts vs. Florida A&M on March 4
- Threw two shutout innings with two strikeouts against High Point on March 7
- Churned out 1 2/3 scoreless frames of relief at Alabama on March 20
- Earned the win behind 2 2/3 shutout, one-hit frames with two strikeouts at Florida State on April 7
- Made his second appearance in the starting lineup in the win over Texas A&M on April 24, slugging his first-career homer while going 3-for-4 with one double and two RBI
- Homered for the second-straight game against Texas A&M on April 25
- Set career highs with four hits, two homers, six RBI and three runs scored at Oklahoma on May 2, finishing 4-for-5 at the plate with two doubles while pitching three shutout, one-hit innings with four strikeouts to earn the win in one of the greatest single-game performances in UF history
- Went 2-for-3 with one homer, two RBI, two runs, one walk and one hit-by-pitch while firing 4 1/3 scoreless, no-hit frames with six strikeouts to earn the victory vs. Kentucky on May 10
- Drilled a three-run homer against Georgia in the SEC Tournament on May 23
- Homered for the second-straight game in the NCAA Tournament victory over Rider on May 29, going 2-for-4 with one double and two runs scored while pitching 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief
- Recorded his second multi-homer game of the campaign vs. Troy in the NCAA Tournament on May 31, finishing 2-for-4 with two big flies, three RBI, three runs and one walk
- Delivered 4 1/3 shutout frames of relief, allowing just two hits while fanning three batters in the season finale vs. Troy on June 1
2025 (Redshirt Freshman):
- Made 20 relief appearances out of the UF bullpen in his first collegiate action
- Also appeared in one game offensively as a pinch hitter
- Pitched to a perfect 4-0 record
- Logged a 5.14 ERA and .280 batting average against
- Struck out 29 batters against 14 walks in 28 innings pitched
- Tossed two scoreless innings in his career debut on Opening Night vs. Air Force on Feb. 14, giving up just one hit and one walk while striking out three
- Earned first-career win with one inning of one-run ball, one hit allowed and one strikeout against North Florida on Feb. 26
- Threw a perfect frame featuring two strikeouts in the victory over Harvard on March 8
- Set career highs with 4 2/3 shutout innings and seven strikeouts to pick up the win against Florida A&M on March 19, surrendering just two hits and one walk
- Pitched 1 2/3 scoreless, no-hit frames with four strikeouts vs. Florida State on March 25
- Fired two shutout innings on one hit and two strikeouts in the win over North Florida on April 1
- Blanked Vanderbilt across three one-hit frames, fanning two batters against zero walks on April 6
- Strung together four-consecutive scoreless appearances spanning 5 1/3 innings from April 10 vs. Missouri through April 26 against Arkansas
- Twirled 1 1/3 scoreless frames on one hit, one walk and one strikeout in the win over Missouri on April 10
- Worked one shutout inning with two strikeouts at Mississippi State on April 18
- Was credited with the victory after pitching two scoreless frames behind two hits, one walk and one strikeout vs. Georgia Southern on April 22
- Chucked a zero with one walk allowed against Arkansas on April 26
- Earned the victory with 1 1/3 innings of one-run ball, two hits allowed, one walk and one strikeout at South Carolina on May 2
2024 (Freshman):
- Did not appear in any games due to injury
SICKLES HS:
- Starred as a two-way player at Sickles High School under head coach Eric Luksis from 2021-23
- In 64 career games, slashed .488/.607/.975 for a 1.583 OPS while adding 20 home runs, 19 doubles, 77 RBI and 55 runs
- On the mound, delivered 143 1/3 career frames with a sparkling 1.37 ERA, 20-3 record and 183 strikeouts in 143 1/3 innings – good for 11.5 strikeouts per nine
- 2023 Class 6A Player of the Year as Sickles went 30-2 with its first state title in program history
- 2023 Sickles High School Male Athlete of the Year
- As a senior slashed, .383/.528/.938 with twelve home runs, one triple, seven doubles, 33 RBI and 24 runs while drawing more walks (20) than strikeouts (18) across 30 games
- His 12 homers ranked second in the state in 2023
- Also excelled on the mound in his final campaign, going 11-1 with a 0.87 ERA, .145 BAA and 97 strikeouts across 72 2/3 innings
- As a junior, McDonald batted .600 over 105 plate appearances and finished with a 1.732 OPS
- Versatile athlete capable of playing first base, third base and outfield on top of his work on the mound
- Fired an 81-pitch shutout in the state semifinals and accounted for one of their two runs with a solo homer
- Ranked by Perfect Game as the No. 42 player overall and No. 15 right-handed pitcher in Florida while coming in as the No. 308 overall recruit and No. 100 right-hander nationally
PERSONAL
- Son of Kevin and Melissa McDonald
- Has one sister, Alexandra Bloch
- Majoring in biology/pre-med at the University of Florida
- Enjoys playing golf when not on the diamond
SINGLE-GAME HIGHS:
Innings pitched: 4.2, vs. Florida A&M, March 19, 2025
Walks allowed: 4, vs. Florida State, April 8, 2025
Runs allowed: 4, vs. Georgia, March 23, 2025
Strikeouts: 7, vs. Florida A&M, March 19, 2025
Assists: N/A
Monday, June 01
Monday, June 01
Sunday, May 31
Sunday, May 31
