Gators’ Wyatt Langford goes from benchwarmer to top MLB prospect

Wyatt Langford rode Florida’s bench his entire freshman season, posting one of the worst batting averages on the team.

Now he tops the charts ahead of the MLB Draft on Sunday.

The 6-1 junior from Trenton — about 30 miles west of Gainesville — is projected to go No. 2 to the Washington Nationals or No. 3 to the Detroit Tigers.

He may even go No. 1 to the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to most recent mock-ups.

“I learned a lot about myself, and it helped me get to where I am now,” Langford told the Sentinel on Friday, 48 hours before the draft.

If taken first or second, he will be the highest draft pick to come out of Florida. The Seattle Mariners drafted catcher Mike Zunino third in 2012.

Playing for the Gators was always Langford’s dream, seeing himself in a UF uniform after cheering for the school as a child.

His took a big step to making that a reality as the star of Trenton High.

He batted .391 with 21 RBI to lead his team to the 2017 FHSAA Class 1A state title as a freshman. And he added to his accomplishments over the next three seasons.

A six-year varsity starter at third base/catcher and a five-time Gainesville Sun all-area selection, Langford finished his junior year with a .438 batting average, .584 on-base percentage and .859 slugging percentage.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic cut his senior season after eight games, he batted .417 with a team-leading 10 runs and 3 home runs with a .916 slugging percentage.

It was a historic moment for Trenton High when UF baseball coach Kevin O’Sullivan called Langford, who became the first at his school to receive an offer from the Gators.

Still, he did not anticipate what would happen to him at the collegiate level.

Buried on the depth chart, Langford had zero starts in 2021 and appeared in only four games as a pinch hitter.

“I wasn’t expecting that. I was expecting to come in and play and help the team win, so it was tough just sitting and watching a lot,” Langford said. “I felt like I deserved to be playing some more.”

Langford collected 1 hit. His .500 on-base plus slugging (OPS) — the ability of a player to get on base and hit for power — ranked second from the bottom.

“It was tough trying to stay up, but luckily I had a bunch of good people on my side reminding me [to stay confident] and helping me through,” Langford said. “My dad always told me to just keep working.”

The freshman year face-plant did not shake him.

He needed just one offseason to prove himself in the college game.

“I learned that I needed to work harder. That was the biggest thing,” Langford said. “I needed to put in more work to earn the opportunity to play.”

He transitioned to outfield, a position with an opening for a starter in left.

“It was my first time playing outfield,” Langford said. “But I was all for it, as it got me on the field. I liked the opportunities it gave me.”

He joined forces with teammate Colby Halter, playing summer ball in Charlottesville, Va., improving his diet and hitting the gym. He put his head down and grinded.

“I worked out every day and worked hard, and things just paid off,” Langford said.

He returned to Gainesville as a 225-pound power machine.

“I don’t know if I’ve seen a player change his body and change the athleticism as much as [Langford] has,” O’Sullivan told the Independent Florida Alligator. “He’s spent a lot of time in the weight room and a lot of time on his nutrition, and he’s transformed himself into a really good player from hard work.”

Langford transformed from a shy, unconfident rookie into a leader with grit and conviction.

“I felt great going into my sophomore year,” he said. “I had a really good summer and was having a lot of success hitting.”

He burst onto the scene in the 2022 spring season.

His 26 home runs led the SEC and tied Matt LaPorta’s single-season Gators record (2005), earning All-American status.

Langford paced the team in practically every batting stat, with a .355 average, .719 slugging percentage and 1.166 OPS.

In 256 at-bats, he had 63 RBI.

He continued a seamless transition to the outfield, starting all 66 games. Despite his lack of experience, Langford maintained a perfect fielding percentage.

“He’s a really, really good player, but he’s a self-made player,” O’Sullivan said. “I mean this guy had four at-bats his freshman year and made himself a good left fielder.”

He was named to the Second Team All-SEC and the SEC All-Tournament Team.

To top off his sophomore campaign, Langford suited up for the Team USA collegiate national team. A stellar summer performance in red, white, and blue solidified his spot as a top draft pick.

“It’s one of those stories you can tell for the rest of your career,” O’Sullivan said. “Guy had four or five at-bats his freshman year; all of a sudden he hit 26 homers, playing for the USA Team.”

Langford only added to his achievements as a junior.

Despite missing two weeks of the regular season to injury, he had 21 home runs, and his batting average shot up to a team-high.373. He paced the team in slugging percentage (.784) and OPS (1.282).

He started 64 games in left field, making one error all season.

He earned another All-American nomination and was named to the First Team All-SEC.

Langford led the Gators to the College World Series finals, where they fell to LSU in Game 3 of the best-of-three-format after entering unbeaten in the tournament.

“It was a great season. We had a really good team, and we had the most wins out of any team in program history,” he said. “Anytime you do that, you obviously did something well.”

Langford recorded the longest home run — 456 feet — in CWS history at Omaha’s Charles Schwab Field in the opening round against Virginia.

In Florida’s 24-4 blowout win against LSU in Game 2 of the championship series, he went 5-for-5, with 6 RBI and 4 runs, including a home run.

Langford is sheer power with five-tool potential, self-made for success in the MLB.

But what is most promising is his attitude.

Transforming into a top draft pick less than one year after warming the bench takes resilience. That trait will come in handy as he works his way up the minor leagues to compete at the highest level.

“There are freshmen like me on every single team. There are freshmen that come in every year and expect to play, and they really don’t get a chance,” Langford said. “All you can do really is listen to your coaches, work as hard as you can, and whenever you get your opportunity, take advantage of it.”

Langford will be the second player from Trenton drafted into the MLB. Marty Malloy, one of his high school coaches, was chosen in the 48th round in 1990 by the then-California Angels.

Langford knows what it takes to overcome adversity, and he’s ready for the next stage of his baseball career.

“I am excited to see where I end up and where I’ll be playing next,” he said. “I feel ready to move on and play some pro ball.”