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Florida League Alumni Roundup - Florida Small Schools

April 12, 2022
1:00 PM EDT

LONGWOOD, Fla.- The 2022 spring season has been a fruitful one for alumni of the Florida League, as players from across the country have been among the best across divisions. Over the next week, the Florida League office will spotlight just a few of the dozens of players who are major contributors for their college teams. Part two looks at players from small schools in the state of Florida.

Robb Adams, Southeastern (2020 Storm) - The ace of the No. 1 NAIA team in the nation has to be considered the frontrunner for NAIA Pitcher of the Year. In eleven starts this season, Adams has been the winning pitcher every time, posting a 11-0 record with a 0.25 earned run average. The lefthander has 85 strikeouts in 72 innings, and has been named Sun Conference Pitcher of the Week three times.

Caleb Cali, College of Central Florida (2020 Rats) - Cali's 2022 season has put him among the best players in all of junior college baseball. The CCF Patriot leads all Florida JuCo players with a .536 on base percentage and 55 runs batted in, and ranks second with a .449 on base percentage and an .816 slugging percentage. He also ranks in the top 15 in the nation in RBIs and batting average. 

Alex Carpenter, Florida Tech (2019 Scorpions, 2020-21 Dawgs) - A three-year pitcher in the Florida League, Carpenter has assumed the closer's role at Florida Tech. In 14 appearances, Carpenter has saved six games and won one more, recording a 1.56 earned run average over 17.1 innings of work. Carpenter started the season with 13.2 consecutive scoreless innings, including one against national No. 1 Tampa.

Brandon Fields, State College of Florida (2020 Rats) - Fields was a major reason the 2020 Sanford River Rats won the Florida League title, and is now one of the top junior college hitters in the nation. Fields is the current junior college National Player of the Week, hitting .335 with seven home runs and 40 runs batted in for State College of Florida. He has also added 45 runs scored and 13 stolen bases for the Manatees.

Dawson Lane, Florida Southern (2019 Dawgs, 2020 Squeeze) - Lane, who played for both sides of the FCSL's Winter War in 2019 and 2020, is one of the most trusted arms for a 21-15 Florida Southern team. Lane leads the Mocs with 16 appearances on the mound, which includes four wins and two saves. Over 36 innings of work, Lane has struck out 36 hitters and posted a 2.00 earned run average.

Jeff Liquori, Florida Southern (2021 Rats) - The Florida League's top two-way player in 2022, Liquori is now one of the top power hitters in the Sunshine State Conference. The Lake Mary native ranks second in the conference with 13 home runs, and ranks second as well with 101 total bases and a .687 slugging percentage. The former River Rat has a .333 batting average on the year, and has driven in 29 runs. 

Casey Mawhinney, Warner (2021 Squeeze) - Warner is having a breakthrough season with a 33-10 record and a top-15 ranking in the nation. Mawhinney is one of the leaders for the Royals, hitting .346 with 36 runs scored and 36 runs batted in. The Mars Hill transfer has reached base at a .459 clip, and has recorded a .449 slugging percentage. 

Isaac Nunez, Southeastern (2020 Mavericks) - Nunez has been a mainstay in the lineup for the 36-1 Fire, who are ranked No. 1 in the NAIA Coaches' Poll. The former USF Bull and Florida Gator is hitting .376 with eight home runs and 43 runs batted in. The 2020 Sanford Maverick leads the Fire with 16 stolen bases, and has been named Sun Conference Player of the Week on one occasion this season.

Kenny Rodriguez, Webber International (2020 Squeeze) - The former Winter Garden standout from the 2020 season has been the leading hitter for the nationally ranked Warriors. Rodriguez leads the Warriors in batting average (.395), OPS (1.260), runs scored (46), hits (58), home runs (11), runs batted in (55), on base percentage (.505), and slugging percentage (.755). He has also been named Player of the Week in The Sun Conference.

Harrison Rossi, Ave Maria (2020 Mavericks) - Rossi has seen time in the outfield in his first year with the Gyrenes, who are poised to have their best season in nearly a decade. The 2020 Sanford Maverick is hitting .304 in 79 at-bats for Ave Maria, driving in 19 runs. Rossi has driven in multiple runs on four occasions this season, including against nationally ranked foes from Keiser and Webber International.

Bobby Sparling, Saint Leo (2020 Mavericks) - In Sparling's first season at Saint Leo, the former Sanford Maverick has blossomed into possibly the most feared power hitter in all of Division II baseball. Sparling leads the nation with 20 home runs, and is tied for fourth in the nation with 57 runs batted in. The Daytona State College transfer hit three home runs on Saturday to take the national lead in the category.

Ashton Thomas, Flagler (2021 Dawgs) - One of the mainstays in the lineup for last season's Winter Park Diamond Dawgs, Thomas has continued his success in Saint Augustine. The outfielder leads the Saints with 41 hits, and is hitting .306 on the season with an on base percentage of .388. The Georgia native is the only player on Flagler's roster with 50 total bases and 20 runs batted in.

JD Urso, Tampa (2020 Snappers) - Urso's first season as an everyday starter for the national powerhouse Spartans has been an incredibly successful one. The third-year shortstop leads the Spartans, who are the number one team in the nation at the NCAA Division II level, with a .412 batting average. In 97 at-bats, Urso has 33 runs batted in and 28 runs scored, and 13 of his 40 hits have gone for extra bases.

Jaylyn Whitehead, Rollins (2017, 19 Dawgs) - The renaissance of the Tars, who are poised to play in a regional for the first time in 12 years, is due in no small part to the pitching of Jaylyn Whitehead. Whitehead is considered the top starting pitcher in the Sunshine State Conference, posting a 7-1 record in his nine starts. The two-year Diamond Dawg has allowed just 39 hits in 65 innings. 

Jeslyn Whitehead, Rollins (2021 Snappers) - On the other side of the field, Jeslyn Whitehead has been one of the top hitters for the tenth-ranked Tars. The infielder currently leads Rollins in hits (45) and batting average (.324), leading the Tars to a 25-10 record. The 2021 Seminole County Snapper is one of four Tars with 20 RBIs, and has added 16 runs scored.

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