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Four Gators Among Perfect Game's Top 75 2027 MLB Draft Prospects

UF freshmen Joshua Whritenour, Aidan King, Jackson Barberi and Brendan Lawson are among the top prospects in their draft class.

Kyle Lander

Bishop Snyder pitcher Aidan King has been selected as the Florida Times-Union's All-First-Coast baseball player of the year. The senior is headed to Gainesville to play baseball at the University of Florida. Photographed Thursday, June 6, 2024. [Bob Self/Florida Times-Union]
Bishop Snyder pitcher Aidan King has been selected as the Florida Times-Union's All-First-Coast baseball player of the year. The senior is headed to Gainesville to play baseball at the University of Florida. Photographed Thursday, June 6, 2024. [Bob Self/Florida Times-Union] / Bob Self/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Despite it being two years away, Perfect Game released its 2027 MLB Draft: Top 75 on Monday, and Florida Gators freshmen right-handed pitcher Joshua Whritenour, right-handed pitcher Aidan King, right-handed pitcher Jackson Barberi and infielder Brendan Lawson were all listed. 

The highest of the group is Whritenour, who lands at No. 13 on the list with King (No. 24), Barberi (No. 46) and Lawson (No. 68) following him. Additionally, Florida is one of just three schools to have four or more players making Perfect Game’s 2027 draft board. 

The quartet's inclusion shouldn't come as a surprise due to their individual high rankings as MLB prospects in last year's draft. According to MLB.com’s prospect ranking for the 2024 MLB Draft, Barberi was the No. 99 overall prospect, while Lawson (No. 156) and Whritenour (No. 160) were ranked as well.

These were also some of the Gators highest ranking signees from the 2024 class. 

Barberi was Perfect Game’s No. 49 overall prospect in the class of 2024. Lawson and Whritenour were two of the next three highest enrollees for the Gators, coming in as the No. 57 and No. 85 overall prospects, respectively. 

The only potential surprise inclusion on Perfect Game’s list is King, who was labeled as the No. 432 overall prospect by Perfect Game and was not among the top 250 MLB Draft prospects for last year’s draft. 

The Florida Gators begin its 2025 campaign with a three-game home series against Air Force starting on Friday, Feb. 14.

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Kyle Lander
KYLE LANDER

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