UF's Langford Selected Fourth Overall by Texas in 2023 MLB Draft
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida outfielder Wyatt Langford made history as the second-highest Gator to ever be selected in the MLB Draft on Sunday night, as the Texas Rangers drafted him with the fourth overall pick of the first round.
Langford trails only Mike Zunino (third overall in 2012) as the top draft pick in the history of the program while surpassing Sterlin Thompson (31st in 2022) as the highest-drafted Gator outfielder.
The Trenton, Fla. native is the 18th first-round pick in program history (24th including the post-draft secondary phase) and 12th since Head Coach Kevin O'Sullivan's 2008 arrival, which ranks second nationally.
In being drafted fourth overall, Langford is the 216th individual draft selection in UF baseball history and the 100th in the O'Sullivan era. The latter total represents the third-most in the SEC since 2008.
Langford earned All-America status for the second-straight year, becoming a Unanimous First Teamer after being named a Unanimous Preseason All-American in February. Langford bashed 20 home runs for the second-consecutive season, becoming the third Gator to do so alongside Brad Wilkerson (1997-98) and Jud Fabian (2021-22). He finished the year with a .373/.498/.784 batting line, 21 homers, 83 runs, 57 RBI and 28 runs – which tied Mike Zunino's program record.
From 2022-23, Langford blasted more homers (47) than any Gator across a two-year span at UF. His 47 long balls are tied with Zunino for sixth all-time at Florida, while also ranking fifth in batting average (.363), seventh in on-base percentage (.471) and setting the program's record for career slugging percentage at .746.
The two-time All-American wrapped up his career in Orange & Blue with a .363/.471/.746 slash line accompanied by 90 extra-base hits, 156 runs, 120 RBI and 16 stolen bases. He made one error over 108 career chances, good for a .991 fielding percentage.
