Run It Back: Why Evans, Shelton Put Pros On Hold, Returned To UF

Ty Evans and Colby Shelton are back for another season in orange and blue. That means the No. 7 Florida Gators baseball team will have two huge reinforcements in their lineup — and, just as important, in the clubhouse.

Both players were draft eligible following the 2024 season, but opted to return to Gainesville despite the possibility of embarking on their pro careers. What most influenced their decisions to come back?  The rise of Name, Image and Likeness? Another run to Omaha? A chance to improve their draft stock?

Regardless of the motives, the return of Evans and Shelton should set up the Gators nicely for the 2025 season. They have unfinished business.

“I was never fully content with trying to sign,” said Evans, who is from Auburndale. “I had thoughts about coming back. My advisor and I discussed all this, especially how it ended for me and for the team as well.”

Evans, who started a career-high 49 games for the Gators in right field as a junior in 2024, worked to establish himself as a staple and a catalyst in the Gators’ lineup over his first three seasons.

He was in the middle of his most productive year at UF when an injury ended his season. Attempting to make a sliding catch in foul territory during a May 11 game against Kentucky, Evans collided with the wall and broke his wrist. He missed the season’s final 16 games, including the Gators’ return trip to the College World Series.

Before the injury, Evans set career highs in homers (16) and RBIs (44). He raised his average 77 points from his sophomore season up to .316, also a career best, and was second on the team in slugging percentage (.580), behind only star slugger Jac Caglianone.

The injury — and the rehab process that followed — complicated Evans’ situation. But after going undrafted, Evans determined his best move was to return to school and play his senior season.

“Ultimately when the draft came around, I made the decision to come back,” Evans said.

Meanwhile, Shelton’s draft stock was high entering his sophomore season.

The left-handed slugger from Lexington, S.C., transferred to Florida after tying the SEC single-season freshman home run record (25) at Alabama. He had a solid first season in Gainesville in 2024, hitting .254 with 20 home runs and 56 RBIs. Shelton had five multi-homer games and was steady defensively in his first season at shortstop. Shelton made only six errors over the course of 66 games.

His numbers, however, were slightly down across the board. Shelton’s batting average dipped 46 points, while his slugging percentage was more than 200 points lower from his breakout Freshman All-America season with the Tide.

Washington selected Shelton in the 20th round of the MLB Draft last summer, a much lower round than he was seeking. He was faced with the decision to return to Florida or sign with the Nationals.

“I took the draft process very seriously,” Shelton said. “That’s something I’ve always dreamed of and wanted to pursue, and that was my top end goal of the year. I did not get picked where I wanted to, and that led me back to school.

“Being sophomore eligible gives me another year for my junior campaign due to two draft years in college, which helps me prove my stock.”

Shelton knows what he must work on to improve. He struck out 82 times in 256 at-bats last season, a number he needs to cut down. Another season at shortstop should also help him refine his defensive skills.

Entering the 2025 season, Shelton still is considered Florida’s highest-ranked draft prospect by D1 Baseball at No. 63. He’s one of six Gators who appear in the outlet’s Top 150 entering the season.

Florida associate coach Chuck Jeroloman thinks the adjustments Shelton needs to make are both physical and mental.

“The biggest adjustment is a different routine now where he handles different bats to try to create better barrel awareness and [Shelton] has done a much better job using the whole field. The majority of adjustments Colby needed to make were mindset and bat-to-bat approach.” 

Game-Changer

For many college athletes, the rise of NIL has changed the equation for players who are facing the decision whether to start their pro careers or return for another season in college.

NIL has become the focal point around the NCAA and offers an athlete a plethora of benefits.  It’s an enticing decision with athletes being offered to profit from their personal brand.

“I think it’s huge,” Evans said. “Making money as a college athlete  helps a lot of guys who decide to come back for an extra year and helps teammates. I saw a few guys who would’ve signed, but came back due to NIL. It’s huge to make that money and it helps support the player or their family financially.”

Shelton entered the transfer portal after Brad Bohannon was fired as Alabama’s coach. He landed at Florida and was able to find a home in Gainesville and make his mark on the left side of the infield. 

“NIL has changed kids’ minds with what they want to do with the draft, but everyone’s situation is different as school’s are giving out good chunks of money,” Shelton said. “It can go both ways at the end of the day.”

The Allure of Omaha

But for both players, though, the chance to return to college baseball’s biggest stage — the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska — also loomed large.

Evans’ breakout moment as a Gator came as a sophomore in Omaha in 2023, when Florida reached the CWS championship series before falling one win short of a national title in 2023. Evans set a College World Series tournament record with five home runs, including a monstrous grand slam in Game 2 of the championship series against LSU. He had hit four homers all season prior to the CWS.

“I always thought I had potential and showed glimpses, but to be able to do that at the highest stage gave me an extra boost of confidence.”

While Evans was sidelined, Shelton got a taste of Omaha during the Gators’ surprising run in 2024. Shelton’s bat, in fact, was a big reason the Gators got back there.

He homered in back-to-back wins at the Stillwater Regional against Nebraska and Oklahoma State, then knocked in three runs to defeat Clemson in Game 2 of the Super Regional on June 9 to help send UF back to college baseball’s biggest stage.

Both Evans and Shelton want to experience that again — and more — in 2025.

“One of the coolest moments in baseball is the day in and day out team aspects that you get around the clubhouse who have the same goal in common to win as many games as possible and a national championship,” Shelton said.

Leadership Presence 

After losing leaders such as Wyatt Langford and Caglianone to the MLB Draft in back-to-back years, Florida is hoping Evans and Shelton will step into even bigger leadership roles in the clubhouse.

Langford, now a member of the Texas Rangers, was one of the key leaders for the Gators two years ago, and his presence was immediately filled by Caglianone, a two-way sensation who was the No. 6 overall pick by Kansas City last season. Veteran players like BT Riopelle, Brandon Sproat and Josh Rivera also were key influences and voices for a Gators program that was named the best college program of the past 10 years by D1 Baseball.

 “I had a bunch of good leaders who came in before me,” Evans said. “Guys who were ahead of me and showed me the ropes. Each year, the leadership for myself has increased so being able to help the current and new teammates has definitely helped out.”

“Leadership is a big thing. Holding guys accountable, telling them how to do certain stuff on the field and the standard Florida program and what’s it all about,” Shelton said. “It’s something for the older guys as well. If someone is not holding up their end of the stick, we hold them accountable and make sure they know what’s expected from this program.”

As one of the Gators’ fiercest competitors, Evans has leadership qualities. He has not only grown at the plate, but also has taken major strides as an outfielder.

He is fearless, puts it all on the line and always gives his gives full effort — traits demonstrated on the play in which he was injured last season.

“That’s who Ty is,” Jeroloman said. “Evans’ defense is something he has worked really hard on to be where it needs to be. When he came in as a freshman, he was not a great defender. He has really grown throughout his time here, but that’s who he is and that’s the makeup of of our team.”

Florida expects Evans and Shelton to be the key cogs of this team and to showcase their lead-by-example mentality.

“You want leadership at different levels,” Jeroloman said. “It’s hard for one guy to have an impact in every game, it puts pressure on them individually. We have a bunch of guys who need to learn how we operate here and [they] approach Shelton or Evans.

“But Evans and Shelton truly help those guys through it.”