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The second day of the MLB Draft was a busy one for the Florida baseball program.
Florida 1B/C JJ Schwarz and 2B Deacon Liput were both selected on day two of the 2018 MLB Draft.
Liput and Schwarz bring the number of Florida players picked in this year’s draft up to five so far, following the selections of Jonathan India (5th overall, Cincinnati Reds), Brady Singer (18th overall, Kansas City Royals) and Jackson Kowar (33rd overall, Kansas City Royals) on day one.
The Gators also had their 5th high school commit get selected on day two.
Shortstop Addison Barger from King High School in Tampa was picked in the sixth round by the Toronto Blue Jays.
Barger follows Outfielder Connor Scott (Tampa Plant HS) picked #13 overall to the Miami Marlins, Catcher Anthony Seigler (Cartersville, Georgia HS) #23 to the New York Yankees, Pitcher Mason Denaburg (Merritt Island, Florida HS) #27 to the Washington Nationals and Pitcher Lyon Richardson (Jensen Beach, Florida HS) #47 to the Cincinnati Reds who were all picked through the first two days of the draft.
JJ Schwarz: 8th round, 233rd overall
Our captain has been selected! @usetheschwarz22
For the fourth time in recent years, the @Athletics select a #Gators player. (Richie, Puk, Logan)https://t.co/Z3CYaw9NUx pic.twitter.com/P0UDcXtNnT
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) June 5, 2018
UF’s senior leader and captain JJ Schwarz was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the 8th round, 233rd overall on Tuesday.
This marks the third time Schwarz has been drafted.
Schwarz was drafted coming out of high school in 2014 by the Milwaukee Brewers and again last season in the 38th round by the Tampa Bay Rays.
Although the UF Catcher has missed some time recently due to injury, he carries a .325 batting average for the year, slugging 12 home runs and knocking in 46 RBIs.
Schwarz is a Johnny Bench Award semifinalist this year and was also named First Team All-SEC.
Deacon Liput: 10th round, 314th overall
For the second year in a row, Deacon Liput gets drafted by the @Dodgers!
He's the fifth player taken from the #Gators through 10 rounds of the 2018 #MLBDraft.
MORE: https://t.co/FgvLi0ZV1G pic.twitter.com/beAJUCMhHM
— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) June 5, 2018
Gators’ 2B Deacon Liput was taken by the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday in the 10th round.
Liput was selected with the 314th overall pick by the Dodgers, marking the second year in a row that the team has selected the UF second baseman.
In 2017, Los Angeles took Liput in the 29th round as a sophomore.
Deacon Liput was also selected coming out of high school in 2015, when the New York Yankees took a chance on him in the 39th round.
After missing some time at the beginning of the season, Liput has recovered nicely.
The Brooks Wallace Award semifinalist has accumulated a .286 batting average with eight home runs and 36 RBIs this season.
Addison Barger: 6th round, 176th overall
On Day 2 of the #MLBDraft, we added 8 talented players to our #BlueJays prospect pool!
READ MORE: https://t.co/jbmGvgwuPT pic.twitter.com/lUECsErmXI
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) June 6, 2018
UF’s 5th high school commit of the MLB Draft was picked on Tuesday by the Toronto Blue Jays.
Shortstop Addison Barger from King High School in Tampa, Florida was picked in the sixth round, 176th overall.
Barger has been all over the field for C. Leon King this past season, playing shortstop, catcher, and even coming in to pitch occasionally.
The Tampa product has been committed to the University of Florida baseball team since October 2017.
Barger will now have to decide whether he wants to chase the money or the education.
The MLB Draft will wrap up on Wednesday, after rounds 11-40 are announced throughout the day.
