FSCJ Baseball sends 15 players to 4-year schools

L-R: Eiseman, Reyes, Green, Garner, Wickeri, Bradshaw, McLeod, Torralva, King, Gaviria, Hurwitz, Chun, Groark, Adams, Wademan, Veniard. Not pictured: Villafane.

July 13, 2022

JACKSONVILLE, FLA. - After a year that saw resounding success for Florida State College at Jacksonville baseball, culminating in a 3rd place finish at the 2022 NJCAA Division II World Series, FSCJ sees a record 15 players move on to various 4-year colleges and universities. These second and third year sophomores had spent anywhere from one to three seasons with the program, and hailed from all over the state of Florida, with plenty of local talent at the forefront.

Sophomore OF Barry Eiseman, an All-Sunlakes and All-Region 8 performer, signed his letter of intent with the University of Montevallo in Montevallo, Alabama. Eiseman will be joining a Falcons program that narrowly missed D2 regional play after being ranked most of the year and looks to make a deep postseason run in 2023. Eiseman hit an even .400 for the Blue Wave, with 70 hits, 20 doubles, 3 home runs, 45 RBI, 32 walks, and 36 runs scored. Eiseman is a Palm Harbor, Florida, native.

Redshirt sophomore UTL Evan Wickeri, another All-Sunlakes and All-Region 8 performer, and the Sunlakes Conference Defensive Player of the Year, will be taking his talents to South Beach and playing at Barry University in Miami. The Buccaneers were recently stated as having the number one recruiting class in all of Division 2. Wickeri hit .335 for FSCJ with 61 hits, 14 doubles, 2 triples, 8 home runs, 45 RBI, and 42 runs scored. He was also named to the All-World Series tournament team. Wickeri is a local product of Middleburg High School.

Redshirt sophomore LHP Daniel Gaviria, the third member of the trio of All-Sunlakes and All-Region 8 performers, will be staying local to continue his playing career. Gaviria went 8-2 in 15 games started with two complete games, with a 3.18 ERA in 93.1 innings. He had a 68-10 K/BB ratio. He threw a complete game shutout for FSCJ in Game 1 of the World Series against Phoenix College. Gaviria is an Orlando native.

Sophomore RHP Patrick Groark just finished up what was one of the best seasons on the mound for a relief pitcher in Florida in 2022. Groark sported a 3-2 record with 11 saves in 24 appearances. Groark had a 2.81 ERA in 32 innings with 27 strikeouts. His regular season ERA of 1.50 led the team. Groark closed out wins that led FSCJ to the regional championship, district championship, and a win in Game 3 of the World Series. The Land O Lakes, Florida, native will be playing at Barton College next year, a D2 program in Wilson, North Carolina.

Sophomore RHP Manny Reyes was another often used arm out of the Blue Wave bullpen this season, appearing in 24 games with a 2-2 record and 1 save. Reyes had a 3.82 ERA in 33 innings. Reyes appeared in three games in the World Series for FSCJ. The Palmetto, Florida, product will be playing at Coker University, a D2 program in Hartsville, South Carolina.

Redshirt freshman RHP Brian Veniard is another arm out of the FSCJ stable to move on to the next level. Veniard started 13 games for the Blue Wave, collecting a 6-3 record with a 4.60 ERA in 62.2 innings pitched. He turned in 10 quality starts this season, including a big performance in the Regional Semifinals against ASA. Veniard will be playing for Arkansas State University, a Sun Belt Conference program located in Jonesboro, Arkansas. He is a Fletcher High School graduate.

Sophomore INF Jayme Villafane anchored the Blue Wave infield for the better part of two seasons at shortstop, and will be taking that slick fielding talent to the University of South Alabama, a Sun Belt Conference program in Mobile, Alabama. Villafane hit .252 for the Wave with 34 hits, 30 runs scored, and 15 RBI. Villafane is a native of Pembroke Pines, Florida.

Sophomore OF Garrett Chun was a much welcomed newcomer for FSCJ in 2022, making an immediate impact at the plate. Chun hit .315 with 57 hits, 8 doubles, 2 home runs, 33 RBI, and 24 runs scored. He also fielded .992 in left field. Chun is a Clay High School graduate, and will be transferring to Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida, to finish his playing career as a Wildcat.

Redshirt sophomore 3B Hunter Bradshaw is one of four FSCJ players going up I-95 to Savannah State University in Savannah, Georgia. Bradshaw hit .255 with 36 hits, 23 runs scored, and 8 extra base hits in addition to playing gold glove defense at third base. Bradshaw is a local product of Sandalwood High School.

Sophomore INF Luka Torralva will also be going to Savannah State. The Blue Wave utility infielder hit .289 in 2022. Torralva is a native of Palmetto, Florida.

Redshirt sophomore C Mason McLeod will be behind the dish for the Tigers of Savannah State next year. The veteran backstop fielded .982 with a .329 on base percentage. McLeod is a graduate of Ponte Vedra High School.

Redshirt sophomore OF Tyler Green rounds out the quartet of Savannah State products. Green collected 42 at bats for the Blue Wave this year before turning to an unexpected relief pitching role as a go-to left handed reliever. Green ended up appearing in 6 games on the mound, throwing 15.2 innings with a 2.87 ERA and 9 strikeouts. Green is a Yulee High School product.

Sophomore RHP JD Garner will be going to Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida, to compete in the SWAC for the Rattlers. Garner made 12 appearances out of the bullpen for FSCJ, striking out 10 in 11.1 innings pitched. Garner is a local product of Bishop Snyder High School.

Redshirt freshman OF Noah Adams is transferring to Oklahoma Wesleyan University in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, to complete his collegiate playing career. The Eagles are a perenniel powerhouse in the NAIA ranks. Adams missed the 2022 season due to a hip injury that required surgery, but is hitting over .400 in the Coastal Collegiate Baseball League this summer. Adams is a local product of Providence High School.

Sophomore OF Chris Hall was our lone mid-year transfer. After playing two seasons for the Blue Wave in 2020 and 2021, Hall returned this fall to continue his schooling before getting an opportunity at Christmas to Lincoln Memorial University, a D2 program in Harrogate, Tennessee. Hall hit .290 in 155 at bats for LMU this spring. He is an Atlanta, Georgia, native.