May 4, 2021
Four Bucs Named in Perfect Game's Top 400 Draft Prospects
Major League Baseball scouts have been flocking to City of Palms Park to watch the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers all season long, and for good reason. Wednesday, Perfect Game released its Top 400 draft prospects for the 2021 MLB Draft with four FSW players on the list. The four Bucs on the list were more than any other junior college in the country and even more than Division I blue bloods like Texas, USC, Oklahoma, and Michigan.
FORT MYERS, Fla.- Major League Baseball scouts have been flocking to City of Palms Park to watch the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers all season long, and for good reason. Wednesday, Perfect Game released its Top 400 draft prospects for the 2021 MLB Draft with four FSW players on the list. The four Bucs on the list were more than any other junior college in the country and even more than Division I blue bloods like Texas, USC, Oklahoma, and Michigan.
The top ranked NJCAA player in the rankings was FSW righthander Carlos Rodriguez that checked in at #191 on the list. Rodriguez was 7-2 during the regular season for the Bucs, posting a 2.14 ERA in 46 1/3 innings pitched. He earned 1st Team All-Suncoast Conference honors during his rookie year for FSW, striking out 62 opposing hitters while walking just 12 during the year.
The second highest ranked Buc was lefthander Alex Ayala who came in at #270. Ayala was the Suncoast Conference Pitcher of the Year, going 8-2 in 12 starts, notching a 2.92 ERA during the regular season. He logged 61 2/3 innings on the mound, punching out 83, good for a 12.11 strikeout per nine ratio.
Coming in just behind Ayala was fireballer Marc Davis. A 2019 Chicago Cubs draft pick, Davis was ranked #310 in the rankings. He pitched in a number of roles for the Bucs during the regular season, seeing time in 16 games and drawing five starts. He was 4-1 with a pair of saves, striking out an eye popping 63 in just 34 2/3 innings pitched.
The final Buc on the list was closer Antonio Knowles, a University of Florida commit, who came in at #380. Knowles was named the Suncoast Conference Fireman of the Year this season and for good reason. Knowles' 13 saves are most in the NJCAA while his 0.82 ERA rank second. He has been lights out in the 9th for the Bucs, posting a 59 to 3 strikeout to walk ratio in 33 innings pitched on the year.
FSW was one of just two NJCAA teams with multiple players on the list, joined by Eastern Oklahoma State who had three. Other FCSAA Top 400 prospects included Gabriel Rincones- St. Petersburg (197), Dylan Ross- Northwest Florida State (200), and Shawn Guilliams- Central Florida (285).
The Bucs will begin the 2021 postseason on Wednesday when they take on Indian River at 10 AM in the opening round of the FCSAA State Tournament at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland.