Groundhog Day is in the rearview mirror and spring is quickly approaching, which means college baseball season is underway. Fresh off his first season as a head coach, Joe Mercadante seeks an improved and more consistent 2025 season. 

The Ospreys were nine games under .500 in 2024, the program’s second-worst record in ten seasons, but are showing promise early this season, bolstering a 6-2 record. 

According to Mercadante, the UNF baseball team was predicted to finish seventh in the ASUN conference this season, which he thought was a fair prediction. Still, throughout the season, he believes the team can determine its ceiling. 

“I think it’s pretty high if this group can play the way they have to play, and play complimentary baseball,” Mercadante said. “Some days it’s going to be the hitters picking up the pitchers and vice versa, and some days the defense is going to have to save us.”

Newcomers and Team Building 

Mercadante hopes he doesn’t have 20-plus newcomers every season. Of the Osprey’s 40 players, 18 are returners and 22 are newcomers.

Although, in today’s world of college sports, the only constant is change. Mercadante expects to replenish around 25% of the roster every offseason, and that’s why he dedicates most of the fall to team-building activities. 

Team-building, according to Mercadante, is a big part of sports at the Division I level.

“If you want to play for each other, you better make sure you know each other,” Mercadante said. 

Whether it’s a road trip or community service, Mercadante said these moments are paramount for team bonding. The team may see each other at practice, but Mercadante says it’s not the same. 

“I think just giving them a chance to get to know each other when they’re not at practice, not necessarily, you know, trying to beat each other out for a spot,” Mercadante said, referring to position battles that occur during the offseason. 

Strengths and Depth of the Team

Mercadante believes UNF’s strengths will be depth and versatility, instead of relying on one style of play. 

In terms of versatility on the offensive side, Mercadante said the team is going to depend less on the home run. 

Mercadante believes his pitchers have “better stuff,” and won’t just focus on throwing fastballs by batters. 

“I think [pitching] makes a team that’s, you know, a lot more competitive, and maybe can play with teams that are more talented than them,” Mercadante said. 

The depth and versatility are already showing as UNF defeated Power Four opponent Notre Dame three games into the season. Most of all, Mercadante said the defense is the most improved, especially the infield. 

Some players to keep an eye on in the infield, according to Mercadante, are University of Western Kentucky transfer Brady Browning and Kentucky State University transfer Mitchell Collins. Mercadante said both of those players will start in the left side of the infield and bring improved fielding and hitting. 

Pitching and Position Player Potential 

Mercadante said the staff prioritized getting more talented players to pitch such as Rollins College transfer Ryan Furey. For hitting, Mercadante said he retooled the lineup by adding more left-handed batters. 

Behind the plate, Mercadante touted Florida State University transfer Santiago Ordonez, and returners Jabin Bates and Eric Fouraker. Overall, Mercadante thinks these players will bring consistency to the catching position. 

However, the lineup, as a whole, won’t be consistent. For example, Meracadante said his lineups will vary throughout the season. 

“I think I know the lineup I write up for Friday nights is not going to be the lineup that I write out at the end of the year,” Mercadante said. 

Mercadante believes the team’s biggest Run-Batted-in producers will be returners Cade Bush and Connor Moore. As for transfers, Browning, Ordonez, and Carter White have the potential to be key contributors on offense. 

Along with the offensive prowess, Mercadante said pitching will be the team’s biggest strength this season. While he doesn’t expect the team to have three traditional starters every weekend, Mercadante said depth and aggressiveness will help the pitching group succeed. 

“When you have that many guys you feel confident to go in there and throw two to three pitches over the plate and be able to mix it up and really attack and be aggressive,” Mercadante said. “So we feel like that’s certainly going to be a strength for us.”

Mercadante added the pitching will be more focused on throwing strikes with surprises such as freshman Bryson Treichel and Will Ross looking to be a major factor. UNF will throw Furey on Friday, Ross on Saturday, and Jordan Wimpelberg on Sunday. 

This pitching order will likely change as the season moves along.

Staff Additions 

Mercadante spoke highly of his staff, which includes Pitching Coach Mike Petrowski and Major League Baseball veteran Brad Wilkerson. 

“Brad’s a worker,” Mercadante said. “He loves to grind it out in the cages.”

Mercadante said adding Wilkerson is a “huge advantage” to in-game management. 

“I’m really excited to have him on board,” Mercadante said. “He’s been such a great piece for our players to work with.”

Even with a staff change during the offseason, Mercadante said he’s more comfortable during his second season as skipper. 

“You kind of know how {the season’s] gonna go, but it doesn’t slow down the anticipation of the excitement to get started,” he said. 

UNF plays nine power conference opponents this season, boasting a “great opportunity” for Mercadante’s squad to show that “there’s not this cavernous gap” between the ASUN and Power Four teams, according to Mercadante. 

“We’ve got to execute and play at a high level,” the head coach said. “And if you do that, it doesn’t matter what conference your opponent’s from, you’re going to have a chance to win.”

UNF, currently winners of six straight, will face the University of Florida on Feb. 26 in Gainesville.

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