FORT MYERS, Fla.- Florida SouthWestern State righthander Magnus Ellerts will remain in the Sunshine State to continue his Baseball and academic career next year after signing with the Florida Gators for the 2022-2023 campaign.  

 

Ellerts will see his first action as a Buc this Spring after transferring to FSW from Patrick Henry Community College in Virginia where he was a 1st Team NJCAA All-American a season ago.  He led the Patriots to the NJCAA DII World Series, going 10-2 with a 2.60 ERA and 141 strikeouts in 86 2/3 innings pitched on the year.  He allowed just 48 hits in those 86 2/3 innings, holding opponents to just a .155 batting average. He struck out 10 or more hitters in seven different starts including a career high 14 in 8 one-hit innings against Pasco-Hernando to kick off the postseason.

 

He will join a tradition rich Gator program that has reached the College World Series 12 times and had 33 former players playing professional baseball in 2021 including 13 who saw action in the Major Leagues.  Last season Florida was 38-22 and reached the semifinals of the SEC Tournament before hosting the Gainesville Regional in the NCAA Tournament.  

 

It is the second straight season that an FSW hurler has signed with the Gators after closer Antonio Knowles inked with Florida in 2020 before being drafted and signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers in July.  

 

Ellerts is the fourth Division I and sixth overall signee for the Bucs during the early signing period, joining Grant Besser (Rutgers), Riley Skeen (South Florida), Matthew Corpas (Florida International), Frank Ellisalt (Nova Southeastern), and Kalvin Alexander (Georgia Southwestern). Ellerts and the Bucs will open their 2022 season on January 28th when they host the Marissa Gusto Memorial Tournament in downtown Fort Myers.