June 16, 2026

FORT MYERS, Fla.- Whether it's towering home runs or triple digit fastballs, Florida SouthWestern alumns are shining at all levels of professional baseball during the 2026 season. FSW is the only junior college program in the country with four different former players with 10 or more home runs while two former Bucs pitchers are currently on Major League rosters.

Carlos Rodriguez | FSW Class of 2019 | Milwaukee Brewers (MLB)

The Bucs first big leaguer, Rodriguez has actually been better at the Major League level this season than the minors, posting a 3.86 ERA in four appearances with the Brewers including two scoreless innings against Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers in his second to last outing.

Ryan Gusto | FSW Class of 2021 | Miami Marlins (MLB)

Gusto returned to the Sunshine State last season after a midseason trade saw him go from the Houston Astros to the Miami Marlins. This season he has pitched in five games for the Fish, starting three, striking out 10 in his 13 2/3 innings pitched. In his last outing against Arizona he was outstanding, firing four scoreless innings, striking out four in an 8-0 shutout victory.

Abimelec Ortiz | FSW Class of 2021 | Rochester Red Wings (AAA-Washington)

Ortiz is well on his way to be FSW's first hitter to reach the Big Leagues. He was a key piece in the Texas Rangers' deal to for All-Star Mackenzie Gore in the offseason, getting a new start in Washington after being named the Rangers Minor League Player of the Year in 2023. Now with Rochester, in AAA for the Nationals, he has continued to put up big numbers, popping 11 home runs and driving in 49 in 53 games this season including being named the International League Player of the Week to close out May after homering six times and driving in 16 in a four game stretch for the Red Wings.

Mason Adams | FSW Class of 2022 | Charlotte Knights (AAA-Chicago)

Adams missed all of 2025 with an injury, but has come back ready to go this season and is now just one step from making his Big League dreams come true. Across three levels in the minors this season, Adams has put together a 3.71 ERA while racking up 17 strikeouts and walking just two in 17 innings of action. In his AAA debut on Friday he struck out five in five innings of work in a 12-7 Charlotte win over Oklahoma City.

Antonio Knowles | FSW Class of 2021 | Tulsa Drillers (AA-Los Angeles)

Possibly the next former FSW hurler who will get the call to the Big Leagues is Antonio Knowles who is putting together another solid season in the bullpen in the Dodgers organization. He started the season in AAA, but an injury quickly derailed his 2026 plans. He is now healthy and has been lights out for AA Tulsa, striking out seven and walking just two in five straight scoreless appearances for the Drillers since returning to action.

Magnus Ellerts | FSW Class of 2022 | Akron RubberDucks (AA-Cleveland)

One of the most dominating starters the Bucs have ever seen, Ellerts has made all 123 of his professional appearances out of the bullpen for the Guardians organization. Before being sidelined with an injury this season, Ellerts was putting together another solid campaign, going 1-0 with a pair of saves while posting a 2.55 ERA with 25 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings pitched.

Mitch Myers | FSW Class of 2019 | Midland Rockhounds (AA-Athletics)

Myers recently topped the 400 innings pitched mark as a pro, spending his entire five year career with the Athletics thus far. This season has been a bit of an outlier for Myers as he is 0-2 with a 6.94 ERA through seven starts, but has continued to rack up the strikeouts with 37 in 35 innings pitched for AA Midland.

Hunter Fitz-Gerald | FSW Class of 2022 | Arkansas Travelers (AA-Seattle)

Fitz-Gerald has had a breakout year in AA for the Mariners this season, already posting a career best 13 home runs while needing just six RBIs to set a new career high there as well after driving in 49 for Arkansas through the Travelers first 59 games of the year. He had his sixth multi-hit game of June on Sunday, bumping his average all the way up to .274.

Carter Cunningham | FSW Class of 2021 | New Hampshire Fisher Cats (AA-Toronto)

Like Fitz-Gerald, Cunningham is having his best season as a pro in 2026, hitting .252 with 12 doubles and 12 home runs while driving in 43 across two levels. A quick start to the season earned him Northwest League Player of the Month with Vancouver in April before earning the call up to AA New Hampshire where he homered in back to back games Friday and Saturday for the Fisher Cats.

Ben Peterson | FSW Class of 2022 | Richmond Flying Squirrels (AA-San Francisco)

Another flamethrowing FSW product, Peterson has been a back end threat in his first two seasons with the Giants organization. This year he is 3-1 with four saves in 19 appearances across High A and AA, notching a 2.36 ERA with 43 strikeouts in 26 2/3 innings pitched.

Jose Izarra | FSW Class of 2022 | Great Lakes Loons (High A-Los Angeles)

Izarra has seen action all over the infield for Great Lakes this season, splitting time at short, second, and third. He is hitting .240 with eight doubles and 18 RBIs through 47 games while also going 9 for 10 in stolen base attempts.

Frank Elissalt | FSW Class of 2022 | Peoria Chiefs (High A-St. Louis)

Elissalt is recovering from an injury that has caused him to be sidelined for the first half of the season after being dealt at the break last season to the Cardinals organization. Before the injury ended his 2025 campaign, he posted a 3.41 ERA with 71 strikeouts in 66 innings pitched across three levels.

Victor Figueroa | FSW Class of 2024 | Frederick Keys (High A-Baltimore)

Orioles fans are starting to see while Baltimore coveted Figueroa in a 2025 trade deadline deal that sent All-Star Ryan O'Hearn and Ramon Laureano to San Diego. All he has done is hit during his professional career and this season has been no different as he has crushed 17 home runs and driven in 49 runs in his first 54 games for Frederick. His 49 RBIs are a South Atlantic League best while his 17 longballs are just one off the pace.

Justin Thomas | FSW Class of 2024 | Asheville Tourists (High A-Houston)

The lightning to Figueroa's thunder with the Bucs in 2024, Thomas has showed a little thump of his own in the professional ranks, cracking nine homers in his first 50 games this year. He ranks in the top 10 in the South Atlantic League in OPS at .953, RBIs with 43, stolen bases with 20, while leading the league with 54 runs scored on the year. He kicked off June with a bang, recording his first multi-homer game, including a walk off in a wild 16-15 win over Greensboro.

Marty Gair | FSW Class of 2023 | Clearwater Threshers (A-Philadelphia)

Maybe the hottest former Buc prospect is flamethrower Marty Gair. With a fastball that has consistently sat north of 100 MPH, Gair has struck out 37 in his 22 innings of work this season while holding opponents to just a .149 average on the year. He has been outstanding in June with four straight scoreless appearances without allowing a hit, striking out 10 of the 15 hitters he has faced.

Brian Holiday | FSW Class of 2022 | Palm Beach Cardinals (A-St. Louis)

An injury cost Holiday his entire 2025 season, but he has bounced back with a 3.97 ERA through two levels this year. The fiery righthander has notched a 19/5 strikeout to walk ratio on the year and has limited opponents to just a .203 averaged through seven appearances.

Jared Davis | FSW Class of 2024 | ACL Athletics (Rookie-Athletics)

Davis won't be in the desert long if he continues swinging the bat the way he is currently, hitting .339 with an OPS of .952 through 21 games with the ACL Athletics. June has been good to him with hits in eight of nine games, good for a .444 batting average in the month.