Den Dekker excited about baseball class of 2010

Count Florida senior center fielder Matt den Dekker as one player fired up about Florida’s incoming freshman baseball class.

“I’ve been here all summer with them, got to hang out with them,” den Dekker said. “It’s a really good class, really talented. With them and the core we have coming back to help lead them, I think we have a chance to have a special season.”

Florida didn’t land its entire early signing class of 16 freshman after Monday night’s deadline for Major League Baseball amateurs to sign. But the Gators kept enough highly touted recruits to have a class that’s considered one of the best in the nation.

The Gators retained seven of their 11 draft-eligible freshmen to school, including pitcher/first baseman Brian Johnson (Cocoa Beach), right-hander Michael Heller (Bradenton) and catchers Austin Maddox (Jacksonville) and Michael Zunino (Cape Coral).

“I think for sure it’s still a top five class,” said Aaron Fitt, national college baseball writer for Baseball America magazine. “It might even still be in the mix for the top overall class in the nation.”

Florida lost infielder Bobby Borchering (first round, Arizona Diamondbacks), pitcher David Holmberg (second round, Chicago White Sox) and pitcher Patrick Schuster (14th round, Arizona Diamondbacks) to the majors after all three signed deals with their respective teams. Florida commitment and first-round pick LeVon Washington didn’t sign with the Tampa Bay Rays, but the Gainesville native reportedly hasn’t qualified academically for UF and is expected to enroll in junior college.

Johnson was picked in the 27th-round by the Los Angeles Dodgers, while Heller was a 29th-round selection by the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Oakland Athletics took Zunino in the 29th round and Maddox was picked in the 37th round by Tampa Bay.

But those numbers are deceiving. All four players fell in the draft because they were leaning toward enrolling at UF in June. Maddox, a power-hitting catcher, was an Aflac All-American and considered a top-five round talent. Heller, a hard-throwing righty, also made the Aflac All-American team.

The addition of Heller and Johnson should give Florida coach Kevin O’Sullivan added pitching depth heading into next season. Johnson, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound lefty, struck out 94 in 61.2 innings during his junior high school season.

“I think Sully (O’Sullivan) knew when he signed the class, he was going to lose some guys,” Fitt said. “I think he probably felt if he was able to get half of those guys, it would still be hugely successful. Schuster was probably a little bit of a surprise, but on balance, I think (Monday) was a victory for Florida.”

The remaining draft-eligible freshman who chose to stay at Florida included infielder Bryson Smith (30th round, Cleveland Indians), pitcher Hudson Randall (46th round, Kansas City Royals) and pitcher Steven “Paco” Rodriguez (48th round, Houston Astros.)

Meanwhile, both den Dekker (16th round, Pittsburgh Pirates) and left-handed pitcher Kevin Chapman (50th round, Chicago White Sox) chose to return for their senior seasons. For den Dekker, the return to Florida was a simple choice. He said the sting of falling short to Southern Mississippi in the NCAA Super Regionals at home stuck with him for the summer.

“We didn’t get to Omaha (the College World Series) which was the goal,” den Dekker said. “With the guys that we have coming back and what we’re bringing in, I think we have a chance to get there.”