2025 Baseball Position-by-Position Preview – Infielders

ORLANDO – In a season that will see the Knights attempt to make back-to-back postseasons for the first time since 2012, Rich Wallace’s 2025 UCF baseball squad will be led by some familiar faces and some new ones. Of those players, those who will be manning the infield look to create a fearsome unit.

RETURNERS

After having started all 58 games in the infield last season for the Black and Gold, senior Lex Boedicker will return for his fourth year and looks to lockdown first base. Boedicker batted .266 last season and led the team in runs scored with 44, in addition to recording 43 RBIs, six home runs, 12 doubles and tied for the team lead with 10 stolen bases.

“He’s unselfish,” Wallace said. “He’s taken over first base. He’s gotten even better. He can hit. He has power. He’ll play unselfish offense. And he might be our best baserunner. He puts it in at practice. That’s a guy who for three years has worked his tail off.”

Redshirt junior Braden Calise also returns and is expected to serve as the team’s second baseman. He will attempt to improve on a 2024 campaign that saw him bat .312 and record a .961 field percentage. Calise also posted 12 multi-hit games a season ago as well as a .774 OPS and 28 runs scored.

Also returning is senior Andrew Sundean who will most likely serve as the team’s starting catcher, in addition to a few appearances as a designated hitter. Sundean appeared in 39 games last season, 11 as a catcher, and batted .278 with 31 RBIs and 13 extra-base hits (seven doubles and six homers). Redshirt junior Dylan King is also back after a season in which he had a .213 batting average and .992 fielding percentage in 23 games. He will also look to earn a number of starts behind the plate for the Knights.

Boedicker, Calise and King are three of the Black and Gold’s six team captains for the 2025 campaign.

NEWCOMERS

Of the newcomers, sophomore transfer Antonio Jimenez looks to be the Black and Gold’s shortstop. Jimenez spent his first collegiate season at Miami, where in 99 at-bats he recorded 12 RBIs, nine extra-base hits, two home runs and seven 2Bs. The man locking up third base appears to be junior Kendrey Maduro, a transfer from the junior college ranks at Northwest Florida State. In his final JUCO season, Maduro helped lead his team to the Junior College World Series by batting .323 and recording a 1.004 OPS, 13 home runs and 48 RBIs.

DEPTH PIECES

Outside of projected starting lineup, the Knights have several more talented players who will look to add depth to the infield. One of those players is junior Edian Espinal, a transfer from Chipola Junior College. While at Chipola, Espinal was a key member of the Indians baseball team. He had 57 hits and 37 RBIs in 47 games his freshman season and recorded 53 hits and 29 RBIs in 55 games his sophomore season. In both seasons he was named First Team All-Panhandle Conference.

Two other key transfers are juniors Erick Almonte (State College of Florida) and Aris Rivera (Polk State). Almonte recorded a .342 ERA with three home runs, 48 runs and 33 RBIs last season and was named First Team All-Suncoast Conference the season before after hitting .317 with two homers, 61 runs and 39 RBIs.

In addition to those transfers, the Black and Gold’s infield will also get some help from some incoming freshmen Mateo Gray (Weston, Fla.), Robbie Demetree (Altamonte Springs, Fla.) and Bo Jonas (Kansas City, Mo.). Gray helped lead North Broward High School to a 2024 state title and was named Florida Max Preps Player of the Year. In his first collegiate season he will look to help solidify first base, in addition to seeing some action as a relief pitcher. Demetree comes to UCF after helping lead TNXL Academy to a trio of conference titles. He also participated in the 2023 Future Stars Series at Fenway Park and was a member of the National Society of High School Scholars in high school and will look to see time on the left side of the infield. After a high school career that saw him be named First Team All-State and help lead Liberty North High School to back-to-back state titles, Jonas will look to be a key contributor to the Knights already strong group of catchers.

Overall, with the combination of UCF’s starters and depth pieces, returners and newcomers, this year’s group of infielders is one that is not only talented, but one that is tough and hard working, something they hope to show to the fans every game.

“Gritty, that’s what fans can expect from us,” Calise said.