Florida Found Its Shortstop: Why Sam Miller Could Be the Key to the Gators' 2026 Infield
When Florida lost both Colby Shelton and Bobby Boser to the MLB Draft after the 2025 season, the Gators were staring down a serious question mark on the left side of the infield. With no proven shortstop in the system, Florida turned to the transfer portal-and struck gold.
That gold came in the form of Sam Miller, a standout from Columbia who didn’t just put up big numbers-he put his name on the national radar. Miller entered the portal on June 25 and immediately became one of the most sought-after names on the market. And it’s not hard to see why.
In 2025, Miller slashed .338/.407/.606 with 16 home runs, 10 doubles, 57 RBIs, and 50 runs scored. He also held down shortstop with a .942 fielding percentage. That kind of production earned him Ivy League Player of the Year honors and helped lead Columbia to a conference title and its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2022.
The Lions made their way to the Hattiesburg Regional as a four seed and wasted no time making noise, stunning No. 1 seed Southern Miss 11-4 in the opener. While Columbia’s run ended after back-to-back losses to Miami and a Southern Miss rematch, the season was nothing short of historic-and Miller was at the heart of it.
“Being there was awesome,” Miller said of the postseason run. “The regional was the coolest thing.
We were underdogs, and we beat Southern Miss. That was sick.
Winning the Ivy League championship was awesome.”
Miller kept things modest when reflecting on his individual performance, pointing to his work ethic as the driving force behind his breakout year.
“It was a good year,” he said. “I just credit the hard work I put in before practices, after practices. It was a fun year to celebrate.”
But after Columbia’s season ended on June 1, Miller found himself at a crossroads. Stay for his senior year and chase an Ivy League degree-or take a leap and chase a childhood dream of playing in the SEC.
That tug-of-war played out daily, with Miller waking up each morning leaning one way, only to shift by the afternoon. Even his parents got involved, offering different perspectives depending on the day.
With the portal window closing, the decision had to come soon. On July 4, Miller made his call-he was headed to Gainesville.
“Florida made me feel the most secure,” Miller said. “Like, ‘Hey man, we really want you.
You’re not just some depth guy. Like, we really want you to be here.’”
Still, joining a new program-especially one with Florida’s pedigree-came with its share of nerves. Miller admitted he was anxious about fitting in, aware of the dynamics that can come with being a transfer.
“I was very, very nervous to come here and meet everybody,” he said. “Because it’s also like, you’re coming from the portal, so I feel like immediately you’re not liked as much.
It’s like, ‘I’ve been here for three years and you’re going to come here and try and play? This is ridiculous.’”
But those fears didn’t last long. After connecting with teammates like infielder Brendan Lawson and pitchers Jackson Barberi and Aidan King, Miller felt welcomed. The anxiety faded, and the focus shifted to what he came to do-anchor the Gators’ infield.
Since the fall, it’s been clear: shortstop is Miller’s job to lose. That comes with expectations, of course.
Florida’s had a strong run of shortstops-Shelton, Josh Rivera, Mark Ellis, Nolan Fontana. But Miller isn’t trying to mimic anyone.
He’s staying grounded.
“You just go enjoy it and keep your head down and just kind of be you,” he said. “Don’t try to be who the previous shortstop was.
Just know who you are and play your game. Just keep working hard.”
That mindset has already earned him respect in the clubhouse. Second baseman Cade Kurland, who’s expected to form a key middle-infield partnership with Miller, praised his new teammate’s approach.
“I mean, he’s a blue-collar kid,” Kurland said. “Obviously, he’s from Pennsylvania, and me and him have a lot of chemistry going. We’ve only been together three months, so I’m excited for the spring.”
Miller isn’t just looking to contribute-he’s setting personal goals, too. He’s aiming to hit .300 with double-digit homers and soak up every bit of experience in what will be his final collegiate season.
With 116 college games already under his belt, Miller brings more than just potential-he brings experience. And not just the Ivy League variety. Over three years, he’s played in some of the toughest environments in college baseball: road games against Virginia, Alabama, Florida, East Carolina, Georgia, Oregon, and that electric Hattiesburg regional.
Those games, Miller believes, helped prepare him for the SEC grind.
“You learn so much because of the heightening of the game, the crowds,” he said. “You’re getting used to the crowds, it’s all super cool.
I think it’s also-you’re not sped up, but you can find yourself saying ‘oh my gosh.’ Just take deep breaths.
It’s just a baseball game. Just kind of block everything out and that helps too.”
That poise, that self-awareness, and that work ethic are exactly what Florida needed heading into 2026. The Gators didn’t just land a shortstop-they landed a leader. And if Miller’s past is any indication, he’s ready to make his mark in Gainesville.