Similar to his role with Wareham in 2025, McDonald was a two-way standout at Florida. He threw more than 47 innings on the mound and took 94 at-bats in his sophomore season. It was undoubtedly a hefty workload, but McDonald excelled in both aspects in a highly competitive SEC that sent six teams to the College World Series in Omaha. His team-high nine home runs and 3.42 ERA earned him the Second Team All-American utility spot.
McDonald improved upon his freshman season in both aspects: his strikeout-to-walk ratio climbed to 6.00, and excelled in his first full season at the plate with a .319 batting average. McDonald reached base in 18 of the Gators’ final 20 games and tallied multiple hits in three of their four NCAA Tournament matchups.
Because of his time with the Gatemen last summer, he was no stranger to the two-way life. McDonald smacked a team-high six home runs while tossing over 25 innings. He started five games for Wareham but also contributed in relief appearances, similar to his appearance schedule at UF. McDonald has made himself more valuable to MLB teams with his 2027 draft year approaching as both a strong positional player and pitcher.
McDonald returns to Wareham for his second summer in the Cape League. While he is listed as an infielder, manager Ryan Smyth may put the right-hander on the mound once again. Out of the Gatemen’s eight returners for 2026, just two of them come from the pitching staff. Pivotal situations against high-level bats present a perfect opportunity for McDonald to continue to showcase his arm talent in front of scouts.
McDonald and Wareham begin regular-season play against Cotuit on Saturday, and then open up Spillane Field against Hyannis on Sunday. Gator fans and Gatemen fans looking to catch a game this summer can view the full 40-game schedule on Wareham's website.
