FSU baseball: Team captain returning for 2021 season

Chase Haney has been one of FSU’s brightest players on and off the field in his five years at FSU. After earning his masters’s degree in Sport Management today, Haney will be back for his sixth year in the Garnet and Gold in 2021. Per Seminoles.com, Haney has decided to use his extra year of eligibility at FSU and make one more run at Omaha.

FSU’s strength was already their arms, but Haney brings back the experience, leadership, and matchup issues to make the bullpen one of the deepest in the nation. The submariner posted a 1.29 ERA, 0.57 WHIP, and 12.8 K/9 in 2020. He also had a team low .122 batting average against.

The redshirt senior was the most relied upon pitcher not only for FSU, but in the entire nation, leading the country with 12 appearances in the shortened season. He will enter the 2021 season with the fifth-most relief appearances in FSU history.

Florida State will also bring back seniors Nico Baldor and Clayton Kwiatkowski for their extra years of eligibility, a school spokesperson confirmed with me on Friday.

Baldor was seldomly used in 2020, but was a starter for most of the 2019 season and brings good defense and experience to the 2021 roster.

Kwiatkowski is an important matchup arm for the ‘Noles and was throwing some of his best ball when the 2020 season came to an end. The southpaw has thrown 110.2 innings in his FSU career, while posting a 3.25 ERA. The Tampa native will also bring back important leadership, with four LHP’s coming in FSU’s 2020 recruiting class.