Florida Southwestern State Professional Athletes

Florida Southwestern State in MLB | Sept. 6–12, 2026

Fort Myers doesn't have an MLB team, but Florida Southwestern State is making its presence felt across the big leagues this week — from a historic debut in Miami to a veteran arm quietly building a case for his future.

Josue De Paula Makes History in Dodger Blue

The marquee moment of the week belonged to Josue De Paula, who stepped into the batter's box for the Dodgers on Friday night at loanDepot Park and became the youngest player in the organization in nine years. Batting seventh as the designated hitter in his MLB debut against the Marlins, De Paula's arrival was one of the most anticipated callups of the late-season stretch for Los Angeles. The left-handed hitter's promotion caps what has clearly been a rapid ascent through one of baseball's most talent-stocked systems. It's the kind of debut that doesn't just mark a personal milestone — it signals that the Dodgers believe De Paula is ready to contribute now, not just someday.

The timing made for a full-circle FSW moment: De Paula debuted against a Marlins squad with fellow alumnus Ryan Gusto on the mound.

Gusto Gives Miami Reason to Believe

Gusto has been one of the quieter success stories of the second half, and Friday's start added another encouraging line to that narrative. He went six innings against the Dodgers, surrendering two earned runs and striking out three — a solid, workmanlike outing that kept Miami competitive. His ERA sits at 4.14, and Sports Illustrated noted this week that the Marlins have genuine reason to feel encouraged by his progress as the season winds down.

For a Marlins team navigating a rebuilding phase, seeing a veteran arm stabilize in the rotation is exactly the kind of development the front office needed. Gusto isn't overpowering anyone, but he's eating innings and limiting damage — a valuable combination.

Ortiz Heats Up for Washington

First baseman Abimelec Ortiz had a productive week at the plate for the Nationals. After hovering around the Mendoza line earlier in the period, Ortiz delivered his best game on Saturday, going 2-for-the-day with two RBI, a run scored, and a walk as Washington topped the Angels 6–5. He's been a consistent presence in the lineup across multiple series this week, logging hits in games against the Padres as well. His average climbed to .218 by week's end — modest, but trending in the right direction with the season in its final weeks.

The Bigger Picture

Three FSW alumni in action across three different MLB storylines in a single week is a testament to what the program in Fort Myers has been quietly building. De Paula's debut will get the headlines, and rightfully so — youngest Dodger in nine years is not a footnote. But Gusto's durability and Ortiz's late-season push are the kind of stories that speak to the depth of talent the college continues to send to professional baseball.

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For Florida Southwestern State alumni tracking the final stretch of the MLB season, the name to watch is Abimelec Ortiz — and the stakes couldn't be higher.

The Nationals first baseman has been singled out as one of Washington's key players with the most to prove in September, alongside prospects Dylan Crews and Harry Ford. It's the kind of spotlight that can define a career — or complicate one. For Ortiz, the final month of 2026 is a proving ground he can't afford to squander.

Ortiz: A Batting Average in Freefall

The numbers tell a story that demands urgent attention. Ortiz entered the week of August 30 hitting .226 — already a thin margin for a first baseman expected to produce at the plate. By September 2, that average had slipped to .202, a slide that underscores exactly why he's on the hot seat.

There were flickers of life. On August 31, Ortiz drew a walk and scored a run against the Marlins. Then on September 5 against the Dodgers, he delivered a hit, drove in a run, and crossed the plate himself — a modest but welcome contribution that nudged his average back up to .208. It's not a turnaround, but it's a sign the power-profile bat hasn't gone completely quiet.

The bottom line: Ortiz needs a sustained run — not just a good game here and there — to make his case for a meaningful role in Washington's plans beyond 2026.

Gusto Turns in a Mixed Week on the Mound

On the other side of the ledger, FSW alum Ryan Gusto had an up-and-down week for the Marlins. The right-hander was solid in his August 31 start against the Nationals, working 4.1 innings with four strikeouts and just one earned run — a performance that kept his ERA at a tidy 3.86.

His September 5 outing against the Cubs was a rougher afternoon. Gusto went 4.2 innings, fanned five, but surrendered five earned runs, a crooked number that will sting his season ERA — bumping it to 4.23. The strikeout stuff is clearly there; the damage prevention is the variable that will determine where Gusto fits in Miami's rotation picture heading into the offseason.

The FSW Watch

It's a quietly compelling moment for fans of the Fort Myers program. Ortiz is in the middle of a legitimate narrative — named publicly as a player with his back against the wall, producing just enough to keep the conversation open. Gusto is pitching meaningful innings for a major league club, even if the results are inconsistent.

No FSW alum is leading a pennant race. But two of them are doing something arguably more dramatic: playing for their futures, one at-bat and one outing at a time, in the most unforgiving month on the baseball calendar.

Ortiz Finding His Stroke in Washington

Florida Southwestern State product Abimelec Ortiz gave Nationals fans something to feel good about during the week of Aug. 23–29, stringing together a six-game stretch that lifted his batting average from .210 to .235 — a modest but meaningful uptick for a young first baseman still finding his footing in the big leagues.

The run started quietly. Ortiz entered Sunday, Aug. 23 sitting at .210, with nothing to show in that day's box score against the Marlins. But the bat came alive from there. He went 1-for-something Monday against the Rockies, contributing an RBI, two runs scored, and a walk — a multi-dimensional offensive night that nudged his average to .212. He added another hit Tuesday (up to .221) before going cold Wednesday (.208) — the one blip in an otherwise encouraging stretch.

Then came the weekend series back against Miami. Ortiz went 2-for on Friday, scoring a run and bumping his average to .224, before following up Saturday with another two-hit game that pushed him to .235. Back-to-back multi-hit performances against a divisional opponent are exactly the kind of stretch a young hitter needs heading into the final weeks of a season.

The broader context matters here. Big league pitchers have had time to adjust to Ortiz since his debut, and that adjustment period has been visible in his numbers. But as Yahoo Sports noted in a recent piece, the belief in his upside remains intact — the growing pains are real, but so is the ceiling. For the Nationals, who are playing long-game roster building, a young corner infielder rediscovering his timing in August is precisely the kind of development they're looking for.

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Gusto Steady for the Fish

Ryan Gusto, another FSW alum, put together a solid mid-week outing for the Marlins on Wednesday, Aug. 26, against the Red Sox. The right-hander worked 5.2 innings, struck out two, and carries an ERA of 3.98 on the season — competent work from a rotation piece on a rebuilding Miami club. No fireworks, but dependable length from a pitcher still establishing himself at the MLB level.

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The week offered a snapshot of what Florida Southwestern State is quietly producing: pro-caliber talent at multiple positions across the National League. Ortiz remains the headliner, and if his late-August surge carries any momentum into September, the Nats — and FSW fans — will have plenty of reason to keep watching.