LAKE MARY, Fla.- For much of the 2024 Florida League season, the formula for the Winter Garden Squeeze was simple.

If Micah Takac (Mercer) was starting, the Squeeze were likely going to win.

Takac, the Florida League's leader in wins, helped the Squeeze to a franchise record 21 wins, and has been named the 2024 Florida League Pitcher of the Year. The Pitcher of the Year is selected via a vote of league staff, coaches, and scorekeepers, and is selected from nominees from each of the FCSL's six teams.

Takac made six starts this summer for the Squeeze, and was the winning pitcher in five of the six starts. His only no decision, which was also Winter Garden's only regular season loss with Takac pitching, still saw the Mercer righthander toss five innings without allowing an earned run in a June 1 contest against the Orlando Snappers at A-Game Field in Winter Garden.

With five wins, Takac was just the third pitcher in the last five seasons - since the Florida League went to a shorter schedule - to log five or more wins in a season, joining 2020 Orlando Scorpions pitcher Jordan Powell and 2022 Leesburg Lightning hurler Justin Gay. He is also one of just five pitchers in the last ten Florida League seasons to win five or more games without a loss, with Powell, Rollin Layton (2019 River Rats), Jesus Valoy (2018 Suns), and Drew Peden (2016 Lightning) the previous players to do so.

Across 29 innings of work, Takac allowed just five earned runs, never allowing more than two earned runs in any regular season start. The Macon, Georgia native struck out 25 hitters, and flashed excellent control with just four walks allowed. Opposing hitters managed less than a baserunner per inning against Takac, who recorded a WHIP of 0.93 and an opposing batting average of .221.

The Mercer junior made his case for the Florida League's top pitching honor early in the summer, as the righthander had racked up four wins by Independence Day. In starts against DeLand, Sanford, Leesburg, and Sanford again, Takac was the winning pitcher in four straight starts from June 8-July 2, never allowing more than two earned runs.

In addition to his honors as Florida League Pitcher of the Year, Takac was selected as a Florida League All-Star, and (spoiler alert) will be included as a First Team All-Florida League starting pitcher, a team that is announced Saturday. His sterling summer, which helped Winter Garden to one of the best seasons in franchise history, make him a worthy recipient of the FCSL's top pitching honor.

This week, the Florida League will be unveiling our yearly award winners. The schedule of awards is as follows:
Monday: Coach of the Year- Rich Billings
Tuesday: David Eckstein Sportsmanship Award- Tripp Landers
Wednesday: Reliever of the Year- Joel Core
Thursday: Player of the Year- Titan Kamaka
Friday: Pitcher of the Year- Micah Takac
Saturday: All-Florida League
Sunday: Randy Harvey Umpire of the Year