Kentucky Baseball 2026 Outlook

Derek Terry

Sophomore
Oct 13, 2021
61
141
23
I didn’t understand that either. All 3 were never touching campus. Echeman I never thought would come either. Jenkins turning down draft was huge and both Duffey and cerny presumably coming is as well. Only Walker was a bummer if he does sign.
You all must be looking at it through a different lens than I am. A great outcome would've been getting a positive surprise somewhere. Neither of the two high school guys who started trending toward signing late in the process fell through, and the two who had a real chance to get through (Essenburg and Walker) are both likely to sign. Jenkins was a good enough prospect that someone could throw some money at him, but nearly a handful of people I talk to frequently felt like he'd show up since he committed in September. Cerny was a late add as a possible draft guy but he always had a pretty good chance of showing up. Duffey is one of my favorite transfer additions but never heard concern at all on him not showing up.

I don't think it was a brutal draft or a disaster or anything like that. Avoided anything out of left field. But if you would've asked me pre-draft what a good outcome would be, it would've been Jenkins, Cerny and at least one of Essenburg or Walker.
 

vhcat1970

All-Conference
Jul 2, 2025
1,743
1,283
113
Ponatoski article today. Behind paywall I think. In sports section.

 

TeamAmerica

All-Conference
Jul 3, 2025
779
3,458
93
I heard Lucas Moore was a UK commit and Mingione pulled his offer the day before signing day. Any truth to that?
 

Comebakatz3

Heisman
Aug 8, 2008
41,167
31,124
113
I heard Lucas Moore was a UK commit and Mingione pulled his offer the day before signing day. Any truth to that?

I would say that this is unlikely. It is possible that his offer was pulled close to it, and there is evidence that backs up that Moore was committed to UK and just before signing day in November 2023 flipped to Louisville. However, from what I see there is not anything that made it a surprise type of thing that Moore changed from UK to UL at the last minute and that prior to signing day people knew that he was a 'recent commitment" to UL. Of course, I don't know if this was Moore's decision or UK's or a "mutual" decision.
 

TeamAmerica

All-Conference
Jul 3, 2025
779
3,458
93
I would say that this is unlikely. It is possible that his offer was pulled close to it, and there is evidence that backs up that Moore was committed to UK and just before signing day in November 2023 flipped to Louisville. However, from what I see there is not anything that made it a surprise type of thing that Moore changed from UK to UL at the last minute and that prior to signing day people knew that he was a 'recent commitment" to UL. Of course, I don't know if this was Moore's decision or UK's or a "mutual" decision.
If it was a " mutual decision " it was a terrible one.
 

Comebakatz3

Heisman
Aug 8, 2008
41,167
31,124
113
If it was a " mutual decision " it was a terrible one.
Ehh. Baseball is a fickle sport. Maybe the hardest sport to recruit. You have guys all the time that blow up at some point. Tyler Guilfoil was barely a top 1000 pitcher out of high school and he blew up into being a First Team All American at UK. Connor Heady was the 88th best player in his class and 14th best SS. He never lived up to that billing and struggled until his final year at UK. The staff may have missed on Moore. It happens. I'm not going to rake them over the coals for that. It was also at a time when, as I recall, the staff was trying to emphasize the transfer portal more, which led to the 2024 CWS appearance.
 

TeamAmerica

All-Conference
Jul 3, 2025
779
3,458
93
Ehh. Baseball is a fickle sport. Maybe the hardest sport to recruit. You have guys all the time that blow up at some point. Tyler Guilfoil was barely a top 1000 pitcher out of high school and he blew up into being a First Team All American at UK. Connor Heady was the 88th best player in his class and 14th best SS. He never lived up to that billing and struggled until his final year at UK. The staff may have missed on Moore. It happens. I'm not going to rake them over the coals for that. It was also at a time when, as I recall, the staff was trying to emphasize the transfer portal more, which led to the 2024 CWS appearance.
LOL- Is it to late to ask him to come back? The kids a hell of a player.
 

Bullpencat

Senior
Aug 4, 2022
311
443
63
2026 SEC schedule has been released. You know it will be tough but overall I think we came out well. Our permanent opponents are South Carolina and Vandy. The five schools we do not play are: Texas, Oklahoma, TAMU, Mississippi State and Georgia.
 

Bullpencat

Senior
Aug 4, 2022
311
443
63
Not sure exactly what is happening but on Will Pryor's social media he has a picture from yesterday laying in a hospital bed with the caption "the road back starts today". He is a transfer RHP from Belmont.

Maybe DT can comment more?
 

Bullpencat

Senior
Aug 4, 2022
311
443
63
6th 2027 commitment announced today:

Traxton Roberts (RHP) (IL)

He joins:
Brayden Singleton (LHP)
Tristan Steger (C)
Jackson Fossitt (LHP)
Ty Schmeidler (LHP)
Owen Hughes (LHP)

not sure how to count Jimmy Williams (SS) or if he will make it to campus.
 
Last edited:
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Jun 16, 2022
283
407
63
6th 2027 commitment announced today:

Traxton Roberts (RHP) (IL)

He joins:
Brayden Singleton (LHP)
Tristan Steger (C)
Jackson Fossitt (LHP)
Ty Schmeidler (LHP)
Owen Hughes (LHP)

not sure how to count Jimmy Williams (SS) or if he will make it to campus.
Williams is a '26.
 
Jun 16, 2022
283
407
63
My experience is that you never know. Sometimes you get burned like a few who should have made it to campus for last season and sometimes they show up on campus. There are so many variables. With NIL, it really changes the math.
 
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Bullpencat

Senior
Aug 4, 2022
311
443
63
Scrimmage this morning and again Schwartz is killing it. He may turn into our team leader. Tharnish still hitting well, getting on base and stealing. Bennett threw a few scoreless innings but the rest of the pitchers were a little meh.