Four Kentucky baseball stars commit to returning for 2026 season

Following its loss in the Clemson Regional, Kentucky looks to be re-loading for what appears to be a promising 2026 campaign in Lexington.

It was reported on Friday afternoon that program pillars shortstop Tyler Bell, left-hander pitcher Ben Cleaver, utility piece Ryan Schwartz and right-handed pitcher Nate Harris will be returning to the program next season (via Jacob Rudner of Baseball America).

Some big non-transfer news: Kentucky’s Tyler Bell, Ben Cleaver, Ryan Schwartz and Nate Harris have all committed to returning to Lexington in 2026, sources tell @BaseballAmerica. @UKBaseball’s impressive core group will stay intact. All four guys would have been commodities.

— Jacob Rudner (@JacobRudner) June 6, 2025

“I’m really excited about next year’s team,” Mingione said following the loss last Sunday. “I think if the guys continue to grow and develop and we bring all this back, depending on what happens with the Draft, if you told me we were a preseason top-10 team in the country I could believe it. That’s how highly I think of the guys we have coming back offensively.”

Strong Wildcat core for 2026

Bell and Schwartz emerged as two of Kentucky’s brightest young offensive players this season. Bell, who was tabbed as Kentucky’s first All-SEC Freshman team selection since 2016, hit for a .296 average with 10 home runs and 46 RBI. He was Kentucky’s first freshman with double-digit home runs since 1993.

Schwartz dealt with injury problems for the first half of the year but forced himself into the starting lineup over the final two months, hitting for a .317 average with 15 RBI.

The return of Nate Harris and Ben Cleaver is massive for the ‘Cats as well, as last season they had no starting pitching returning. Cleaver, who took a leap in his sophomore campaign, will likely be one of the most talented returning arms to the SEC next season. The left-hander started 15 games, where he accrued a 6-3 record with a 3.25 ERA and 92 strikeouts in 83 innings.

Harris was a nice surprise for Mingione and the coaching staff also, as he was plugged into the starting rotation for Ethan Walker on April 4 against Ole Miss and found success against SEC competition. On the season, Harris boasted a 5-2 record with a 4.25 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 59 1/3 innings.

This foursome leads a talented core returning next season, consisting of 18 or so players. Kentucky however has already lost 14 players to the Transfer Portal so far this offseason.

The full list is below:

Landon Franklin, 6-foot, 185 pounds, INF, Redshirt freshman
Cooper Robinson, 6-foot-5, 220 pounds, RHP, Senior
Hayden Mains, 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, Utility, Freshman -> Morehead State
Eli Small, 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, OF, Sophomore
Aidan Larkin, 6-foot, 185 pounds, INF, Freshman
Nolan Belcher, 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, C, Freshman
James McCoy, 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, OF/RHP, Redshirt Junior
Bradley Ferrell, 6-foot-3, 185 pounds, RHP, Freshman
Griffin Cameron, 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, OF, Sophomore
Zak Spurrier, 6-foot-2, 220 pounds, RHP, Freshman
Hayden Smith, 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, LHP, Redshirt Sophomore
Kyuss Gargett, 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, INF, Sophomore
Dylan Koontz, 6-foot, 215 pounds, INF, Grad transfer
Logan Grubb, 6-foot, 170 pounds, LHP, Freshman

You can keep up with On3’s 2025 live transfer portal tracker here.