Two-Month Warning: What to watch entering another Kentucky baseball season

Winter has officially arrived in the Bluegrass. There is snow on the ground and freezing temperatures in the forecast. Everyone has gotten out the gloves, toboggans, scarfs, and those big winter coats that have been taking up space in the closet. December means Christmas time but it also means that college baseball is right around the corner.

We have officially reached the two-month warning from another Kentucky baseball season beginning. This is one with high expectations as Nick Mingione’s enters his 10th season as head coach. The Wildcats will be looking to extend three-year NCAA Tournament streak in 2026 and could have the pieces in place to make another run at the College World Series.

This will be a big season at Kentucky Proud Park. KSR will be here to cover this team’s journey from start to finish. Have you not been paying super close attention to what has been happening throughout the offseason with Mingione’s program? Well, we’ve got you covered.

These are the storylines that have dominated the Kentucky baseball offseason.

Sophomore Tyler Bell

Tyler Bell was a massive recruiting win for Kentucky in the 2024 high school cycle. Nick Mingione and his staff convinced the Illinois shortstop to turn down the Tampa Bay Rays after a second-round selection in the 2024 MLB Draft and use college baseball to become a first-round pick.

He is on the right path.

Bell batted .296 with an OPS over .900 as a true freshman. The rookie led the team in doubles (17) and runs (51) while also adding 10 home runs, 11 steals, and 35 walks/HBPs. This young phenom was the only player on the roster to hit over .300 in SEC play. The big recruit quickly became Kentucky’s best player.

How good could Bell get?

Kentucky will ask the sophomore to carry a heavy load on offense and will need him to become a true star. We saw superstar potential last year. There’s a chance UK might just have one of the best players in the country at shortstop.

Returnees will have a big role

Nick Mingione once again hit the transfer portal hard in the offseason to fill his roster. We will have more on that big free agent class later, but Kentucky will need some returnees to step into bigger roles this season. The Bat Cats need Tyler Bell to be a star but there are some players who will need to increase their production for this UK team to reach its ceiling this spring.

— Luke Lawrence: The Illinois State transfer started 57 games for Kentucky last season at second base. Lawrence is a left-handed hitter who batted .306 with a .822 OPS. The top of the order bat gave UK some pop (10 doubles, two triples, four home runs) and was active on the bases (12 steals, 50 runs). This offense must have guys on base for Bell. Lawrence will be asked to be a consistent contributor at the top of the lineup.

— Carson Hansen: The Wisconsin-Milwaukee transfer was yet another left-handed bat in Kentucky’s lineup. The outfielder came alive late in the season and slashed .283/.374/.556. Hansen has hit 18 home runs over the last two seasons and could be ready to fill a much-needed power void in the UK lineup.

Carson. KaBOOM!@Carson34Hansen hammers an opposite field three-run #BigBlueBomb through the wind!

B1 | UK 3, Upstate 0

📺 ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/n0uzgjkQPZ

— Kentucky Baseball (@UKBaseball) May 31, 2025

— Ryan Schwartz: The former top-150 recruit played in 23 games as a true freshman with 18 starting assignments. Schwartz can play catcher or corner outfield. The stick might be good enough to never leave UK’s lineup this season. Schwartz had seven extra-base knocks in 60 at-bats last season and could be a mainstay in the middle of the lineup this year as UK looks for a new starting catcher.

— Hudson Brown: The Mississippi native started 29 games as a redshirt freshman and finished the season with eight doubles and three home runs. At 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds, Brown will be expected to become Kentucky’s permanent starting first baseman this year and has plenty of slugger potential.

New starting pitcher

Ben Cleaver (6-3, 3.25 ERA, 83 IP) and Nate Harris (5-2, 4.25 ERA, 59.1 IP) both return after appearing in Kentucky’s weekend rotation as underclassmen in 2025. The program is invested in them taking a jump in 2026. A new addition to the weekend rotation could raise this team’s ceiling.

Jaxon Jelkin has spent time at junior college with other stops at Nebraska, Houston, and Kentucky during his collegiate career. After sitting out last season with an injury, Jelkin is now throwing for UK and has been clocked between 96-99 mph with a sinker that could do some major damage in the SEC. This was a high-ceiling addition by the Kentucky in the portal. He could change this team’s outlook this season.

Jelkin has first-round stuff if he can stay healthy. The multi-time transfer is a big-time arm that could change things for Kentucky this season.

Kentucky’s transfer portal haul

Nick Mingione’s staff again went to work in the transfer portal. The Bat Cats added double-digit free agents again this offseason. Here are a few to keep a close eye on.

— Jack Bennett (RHP | WKU): Weekend starter in C-USA who has eaten 171.1 innings in 55 career games with time spent as a starter and in relief.

— Tyler Cerny (INF | Indiana): The Big Ten transfer was a third-team all-conference performer in 2024 when he started games at second base and shortstop. Cerny batted .281 with 10 home runs and will be a mainstay in UK’s lineup this year. Could push Luke Lawrence over to third base to give Kentucky its best possible infield with Tyler Bell staying at shortstop.

What a season for Tyler Cerny 🫡

The first IU player since 2008 with:

» 80 hits, 60 RBI's, 20 doubles and 10 home runs pic.twitter.com/UcExkHGXi4

— Indiana Baseball (@IndianaBase) June 18, 2024

— Alex Duffey (C/INF | Elon): The all-conference performer batted .349 last season and could play multiple defensive positions.

— Will Marcy (OF | NC State): A centerfielder who is coming off an injury has twice batted over .300. Former Memphis transfer owns a career OPS over .800.

— Jayce Tharnish (OF | St. Bonaventure): An All-Atlantic 10 performer will be asked to provide some power to Kentucky’s lineup. Tharnish batted over .400 last season and is major threat on the bases. Is the top candidate to make the biggest splash from this portal class. Should be Kentucky’s opening day starter in centerfield. That will allow Carson Hansen to move to a corner outfield spot and should improve Kentucky’s defense.

A brutal SEC slate

Kentucky’s schedule will officially get started with a road trip to UNC Greensboro in mid-February. Series with Evansville, St. John’s, Mercer, and home-and-home trips with Eastern Kentucky and Louisville highlight the non-conference schedule.

The Bat Cats will look to add wins and beef up the resume before a very difficult draw in SEC play begins in March.

March 13-15	vs. Alabama	Kentucky Proud Park
March 19-21	at Ole Miss	Swayze Field
March 27-29	at LSU	Alex Box Stadium
April 3-5	vs. Missouri	Kentucky Proud Park
April 10-12	at Auburn	Plainsman Park
April 17-19	vs. Vanderbilt	Kentucky Proud Park
April 24-26	at South Carolina	Founders Park
May 1-3	vs. Tennessee	Kentucky Proud Park
May 8-10	at Florida	Condron Ballpark
May 14-16	vs. Arkansas	Kentucky Proud Park

Arkansas (20-10), LSU (19-11), Vanderbilt (19-11), Auburn (17-13), Ole Miss (16-14), and Tennessee (16-14) all finished in the top 20 last season and had winning records in SEC play. Each shows up on Kentucky’s schedule this year. Meanwhile, Florida is expected to bounce-back strong. Life in the SEC is a grind and this year’s schedule figures to be one of the toughest the program has face in recent memory.

The home series against Alabama, Missouri, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, and Arkansas will all be very important. Kentucky must collect as many wins at home as possible.