NINE Kentucky baseball players have already entered the transfer portal

by:Nick Roush06/01/21

@RoushKSR

[caption id="attachment_345054" align="alignnone" width="1023"] UK Athletics[/caption] It's going be a long offseason for Nick Mingione. Within seven days of the conclusion of the 2021 UK baseball season at the SEC Tournament, nine players have already entered the transfer portal. Kentucky started the season with 43 players on the roster. For those doing the math at home, more than 20% of Mingione's team has elected to leave the program. Cam Hill wasted no time entering the portal. Just 24 hours after the Cats fell to Florida at the SEC Tournament, the outfielder announced his intentions to leave Lexington after four years with the program. The Scott County native started in 28 games in 2021, batting .245 with 15 RBIs and 13 stolen bases. Dillon Marsh was the most recent casualty. The left-handed pitcher announced over the weekend he'll be transferring from the program. A starter in 14 games as a freshman, D1 Baseball named him as one of the top 50 impact freshmen in America in 2019. This past season he pitched 29 innings out of the bullpen with a 4.34 ERA. Both Marsh and Hill were expected to play significant roles on Kentucky's 2022 season. The others joining the lengthy list of UK baseball departures:

-- Jimmy Ramsey, Sr., Right-handed Pitcher -- **Trip Lockhart, Sr., Right-handed Pitcher -- Trae Harmon, Jr., First Baseman -- Ron Cole, So., Right-handed Pitcher -- Drew Grace, So., Infielder -- Jack Hicks, Fr., Infielder -- Cole Daniels, Jr., Left-handed Pitcher

After a disappointing season that did not finish in the NCAA Tournament, extending the UK baseball postseason drought to four years, some attrition was expected. But nine transfers in seven days, with six entering the portal before the conclusion of the SEC Tournament? That's not a good sign for Nick Mingione's program that is trending in the wrong direction. ** UPDATE: Sources told KSR Lockhart planned on entering the portal, but as of today he has yet to officially insert his name. Kentucky currently has eight players in the transfer portal, a number that is expected to grow.

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