Tyler Bell, going No. 10 overall to the Colorado Rockies, kicked off the 2026 MLB Draft with an immediate tinge of blue and white history-making. Even so, that conclusion was basically foregone; Bell was going, and going high. But, entering the event, less certainty surrounded multi-sport athlete Matt Ponatoski.
Ponatoski, a quarterback and RHP out of Moeller, hasn’t played a second of either football or baseball since being committed to Kentucky. And now, still ahead of his freshman run, things just got all the more complex for the standout prospect. The Cincinnati Reds just selected Ponatoski in Round 18 of the draft. This means that, with fall fast approaching, Ponatoski has to decide where and what he wants to play.
A developmental tract on the collegiate level now has to be weighed against leaping that field entirely for a swing at the big leagues. Per Jeff Drummond, Ponatoski has until July 27 to make the call between signing or heading to Kentucky.
This may appear like the absolute worst nightmare of the Big Blue Nation at first, but Ponatoski’s decision is far more clear cut than it appears; at least, it is to this Wildcats fan: It’s time to don the royal blue threads, in either sport, and give things in Lexington a fair shake.
As far as I’m concerned, opting to go through with his commitment to Kentucky is Ponatoski’s best bet.
With their 18th-round pick (No. 542 overall), the @Reds select Archbishop Moeller (OH) right-handed pitcher Matt Ponatoski, No. 208 on the Top 250 Draft prospects list.
— MLB Draft (@MLBDraft) July 12, 2026
Watch live: https://t.co/h080jbn5Dp pic.twitter.com/FcyUbKHxgP
A Return to Kentucky is Ponatoski’s Best Bet
This is the rare scenario where going to the professional level would actually signal staying home. Ponatoski, who went to high school in Ohio (and is ranked No. 1 overall in the state by Perfect Game), would be making a home-state big by making the jump with the Reds. It’s hard to argue against that detail specifically.
But for the Cats’ case, just take a look at the aforementioned Bell. That’s a guy who came and went through Mingione’s system; someone with professional talent that had the chance to hone his skillset through the rigor of SEC Baseball.
The result? Bell became the second highest draft pick in Bat Cats history. Regardless of the team’s disappointing overall season, this is an individual product of the process that Kentucky and Mingione are currently operating.
If Ponatoski has the raw ability to be drafted before stepping onto the grass at Kentucky Proud Park, imagine what one college campaign could do for his MLB reputation. It’s incredibly easy for players - especially prospects - to get stuck in the minor leagues, always trying to rise past them, for the unfortunate bulk of their professional baseball careers.
I’m not saying that such a path isn’t a great opportunity still, nor that Ponatoski is doomed to it. But I am saying that this is an athlete clearly suited for the stars. And whether or not baseball is the ultimate dream at the end of the day, the resources and opportunity to improve as an athlete at Kentucky make Lexington the ideal destination for a guy with the world at his feet.
All the same, I’m not at all afraid to admit I want to see Ponatoski rock out in pads and on the mound alike.
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