Kentucky baseball has a Top 10 transfer class — and still just 7th in the SEC
If you needed another reminder of how brutal life in the SEC is, Kentucky baseball just gave you one: the Wildcats landed the 7th-best transfer portal class in the country, per 64Analytics — and still rank only 7th in the conference.
That’s not an indictment of Kentucky. That’s a reflection of how loaded the SEC remains, fresh off LSU sweeping the College World Series and the league sending a record number of teams to the NCAA Tournament.
Here's how the SEC dominates the national transfer rankings:
1. Mississippi State
2. Tennessee
3. Georgia
4. Texas
5. South Carolina
6. Auburn
7. Kentucky
8. Alabama
Nick Mingione’s squad might not have the flashiest class, but it’s deep, balanced, and built for postseason baseball. Kentucky reloaded the pitching staff with Kaden Echeman (Northern Kentucky), Burkley Bounds (Eastern Kentucky), Jack Bennett (Western Kentucky), Ryan Mullan (Loyola Marymount), and Bryson Treichel (North Florida). That’s five arms with college experience and toughness.
Jackson Soucie joins from South Carolina to bolster the left side. In the infield, Tyler Cerny (Indiana) and Connor Mattison (Grand Canyon) bring versatility. Alex Duffey (Elon) adds pop behind the plate, while Scott Campbell (USC Upstate) is a name to know in the outfield.
On the freshman front, Kentucky’s class is ranked 24th nationally, headlined by Owen Jenkins, a top-30 national prospect and a big-time catcher out of Lexington Catholic. Add in pitching depth with righties Joshua Flores, Lucas Hall, and Jacks Sams, plus lefties like Will Coleman and Toby Peterson, and the foundation is set.
Let’s not forget — the Bat 'Cats reached a Regional Final last season, coughing up two separate five-run leads in a gutting elimination loss. That stung. But with this infusion of talent, the goal is clear: win those close games in 2025 and make a deeper postseason run.
In the SEC, standing still means falling behind. But Kentucky isn’t standing still. They’re building a roster that can go toe-to-toe with anyone.