Last week, when Kentucky lost RHP Oliver Boone to the oh-so-evil transfer portal, Nick Mingione's offseason luck seemed to come to a temporary halt. Boone, now an Arizona State Sun Devil, had his faults in the blue and white, but was ultimately a mainstay in Mingione's contested bullpen rotation. His absence will be felt the next time the Bat Cats take the field.
Even so, it didn't take Coach Mingione long to hit a new stride on the recruiting trail. Not only did he return Matt Ponatoski from the MLB Draft and land shortstop Lee Ellis in the portal, but he's now addressed the bullpen specifically with the breaking commitment of RHP Keegan Scwarting.
Schwarting, who will hit Kentucky Proud Park with the rest of Mingione's 2027 class, announced his decision on social media. Take a look at his excited post below:
Very excited to announce my commitment to the University of Kentucky! @str8ched @Coach_Mingione @roszeld #wildcats pic.twitter.com/36JdKGigxk
— Keegan schwarting (@keegan102764) July 22, 2026
At just 17 years old, Schwarting is just getting started when it comes his climbing baseball career. Mingione hopped on this one early, adding the RHP to a growingly impressive batch of new, committed pitchers: RHP Brayden Singleton, RHP Traxton Roberts, LHP Jackson Fossitt, and LHP Mason Woods make up the rest of that budding unit.
With Schwarting specifically, the Wildcats will benefit from a real statistical menace on the mound.
Keegan Schwarting is a Menace on the Mound
In his 2025-26 campaign with Joliet West, Schwarting posted an appealing 8-0 overall record, accompanied by an 0.47 ERA through 10 total appearances. Schwarting pitched a total of 65 strikes, allowing just 26 hits along the way. The dude can sling it, to say the least, and you'd be hard-pressed to hit it.
Schwarting, alongside the aforementioned Singleton, will be among the tallest incoming presences on the mound too, at 6-foot-5. His length bodes well both for his time and Lexington and, in the future, a potential run at a pro career. All of the pieces for long-term success are here.
And that latter statement goes for both Schwarting specifically and Kentucky Baseball as a whole. I don't have to dive into the disappointments of last season any more than I already have; Bat Cats fans have had enough doomsdaying for the offseason.
Mingione is starting to pick up a string of names, both out of high school and in the portal, that should have his program in good shape for a long time to come. Postseason issues aside, confidence is already back on the rise in Mingione's ongoing regime in Lexington.
Keep adding studs like Schwarting, and it'll get harder and harder to ask any question but: "When does the season start?"
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