Good morning, BBN!
The focus of the last few days has been the introduction of the new AD, J Blatt, alongside the start of offseason practice for Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats. All the while, Nick Mingione and the Kentucky Baseball team have built a solid incoming transfer class.
Headlined by RHP PJ Craig and OF Alex Kelsey, the team looks to remake itself and bounce back after a rough ending to the 2026 season. Craig and Kelsey will help do just that.
Craig, a 6-foot-4 righty transfer from Rider, is a two-time All-MAAC selection. Posting a 4.72 ERA in four seasons, seems to slot into the weekend rotation for the Cats next season. Potentially joining Jaxon Jelkin and Nate Harris, Craig looks to help add some depth to the rotation as they head back into a tough SEC conference schedule.
Kelsey, a 5-foot-11 OF from St. Joes, picked Kentucky over Clemson and looks like a potential replacement for Jayce Tharnish in CF for the Cats if he heads to the MLB this summer. A First-Team A-10 selection this past year, Kelsey brings speed and good slashing numbers as Mingione looks to keep the Kentucky offense moving forward.
Also in the transfer class are:
- Brody Chrisman (OF from Akron)
- JP Peltier (IF/OF from Wright State)
- Logan Hastings (RHP from Maryland)
- Kale Hammer (LHP from Seattle)
- Owen Lee (INF from Tennessee Tech)\
- Mason Snyder (RHP from Western Carolina)
Here’s to hoping Mingione and Co. can continue adding to this haul and put the Bat Cats back in position to make a College World Series run in 2027.
Tweet of the Day
Beautiful.
Headlines
J Batt named CEO of Champions Blue, Director of UK Athletics- UK Athletics
Kentucky Athletics has a new AD.
Matt Jones goes 1-on-1 with J Batt, Kentucky’s new AD- KSR
A cool interview with the new AD.
Alex Wilkins dishes on Kentucky’s first summer practice, including an early standout- KSR
Love to see it.
Intel on remaining Kentucky targets- Cats Pause
Keep up with recruiting.
Kentucky Basketball Schedules Schools That Nearly Destroyed the Program- KSR
Some familiar names coming to Rupp this season.
Spain tend to start slowly at World Cups, but nobody expected Cape Verde draw- ESPN
A wild one in the World Cup.
USMNT’s Christian Pulisic (calf) trains apart; Pochettino says he’s ‘good’- ESPN
Good news for the US.
Who do you have this weekend?