Wildcats Land Top 10 Recruiting Classes

The Major League Baseball Draft signing deadline passed, Kentucky now officially has Top 10 recruiting classes from both the 2026 high school class and transfer portal set to arrive on campus in weeks.

Industry leader Baseball America released its 2026 high school recruiting class team rankings this week with the Cats sitting at No. 10. UK also has done well in the portal, landing a Top 10 class according to most major outlets.

The Baseball America high school class ranking marks a significant data point for the Cats and was bolstered by right-hand pitchers Matt Ponatoksi (No. 62 rated player) and Grayson Willoughby (No. 83). UK also added four additional Top 200 players from the 2026 class. Willoughby was named MaxPreps’ National Player of the Year, Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year and Kentucky Mr. Baseball.

In the portal, UK landed 12 transfers overall and was ranked the No. 7 class by 64Analytics in its most recent rankings.

Transfers (12)
OF Brody Chrisman (Akron)
RHP PJ Craig (Rider)
IF Lee Ellis (Ohio State)
LHP Kale Hammer (Seattle)
RHP Logan Hastings (Maryland)
C Riley Jackson (Houston)
OF Alex Kelsey (St. Joseph’s)
IF Owen Lee (Tennessee Tech)
RHP Dylan McIntyre (San Jacinto College)
IF/OF JP Peltier (Wright State)
C Brayden Ricketts (Indiana)
RHP Mason Snyder (Western Carolina)

Freshmen (10)
C – Carson May
OF – Rob Czarniecki, Kaden Powell
LHP – Joey Ansell, Cole McLean
RHP – Aiden Smith, Logan Sorrel, Sammy Swank
Two-Way – Matt Ponatoski, Grayson Willoughby