LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky junior southpaw Jerad Grundy has been ranked as the 57th-best college prospect available for the 2012 MLB Draft by Baseball America, it was announced on Thursday.

Grundy, a transfer from the University of Miami and Heartland Community College, is a two-time draft pick, going in the 42nd round in the 2011 MLB Draft by the Florida Marlins and as a 46th-round selection in 2009 by the Texas Rangers.

A 6-foot-1, 200-pound junior lefty out of Johnsburg, Ill., Grundy played his freshman year in 2010 at Miami, posting a 2-0 record and a 3.57 ERA. Grundy appeared in nine games with two starts for the Hurricanes, tossing 17.2 innings, with six walks and 13 strikeouts.

In 2011 for Heartland Community College, Grundy appeared in 12 games, tossing 62 innings with 70 strikeouts and a 3.77 ERA and a 7-3 mark. While at Heartland, Grundy played with current UK teammate, outfielder Zac Zellers, a National Junior College Association of America first-team All-America selection. Grundy earned first-team M-WAC All-Conference in 2011.

Kentucky opens its 2012 season on Feb. 17 at Wofford in Spartanburg, S.C. The Wildcats will face Eastern Michigan and USC Upstate as part of its three-game season lidlifter in the Palmetto State.

In addition to Grundy, the Wildcats return a pair of Cape Cod League All-Stars in lefty Taylor Rogers and right-hander Trevor Gott. In addition to 2011 first-team All-Southeastern Conference third baseman Thomas McCarthy and slugging catchers Luke Maile and Michael Williams return to bolster the lineup.