Tyler Bell Selected No. 10 Overall in MLB Draft

Kentucky infielder Tyler Bell is headed to the mountains.

The Colorado Rockies selected Bell with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2026 Major League Baseball Draft on Saturday, making him the first infielder taken from the prospect-laden Southeastern Conference. Bell becomes the second-highest pick in program history in the main draft.

Bell’s selection makes four first round picks in nine drafts for UK coach Nick Mingione, including three inside the top 19 picks.

Bell, a sophomore from the Chicago area, shined in 2026 despite getting injured in the opener and missing 14 games. Overall, he ranked third on the team with a .343 average during the regular season with 49 runs, nine doubles, one triple, nine home runs, 29 RBI, 10 stolen bases and a 1.118 OPS. His on-base percentage of .510 made him the first UK player since 2008 to reach base safely in more than half of his plate appearances.

In conference play he batted .333 with 23 runs, seven doubles, a triple, five home runs and 18 RBI. The home runs tied for the most on the team, the runs were the second-most on the team, doubles tied for the second most and RBI were the second most.

He produced one of the best overall freshman seasons in program history. He reached base safely in 54 of 56 games (he started every game but one, which he missed with an injury), including of the first 27. He had 17 multi-hit games, led the team in RBI and had a team-best 29 extra base hits. He also is the first freshman since at least 2005 to have two four-hit games.

His 10 home runs in 2025 tied the freshman school record set by Chris Gonzalez in 1993. He also ranked among the top five in RBI, runs, extra base hits, stolen bases and slugging percentage. He had just six errors in 214 chances, a .972 fielding percentage. He also was the only Wildcat to bat over .300 in conference play at .318 and led the team in doubles, home runs, RBI and slugging percentage in those games.

For his two-year career Bell produced the ninth highest on-base percentage at .438. In 97 games he batted .314 with a .993 OPS, 100 runs scored, 116 hits, 26 doubles, three triples, 19 HR, 54 walks, 31 HBP and 21 stolen bases in 29 attempts. He produced 32 multi-hit games.

KENTUCKY – FIRST ROUND PICKS 

8 – Chad Green (1996, OF, Milwaukee)

10 – Tyler Bell (2026, IF, Colorado)

17 – Evan White (2017, 1B, Seattle)

19 – Zack Thompson (2019, LHP, St. Louis)

23 – Alex Meyer (2011, RHP, Washington)

24 – Joe Blanton (2002, RHP, Oakland)

31 – Ryan Waldschmidt (2024, OF, Arizona)

37 – James Paxton (2009, LHP, Toronto)

*MLB main draft only

BELL HONORS

• First Team All-SEC (2026)
• All-Morgantown Regional (2026)
• First Team All-Region (ABCA, 2026)
• NCAA.com National Team of the Week (Week 12, 5/4/26)
• SEC Co-Player of the Week (May 4, 2026)
• Preseason All-America, First Team (Just Baseball Media, 2026)
• Preseason All-America, Third Team (D1Baseball, 2026)
• Preseason All-America, Third Team (Perfect Game, 2026)
• Preseason All-America, Fourth Team (NCBWA, 2026)
• Preseason Golden Spikes Award watch list (2026)
• Preseason College Player of the Year watch list (Baseball America, 2026)
• Preseason All-SEC, First Team (Coaches, 2026)
• Preseason All-SEC (Just Baseball Media, Perfect Game, 2026)
• Top 10 Sophomores (Perfect Game, 2026)
• Preseason All-America, Third Team (Perfect Game, D1Baseball; 2026)
• Freshman All-America, First Team (D1Baseball, NCBWA; 2025)
• Freshman All-America, Second Team (Perfect Game, 2025)
• SEC All-Freshman Team (2025)
• USA Baseball Collegiate National Team (2025)
• SEC Freshman of the Week, week 7, 3/31/25
• Midseason Freshman All-America, First Team (Perfect Game)
• Brooks Wallace Award Watch List (2025)
• No. 13 Freshman, 2025 (Baseball America, Perfect Game)
• No. 31 freshman on campus (Perfect Game, 2024)
• No. 16 freshman SEC prospect (Perfect Game, 2024)
• 2nd round draft pick, No. 66 overall (Tampa Bay Rays, 2024)