Two Wildcats drafted in 10th round of 2024 MLB Draft
Kentucky Baseball had a pair of its 2024 heroes drafted during the 10th round of Monday’s MLB Draft.
First basemen Ryan Nicholson was selected 292nd overall by the Los Angeles Angels, while starting pitcher Trey Pooser was taken 306th overall by the Tampa Bay Rays.
Nicholson, a Louisville native, played his first four college seasons at Cincinnati before transferring to Kentucky ahead of the 2024 season.
In his lone season as a Wildcat, Nicholson tied the program’s single-season home run record with 23 and hit .306 with a team-high 63 RBIs in 59 games as he helped lead the Cats to its first-ever College World Series appearance.
Nicholson’s best baseball came in the NCAA Tournament as he earned All-Lexington Regional Most Outstanding Player honors by going with 3-for-11 at the plate with two home runs and three RBI’s.
In the Super Regional against Oregon State, Nicholson went 4-for-8 at the plate with a home run and three RBIs and at the College World Series launched two home runs, including a game-tying solo shot in the bottom of the ninth against NC State in a game UK would win with a Mitchell Daly walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th.
He is the first Wildcat taken by the Angels in program history. His slot value at 292nd overall is $184.70.
Pooser was Kentucky’s ace in 2024
After starting the season out of the bullpen, Pooser moved into the Friday night starter role and, on the year, posted a 7-1 record and 3.50 ERA over the course of 19 appearances and 13 starts.
In UK’s winner bracket win over Illinois in Regionals, Pooser tossed 7.0 innings of one-run ball to earn the win. In Game 1 of Super Regionals against Oregon State, he pitched 7.0 scoreless frames.
Pooser became the second Wildcat of this year’s draft taken by the Rays, joining Emilien Pitre, who was selected in the second round and 58th overall by Tampa Bay.
His slot value at 306th overall is $180.30.
In other news, on Monday, Kentucky saw two transfer portal commits drafted.
Jackson Strong, an outfielder from Canisius who stole 42 bases last season, was taken by the Detroit Tigers in the seventh round of the draft, while Trent Youngblood, an infielder from Transalyvina, was taken in the 10th round by the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Overall, UK has had four members of its 2024 roster—Ryan Waldschmidt (31st overall, Arizona Diamondbacks), Pitre, Nicholson, and Pooser—come off the board. While high school signee shortstop Tyler Bell went to the Rays with its 66th overall pick Sunday and two portal commits, Strong and Youngblood, also came off the board.
Nick Mingione and Kentucky will await the decisions of Bell, whose slot value is $1.26 million; Strong, whose slot value is $276.70 and Youngblood, whose slot value is $178.80, as it looks to finish piecing together its 2024 roster.
The MLB 2024 MLB Draft will conclude Tuesday with rounds 11-20.
