Bat Cats Insider: What areas will UK address in the portal?

A look at how Kentucky will attack the portal, plus additional team notes.

Photo by Grace Smith of UK Athletics.

The transfer portal opened without restrictions on Monday, leading to an expected flurry of roster movement across college baseball. The portal was open before June 2 to graduate transfers and players whose head coaches were no longer in place, so Kentucky got on the board with commitments from righthanded pitchers Kaden Echeman (Northern Kentucky) and Burkley Bounds (Eastern Kentucky).

But players began exiting the program earlier this week. Most of the departures were players who had not yet carved out roles, though two-way player James McCoy was the most significant in terms of playing time. McCoy was a starter in right field on the Wildcats’ College World Series team in 2024 and also turned into the first baseman late during the 2025 season. Other sophomores like infielder Kyuss Gargett and outfielder Griffin Cameron bounced in and out of the lineup. They will now look for consistent playing time in a different program.

Eleven players have officially entered the portal since Monday. Former reliever Cooper Robinson, infielder Landon Franklin and 2024 signee Hayden Mains entered the portal in December.

Now that movement has shaken out, it’s time for Kentucky to begin filling out its 2026 roster. In speaking with sources, here are the main areas to watch in the coming days and weeks.

The top priorities

• This won’t come as a surprise to folks who have followed the roster since the season ended, but Kentucky’s top priority is signing a quality catcher. Devin Burkes and Raphael Pelletier graduated, and freshman Nolan Belcher, who redshirted in 2025, entered the portal on Monday. Kentucky has a few potential catcher options in the high school class, including local standout Owen Jenkins and MLB draft board-riser Jase Mitchell of Delaware, but Kentucky will sign a more experienced option out of the portal. Ryan Schwartz came to Kentucky with the potential to be a catcher, but the freshman moved to the outfield this spring and started all four games in the Clemson Regional in right field. He is expected to remain in the outfield next season.