Belmont transfer Will Pryor explains what led him to Kentucky
Belmont transfer Will Pryor committed to the Wildcats on Thursday night.
Kentucky added more pitching from the transfer portal following the MLB draft, securing a commitment from Belmont transfer Will Pryor on Thursday night. He committed to the program following a recent visit.
“The facilities are awesome,” Pryor told Bat Cats Central. “I was blown away walking around the place and seeing everything. But really, it wasn’t the facilities, it was the people there. The coaching staff, the players I talked to, everybody around, they were just awesome, awesome people. They seemed super focused on the relationship with God. It plays a big role in my life, and to see people have God at the center of their heart and are striving for the same things that I want out of my college career, that was a big thing for me.”
Pryor was a weekend starter the past two seasons for the Bruins, though his season was cut short after five starts in 2025 because of an extensor strain. In three years at Belmont, Pryor posted a career 4.94 ERA over 36 appearances — 20 of those were starts — and struck out 146 batters while walking 77.
One of his five starts in 2025 was against Kentucky. He allowed just one earned run over six innings and struck out four batters, though the Wildcats came out with the 2-1 win in the series opener. Kentucky went on to sweep the Bruins.
He made three relief appearances this summer with the Frederick Keys of the MLB Draft League. Despite enjoying his time at Belmont, Pryor knew he wanted to take a step up in competition since his injury reduced his shot at being drafted this summer. He’ll have two years of eligibility remaining.
Pryor throws a fastball, splitter, curveball and slider. He feels most effective with his fastball, which has been up to 95 miles per hour in his career, and his splitter.
“I like to think I know myself as a pitcher really well,” Pryor said. “My fastball and splitter are my two best pitches. That’s my bread and butter and what I usually live on. And the slider has ticked up this year. The curveball has always been something that I can throw and land for a strike or get a chase with. Having four pitches was really helpful as a starter. That’s what I’ve done at Belmont is be the Friday night starter there. I really enjoy it, but I love coming out of the bullpen. I got to do it a few times at Belmont and I think I’m really good out of the pen. I think it’s something that I almost have a natural feeling for. Just coming out of the pen with high energy, I’m a high-energy guy when I’m out there. That kind of suits me really well.”
Before choosing Kentucky, Pryor said he also considered Oregon State, Baylor and Cincinnati. As far as his goals at Kentucky, he wants to continue his personal development and help the team return to the College World Seres in Omaha.
“I just want to continue to grow in my faith and bring teammates along with me,” Pryor said. “I think that’s a big thing of mine wherever I go and that’s something I value a lot. Everyone’s ultimate goal is to go to Omaha and win it. Obviously, with a team like Kentucky, they’re not content going to a regional or super regional, they want to go to Omaha and win the whole thing. I’m not saying that I want to come in and be a starter or reliever or ‘I want this role,’ I want to go in and compete and earn something that’s going to help the team go as far as they can. At the end of the day, when this is all said and done, if I can hang my hat on giving this team the best chance I could and I worked my tail off, I did it in a Christlike manner, I think I’m going to like where I’m at.
“I’m just pumped up to be part of Big Blue Nation. I cannot wait to get out there and throw and show love to everybody.”
Incoming transfer portal commitments (12)
RHP Burkley Bounds (Eastern Kentucky)
RHP Jack Bennett (Western Kentucky)
RHP Bryson Treichel (North Florida)
RHP Ryan Mullan (Loyola Marymount)
INF Tyler Cerny (Indiana)
RHP Connor Mattison (Grand Canyon)
C Alex Duffey (Elon)
RHP Ira Austin (New Orleans)
OF Scott Campbell (USC Upstate)
LHP Jackson Soucie (South Carolina)
C Tagger Tyson (Louisville)
RHP Will Pryor (Belmont)