What to know about Kentucky's 2027 recruiting class

Members of Kentucky's 2027 recruiting class will put pen to paper and officially become Wildcats now that the fall signing period has begun. Three members of the class are ranked in the top 100, and five players are ranked in the top 250 nationally by at least one major recruiting service.

The full class is available on the 2027 recruiting page.

Here are a few quick hitters on the Wildcats' class.

The in-state star

Kentucky has a highly-touted, two-sport star for the second straight class. Last year it was Matt Ponatoski, a backup quarterback on the Wildcats' 7-2 football team, who will join the baseball program this spring. This year it's Beechwood High School's Tyler Fryman. Fryman is a four-star wide receiver on the gridiron and a top 50 overall baseball prospect, according to Prep Baseball Report.

As a junior, Fryman led the state with 73 hits. He finished the year hitting .514 with 15 doubles, nine triples, 12 home runs and 39 stolen bases. The Tigers reached the state tournament and finished the season with 33 wins.

Fryman, a former University of Louisville baseball commit, projects as a center fielder at the college level. He's likely to be on MLB draft radars this spring, though his commitment to the football program will likely make him a tough sign for any MLB organization. Over the summer, Bat Cats Central spoke with Perfect Game Midwest Crosschecker Jordan Gates about what the Wildcats were getting in Fryman.

"The speed has always been the calling card, right? The bat-to-ball skills are exceptional," Gates said. "He barrels up balls. Extra base hits, whether it's a double into the gap or stretches it into a triple, a home run, whatever it may be, it's always been the speed. Knowing that he has elite speed, it's gotten even better. I was talking with a few guys earlier this week and they said during East Coast Pro it was around a 6.2 60. I would say the speed – not necessarily the athleticism, because that's always been there – but the physicality of the body has definitely improved in that facet."

Kentucky adds two-sport star Tyler Fryman. What can fans expect on the diamond?

The long-awaited commitment from the state's top two-sport athlete came to fruition on Friday. Bat Cats Central caught up with Perfect Game's Jordan Gates to find out what the Cats are getting.

Bat Cats CentralDerek Terry

The top prospect

Aside from Fryman, the top prospect in the Wildcats' class could be Illinois pitcher Traxton Roberts. Roberts is the highest-ranked prospect by any of the services, coming in at No. 33 nationally at Prep Baseball Report. A 6-foot-2, 186-pound right-hander, Roberts has been up to 94 miles per hour with his fastball.

"He's a guy who already has explosive stuff," said Shooter Hunt, vice president of scouting at Prep Baseball Report. "He has a frame that's easy to dream on. You know he's going to continue to get better. He's from a small town. Had some big, gaudy high school numbers, and then backed it up on the circuit with huge upside... we've seen it historically in the past, Illinois prep arms continue to get better. He's a guy who has that type of path, that type of frame, those type of tools, especially the arm strength, and you talk about that type of athleticism, it's a lot of pieces to bring together and get excited about getting a guy like Traxton Roberts within your system."

Roberts is ranked as the No. 2 prospect in Illinois by PBR.

A late commit who's also a late riser

Most of Kentucky's recruiting class has been committed for well over a year, but the Cats added Canadian left-handed pitcher Ethan Reason in October. Reason ranks in the top 200 at Perfect Game. He was up to 94 miles per hour in the fall and has the look of a prospect who could generate some buzz in MLB scouting circles in the spring. Kentucky has had its share of talented players from Canada over the years, but players from there seem to be more signable. A case in point from the previous class was long-time Kentucky commitment Robert Omidi, who signed with the Detroit Tigers for under $250,000. We'll see if Reason develops into a true draft prospect over the next few months.

Other commitments with buzz

Illinois catcher Tristan Steger has been ranked highly throughout his high school career. Steger was one of the first commitments in the class and comes in at No. 85 nationally in PBR's rankings. It's the fourth straight class Kentucky has signed a catcher prospect who's ranked in the top 150. He's 6-foot-3 with an athletic frame and is another commitment who is likely to be on draft radars in the spring.

Michigan left-hander Jackson Fossitt is another prospect who's ranked in the top 150 by at least one service. He was the first commitment in the Wildcats' 2027 class. His fastball sits around 89-91 miles per hour, and he also throws a changeup and a slider. There's been an emphasis on adding left-handed pitching from the high school ranks, and Fossitt has the potential to help the Wildcats early in his career.

In terms of recruiting rankings, Texas shortstop Jackson Wooten, Illinois right-hander Keegan Schwarting, Tennessee left-handed pitcher Mason Woods and Missouri left-hander Owen Hughes are also ranked in the top 500 by at least one service.