Report: Nick Mingione signs five-year contract extension with Kentucky

Kentucky baseball head coach Nick Mingione has agreed to a five-year extension to his current contract, per Derek Terry. This past season, Mingione led Kentucky to its first-ever appearance in the College World Series and its second regular season conference title.

Prior to the extension, Mingione would have made $805,000 in the 2025 season. Now, Mingione will boast an average salary of $1,435,000 over the next five seasons. Here’s what Mingione will specifically make each season before incentives under his new extension.

• 2025 salary: $1,175,000
• 2026 salary: $1,275,000
• 2027 salary: $1,375,000
• 2028 salary: $1,575,000
• 2029 salary: $1,775,000

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“Mingione will receive an automatic one-year extension each time the Wildcats make the NCAA Tournament,” Terry wrote. “If the Wildcats return to the College World Series, Mingione would receive a two-year extension.

“For each year that gets added to the contract, his salary will go up by $200,000 more than the previous contract year. For example, if Kentucky made it to the NCAA Tournament in 2025, his 2030 salary would be $1,975,000.”

If Kentucky fires Mingione without cause, he will be owed the remainder of his contract. However, if Mingione can replicate his success from the past season, he shouldn’t have to worry about his job security.

Mingione was named the 2024 SEC Coach of the Year after leading Kentucky to a 39-12 overall record during the regular season and a 22-8 mark in conference play.

Kentucky’s 22 wins against conference foes in the regular season were a program record. Altogether, Kentucky posted a 19-6 record against Quad 1 teams during the regular season, which was five more wins than any other team in the country (Texas A&M and Tennessee each had 14 wins).

Mingione became the first head coach in Kentucky baseball history to win the award twice. John Cohen (2006) and Gary Henderson (2012) were also winners of the award.

Arkansas’ Dave Van Horn, Vanderbilt’s Tim Corbin, and Florida’s Kevin O’Sullivan are the only other active SEC head coaches who have won the award more than once.

Nick Mingione wasn’t the only Kentucky staffer who received a raise. Pitching coach Dan Roszel and recruiting coordinator Austin Cousino received contract extensions through the 2027 season. Under their new terms, Roszel will make $280,000 a season and Cousino will make $230,000.