Carson Hansen has debut series to remember for Kentucky

Milwaukee transfer Carson Hansen made an immediate impact in two of Kentucky’s three wins over Belmont this weekend.

Entering Saturday’s game against Belmont, Hansen had yet to see game action. By the end of Sunday’s 9-5 victory clinching the series sweep however, Hansen is tied with Tyler Bell for the team lead in RBI (six) and is the lone Wildcat with two home runs on the season.

The Pewaukee, WI native spent two seasons at Milwaukee, where he was named to the Horizon League All-Freshman Team in 2023 and the Horizon All-League First Team in 2024. In 78 career games, Hansen boasted a career .312 batting average with 26 doubles, 11 home runs, and 74 RBI. Hansen played ball this summer with the Green Bay Rockers (Northwoods League), where he hit for a .190 average (19 games) with two home runs and 12 RBI.

After entering the Transfer Portal this offseason, Hansen originally committed to Arkansas but rerouted to Kentucky just days later.

“The process at Arkansas was fairly mutual,” Hansen told KSR last summer. “I was pretty aware of some of the guys that needed to be drafted to give me a shot to play, and post-draft the staff and I decided it was no longer the opportunity they had promised me. My first phone call after decommiting was to Kentucky and it was just the best possible fit. A true blessing in disguise, I never even had to hear from a different school. I knew I wanted to be a Wildcat right away.”

BABE HANSEN IS HERE!!! @Carson34Hansen

He has seen three pitches this season and has two #BigBlueBombs!

1-1 pic.twitter.com/CzesWNlDRq

— Kentucky Baseball (@UKBaseball) February 23, 2025

With Kentucky managing a comfortable 8-0 lead in Saturday’s game, Hansen pinch-hit for Kyuss Gargett in the seventh inning. After taking a first pitch strike, the junior smoked a grand slam to right center field to propel the ‘Cats to a 12-0 mercy-rule victory. He had obviously impressed Nick Mingione, as he earned the start at DH on Sunday.

Hansen batted in the eight hole, but he likely won’t stay there long. He opened the third inning at the plate and jumped all over the first pitch he saw for a solo home run, marking his second in as many at-bats.

In 78 career games at Milwaukee, Hansen homered in back-to-back games just once (April 13 & 14, 2024). He’s already accomplished that feat in his first two games at Kentucky.

Over his final three at-bats of the day, he went 2-3 with two singles and finished with two RBI. In just five at-bats at Kentucky, Hansen has established himself as a guy who needs to be in the everyday lineup. Four different players have started at DH in Kentucky’s five games, but the Milwaukee transfer seems to really be taking hold of the position.

Hansen and the ‘Cats will be back in action on Tuesday, Feb. 25 as Kentucky hosts Evansville in the 2025 home opener at Kentucky Proud Park. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. EST.