Kentucky baseball adds another high-profile transfer prospect

ZGeogheganKSR

Scott Campbell - via USC Upstate Athletics

Nick Mingione has landed another high-profile prospect out of the transfer portal.

On Thursday afternoon, On3’s Pete Nakos reported USC Upstate transfer outfielder Scott Campbell has committed to play for the Bat Cats. Campbell, who was named First-Team Big South in 2025, becomes the 10th portal addition — and third position player — for Kentucky so far this offseason as Mingione reloads his roster ahead of the 2026 campaign.

“I think Kentucky plays a very gritty, fast-paced style of baseball,” Campbell told Derek Terry of Bat Cats Central. “They like guys that can do it all, whether that’s speed, defense, little bit of power, but that’s right up my alley. I think it gives me the best opportunity to not only fit in a program, but a program and coaching staff that kinda fits to what I need to be coached to.”

Campbell began his post-high school career at Chattanooga State Community College (2022-23) before moving to Charleston Southern in 2024 and then USC Upstate in 2025. The Macon, GA native started 45 games for the Spartans this past season, hitting for a .388 batting average with 11 doubles, 11 home runs, 54 RBI, a .622 SLG%, and a .498 OBP%.

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BREAKING: USC Upstate transfer OF Scott Campbell has signed with Kentucky, @PeteNakos_ reports😼

Campbell hit .388 with 11 home runs this season.https://t.co/QXQZ9tjVXB pic.twitter.com/Br1c3aSyOm
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal_) June 19, 2025

Campbell is familiar with the Wildcats, having faced Kentucky during USC Upstate’s two-game run in the 2025 Clemson Regional earlier this month. He hit just 1-8 across his pair of NCAA tournament games, but the lone hit did come against UK in USC Upstate’s season-ending 7-3 loss. Campbell will have one year of college eligibility remaining.

Kentucky baseball’s 2026 transfer class

RHP Kaden Echeman (Northern Kentucky)
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)

Despite losing 14 players to the portal from last season’s team (only one being ranked among 64Analytics’ top 250 transfers), Mingione is bringing in a 13-man high school class and still returns a key group of core pieces from 2025, headlined by Freshman All-American Tyler Bell. The likes of RF Ryan Schwartz, RHP Nate Harris, and LHP Ben Cleaver will also come back to Lexington for next season. Several more Wildcats, such as 2B Luke Lawrence and OF Carson Hansen, are eligible for the 2025 MLB Draft but can return for another college season.

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