Kentucky Baseball Adds First Transfer Portal Commitment

Big Blue Nation was up to its ears in anxiety ahead of a Sweet 16 matchup with the Tennessee Volunteers. In the hours before the NCAA Tournament game in Indianapolis, we received a welcome distraction. Tulane forward Kam Williams announced he was transferring to Kentucky.

A transfer portal commitment? While they’re still in the middle of the season? That’s weird.

Mark Pope picked up that commitment two weeks into the NCAA Tournament. The Kentucky baseball team hasn’t even been selected for this year’s NCAA Baseball Tournament, and Nick Mingione already has a commitment.

Right-handed pitcher Burkley Bounds announced this weekend that he’s transferring to Kentucky. Bounds entered the transfer portal earlier this week after EKU fired head coach Walt Jones. Bounds is a Lexington native who played high school baseball at Lex Cath with a couple of future Bat Cats, Owen Jenkins and Jack Sams.

As a true freshman in the spring of 2025, Bounds appeared in 18 games and earned two starts, winning both. He had an ERA of 4.17 and his opponents batted .244, leading the Colonels in both statistical categories. In 41 innings, he had 39 strikeouts and gave up 38 hits. It’s clear this Kentucky kid has a bright future.

Kentucky baseball just had its most successful two-year run in school history, following up a Regional Title with a College World Series appearance. Much of that success was built on the backs of productive transfer portal players. Nick Mingione isn’t waiting around to learn the postseason fate of this team before he begins building next year’s roster, which should feature a significant amount of returners following a rebuild year.

Today, conference tournaments will conclude before the NCAA reveals its top eight seeds for this year’s tournament. Kentucky will have to wait until Monday’s selection show at Noon. The Bat Cats are currently projected to be on the right side of the bubble as a No. 3 seed.

Want more coverage of the Cats? Join KSR+

KSR has been delivering UK Sports news in the most ridiculous manner for almost two decades. Now, you can get even more coverage of the Cats with KSR+. In the middle of an exciting Kentucky offseason, now is the perfect time to join our online community. Subscribe now for premium articles, in-depth scouting reports, inside intel, bonus recruiting coverage, and access to KSBoard, our message board featuring thousands of Kentucky fans around the globe. Come join the club.