Kentucky Baseball's Zack Lee to Return for Senior Season

University of Kentucky pitcher Zack Lee will return for his senior season in Lexington, the school announced on Friday.

During his career with the Wildcats baseball program, Lee has made 19 starts across 35 appearances with an earned run average of 5.93 in just over 100 innings. He is 7-8 overall with 92 career strikeouts.

He was used primarily as the Sunday starter for the ‘Cats in 2021 but transitioned into a bullpen arm/spot starter this past season.

The highlight of Lee’s career in blue and white was 3.1 innings of one-hit baseball in Kentucky’s win over Tennessee in early May. He was also dazzling in a home win against Vanderbilt.

𝐙-𝐋𝐞𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊!@Zack_Lee21 pic.twitter.com/XRll5pTPdR

— Kentucky Baseball (@UKBaseball) July 22, 2022

Lee’s MLB future on hold

Part of Zack Lee’s decision to come back for another season at Kentucky centers around him not being selected in last week’s 2022 MLB Draft.

Lee was projected by multiple mock drafts to be selected but did not hear his name called by the commissioner. He could have looked into signing a free agent deal with a professional team, but instead, he will attempt to raise his draft stock through another run in the college route.

Kentucky had six players drafted this season, highlighted by Ryan Ritter in the 4th Round and Tyler Guilfoil, Sean Harney, and Chase Estep all going in the 8th and 9th rounds.

In the Nick Mingione era, the ‘Cats have had 31 players selected in the MLB Draft with Lee looking to add to that list next year.

Kentucky continues to grow pitching staff

Zack Lee’s return bolsters a growing pitching staff for Mingione and company.

Earlier this week, SEC Tournament star Tyler Bosma announced he would be coming back for another season. He had a 4.79 ERA with 43 strikeouts in 41 innings over 11 games in 2022. It was how he finished the season that gives the most hope for next year.

Mingione will also have Magdiel Cotto, Ryan Hagenow, Austin Strickland, and potentially Darren Williams as pieces to join Lee and Bosma in the rotation.

There is also still the potential for those players that were drafted to decide to return to grow draft stock.

Lee’s decision to don the blue and white for another season is just another weapon for the future of the program.

The ‘Cats will look to build on the momentum gained during the SEC Tournament and turn it into their first NCAA berth since 2017.