Ryan Waldschmidt drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the No. 31 pick in the 2024 MLB Draft

Kentucky left fielder Ryan Waldschmidt was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the 31st pick in the First Round of the 2024 MLB Draft Sunday night.

He was selected with Arizona’s Prospect Promotion Incentive Pick, which they received for having a player win NL Rookie of the Year last season (Corbin Carroll).

Waldschmidt becomes the eighth Wildcat in program history to be drafted in the First Round of the MLB Draft, and is the first since LHP Zack Thompson in 2019. He’s just the third first round pick under Nick Mingione at Kentucky, joining Thompson and 1B Evan White (2017).

The slot value for the 31st pick is $2,904,000. The slotting system assigns specific dollar values to each draft position. These dollar values are MLB’s “recommended” bonus amount for the player drafted at whatever position they are picked at.

The Bradenton, FL native transferred to Kentucky prior to the 2023 season after one season at Charleston Southern. As a sophomore, Waldy hit for a .290 batting average with 14 doubles, five home runs, and 37 RBI. After being selected to the 2023 Lexington All-Regional Team, big things were expected in his junior season.

There was a snag in Waldschmidt’s summer however, as he tore his ACL in late July 2023. This led to an even greater comeback, as the left fielder blossomed into one of the SEC’s best players in 2024.

The Baseball America Third Team All-American hit for a .333 batting average with 17 doubles, 14 home runs, and 46 RBI while swiping 25 bases to lead the Cats to their first ever Men’s College World Series appearance in 2024.

Along with being named an All-American, Waldschmidt was named Second Team All-SEC and was selected to the 2024 Lexington All-Regional Team.

“[Waldschmidt] and [Émilien] Pitre both are as good of players as I’ve coached,” Nick Mingione said following Kentucky’s win over Vanderbilt on May 17. “He’s a special player and he’s doing really well right now. He’s right there at the top and sets the table with just a relentless series of good at-bats behind him. Waldy’s a special player.”

Waldy becomes the first Wildcat taken in the Draft this year. Second baseman Émilien Pitre, former right-handed pitcher Travis Smith, and right-handed pitcher Mason Moore all expect to be taken at some point in the Draft.