With an historic season in the books for Kentucky baseball, some Wildcats played their final games in the blue and white as they ran out of NCAA eligibility, but not before playing a role in the first-of-its-kind run.
No. 2 Mitchell Daly
With his lasting impact on the season, some may find it hard to believe that the transfer from Texas did not make his season debut until the firth game of the year.
Despite that, he did not leave the starting lineup after that game as he became the every day third baseman for the Wildcats, which was a move for Daly as he’d primarily played shortstop in his collegiate career.
Among his impressive defensive plays at the hot corner, none were more impressive than the diving stop and putout he made in the Lexington Super Regional in the top of the ninth that helped the Wildcats clinch the series.
Daly then etched his name in Wildcat history forever in the bottom of the tenth inning of the team’s first ever game in Omaha in the Men’s College World Series against NC State when he hit a walk-off home run.
On the season, he finished with a .300 batting average, .431 on-base percentage and .500 slugging.
No. 6 Reuben Church
While Reuben Church did not have a major everyday role for the Bat Cats, as he only saw action in the occasional start, pinch hitting appearance or injury replacement, he did make an impact off the field by having a reputation of being one the best teammates.
Church appeared in 21 games in which he accumulated 33 at-bats and a .182 batting average, .372 on-base percentage and a .273 slugging percentage.
No. 8 Ty Crittenberger
When the speedy centerfielder arrived from the transfer portal from Western Kentucky, it seemed like he would be penciled into the everyday job, but that’s not quite how the season turned out for Ty Crittenberger.
His main role this season was off the bench as a pinch runner or defensive replacement, but he always stayed ready and answered the call.
This was on full display in the Men’s College World Series when he found himself in centerfield in the top of the tenth inning after pinch running and made a sliding catch on a sinking line drive that could’ve been a game changer in the Wildcats’ eventual walk-off win.
Crittenberger appeared in 23 games and got 27 at-bats in which he finished with a .222 batting average, .323 on-base percentage and a .481 slugging percentage.
No. 9 Nick Lopez
After originally being penciled in at third base on opening day, the USC transfer shuffled between the hot corners before eventually finding himself in the designated hitter spot in the lineup, which he took up for the rest of the season.
While sporting a stellar mustache, the switch hitter finished with an impressive stat line at the plate as he was one of the Wildcats best hitters all season finishing with a team leading .345 batting average while also getting on base at a .400 clip and slugging at .537.
No. 10 Cameron O’Brien
Late in the season it seemed like anytime there was trouble on the mound and Nick Mingione came out of the dugout for the bullpen gate to swing open, the tall righty transfer from Campbell University was making his way to the bump.
This earned Cameron O’Brien the nickname of “The Fireman” as he was constantly used in high leverage or high stress situations in the ballgame.
No one on the team took the ball more than O’Brien. In fact, no one in program history took the ball more than him as he set the single season record for appearances at 36.
As far as numbers go, O’Brien finished with a 4.54 ERA in 35.2 innings of work as he gave up 18 earned runs and struck out 50 hitters.
No. 12 Grant Smith
After being one of the catalysts of the 2023 team despite batting a near season-long hip injury that required off season surgery, Grant Smith returned in 2024 but unfortunately endured another injury filled season.
The injuries only kept him out of the lineup for 10 games on the year, but he played several games less than 100%. This included near the end of the season when he played through a broken foot and a broken thumb.
When he was on the field, “G-Money” was one of, if not the best defensive shortstop in the entire country as he made even the hardest plays look as smooth as it gets. Amongst those highlight reel plays, none were bigger than a play he made on a pop fly in short left that saw him cover a lot of ground and lunge to make the play in a pivotal moment of the team’s Lexington Regional sealing game.
At the plate, Smith finished with a .235 batting average, .335 on-base percentage and a .343 slugging percentage.
No. 22 Dominic Niman
Dominic Niman arrived in Lexington from Central Connecticut State via the transfer portal and slid right into the weekend rotation as the Saturday starter and got off to a great start.
“Dom” continued to roll as conference play started as his best performance of the year was a complete game shutout against Alabama at Kentucky Proud Park.
Unfortunately, as the season progressed, Niman began to struggle a little bit as he got roughed up in a few consecutive outings and was really never able to return to his early season dominance.
Mingione and the coaching staff even tried Niman out of the bullpen for an outing in the SEC Tournament, but that also turned out unsuccessful.
His final start for Kentucky came in the team’s final game of the season in which his struggles continued as he did not make it out of the first inning and finished with five earned runs.
On the year, Niman finished with a 6.85 ERA in 71 innings of work in which he allowed 54 earned runs and struck out 67 batters.
No. 25 Ryan Nicholson
Ryan Nicholson arrived as a transfer from Cincinnati and struggled at the beginning of the season for the Wildcats, which resulted in him being moved out of the starting lineup altogether at one point.
However, he was given more opportunities and continued to improve as conference play neared.
“Ron” then became one of the team’s best hitters for the rest of the season as he was a force at the plate during SEC play and into the postseason.
The slugger was the premier bat of the postseason as he had 12 hits in the team’s final eight games which included five home runs.
He also put his name into the Wildcat history books by tying the single-season program record for home runs with 23.
No home run he hit this year was bigger than his game-tying blast in the bottom of the ninth against NC State in the Bat Cats’ Men’s College World Series debut.
On the season, Nicholson finished with a .306 batting average, .405 on-base percentage and a team-leading .689 slugging percentage.
No. 49 Johnny Hummel
Many did not know what to expect from the righty transfer from Erskine, but Johnny Hummel arrived in Lexington and got off to an absolutely dominant start, allowing just two earned runs in his first 19.2 innings pitched as the team’s closer.
His stellar start, along with this walkout song “Real Gone” by Sheryl Crow from the movie “Cars,” earned him the nickname “Lighting”.
Around the mid-way to back part of the season, Hummel hit a small skid, but quickly returned to form just in time for postseason play.
The righty was called upon with the winning run on first in the bottom of the ninth of the Lexington Super Regional and got a three-pitch strikeout to send the Bat Cats to Omaha.
The high pressure moments did not stop in the Men’s College World Series for Hummel as he pitched a pivotal 1.2 innings to keep the score where it stood on the team’s walk-off win over NC State.
On the year, Hummel finished with a 3.48 ERA in 31 innings of work as he gave up 12 earned runs and struck out 41 batters. He also led the pitching staff with a .155 batting average against.
No. 51 Trey Pooser
After a few appearances in relief and an injury to then Friday night starter Travis Smith, Pooser was promoted into the role of Friday night starter after the first weekend of SEC play.
He took the promotion and ran with it as he was dominant in his new role and became the Wildcats’ premier starting arm.
In game one of the Lexington Super Regional, the righty tossed seven shutout innings in the win.
In his six relief appearances along with his nine starts, Pooser finished with a 3.50 ERA in 90 innings pitched in which he allowed 35 earned runs and struck out 82 batters. Hitter posted a .211 batting average off of Pooser.
