Kentucky baseball might’ve found its consistent weekend starters after a shutdown performance in the weekend sweep over UNC Greensboro.
Head coach Nick Mingione chose to go with Jaxon Jelkin on Friday night, Ben Cleaver on Saturday and Nate Harris getting the nod for the third game and second game of the doubleheader.
Harris, who was originally supposed to go on Sunday, but the weather cancelled one of the games.
However, it didn’t affect him or the other two starters, as it might have thrown off their game.
Jelkin, who started Friday, pitched for the first time in the blue and white after being sidelined the year prior due to Tommy John surgery.
He is a three-time transfer player from Nebraska, South Mountain Community College and Houston.
He has declined two MLB draft picks, a 14th-round pick from the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023, and then a ninth-round pick the next year from the New York Mets.
Jelkin has put up impressive stats everywhere he has been, especially at South Mountain Community College, where he made 14 starts with a 3.81 ERA in 75.2 innings pitched and went 7-2 with 98 strikeouts.
Although Jelkin didn’t play in 2025, he was still recognized by Perfect Game as the No. 2 senior in college baseball.
During his time at Kentucky, he has adapted to the brotherhood of Kentucky baseball and the standards set.
“Sometimes when you can get guys return from injuries that have been in the program, you feel like you got a new player, but a player with actual experience,” Mingione said about returning players like Jelkin.
Jelkin’s excitement has brewed not just among the fanbase but also within the coaching staff as they prepare for an exciting season ahead.
“Even though they haven’t been on the field, just because they’ve been around, they understand how things operate,” Mingione added.
Mingione’s trust in Jelkin and his experience alongside his work ethic have strengthened throughout his time injured.
His trust truly paid off after a stellar performance Friday evening for Jelkin, going his set four innings and striking out ten of the fourteen batters he faced.
Alongside just two hits and no runs across the board, Jelkin is ready for a continuation of dominant performance as his year progresses.
The early slate on Saturday called the junior left-hander Cleaver, who has been noticeably one of the most influential players during the offseason.
Cleaver was named a Preseason All-SEC nominee and a big name to watch on the national circuit, thanks to his improvements in his game.
“He’s been the voice of our staff … he’s bigger, he’s stronger, his voice, he is leading at a very high level,” Mingione said.
Cleaver has set a tone in the locker room of Kentucky baseball with the goal to get back to Omaha, and it has always taken one person on the team to be louder than the next.
The junior phenom has gotten more impressive as the years have gone on, including last year, posting a 3.25 ERA.
In his 15 starts, he also maintained a record of 6-3 with 83 innings pitched while tossing 92 strikeouts and only allowing 54 hits.
Looking to improve from impressive stats the year prior, he hasn’t only been a louder voice on the team, but someone opponents will need to fear when faced up against him.
“His demeanor he has on the mound, he comes super downhill at you and he’s also not afraid to stare you down, and he’s not afraid to let you know,” Ethan Hindle said about Cleaver’s mindset while pitching.
Cleaver led the Wildcats in the first game of the doubleheader on Saturday with that same fierce intensity his teammates see going very strong in his four innings of work.
He sat down seven batters via strikeout and, like Jelkin, only gave up two hits and no runs crossed the plate.
Due to inclement weather headed in on Sunday, after the Cleaver domination, the second game of the doubleheader commenced with the right-handed pitcher Harris.
Harris, a sophomore who was also ranked by Perfect Game as a Top 100 sophomore in the nation, is also bringing a role of leadership to the Kentucky pitching squad for his second year.
After a little bit of a shaky start in his freshman campaign, Mingione quickly saw a spark burst from his summer workouts and throughout fall practice, earning him the Sunday spot.
During his freshman season, he started in 13 games, going 5-2 and pitching a total of 59.1 innings.
Alongside a 4.25 ERA, he allowed 54 hits with 45 strikeouts and 26 walks with seven wild pitches.
His improvements and offseason workouts caught the eye of Mingione, as Harris helped alongside Cleaver, being an active voice for the younger freshman.
Not only has he become a voice, per Mingione, but Harris has also increased strength, and coming from a lot of his 6-foot-4, 225-pound posture, who already hurls 96 mph at his top speed.
“He’s stronger, he’s primed and ready to go to have a great year,” Mingione said about Harris.
Harris started that strong year off as planned in Mingione’s book, going four innings of work with five strikeouts and suffering one earned run on three hits.
The big three of Jelkin, Cleaver, and Harris for the entire season led the Wildcats through the weekend and are prepping for future success in the 2026 campaign.
Mingione has produced beasts before, and on and off the mound, through strength and power, his starting rotation will be feared by teams when they face the Wildcats.
He has dawned all his belief into his decision of the weekend pitching staff, securing a quick 3-0 record and hyping the Big Blue Nation for a push back to Omaha.
Early into the season, Mingione limited all four of his innings of work, but this group of three potentially could be the 1-2-3 punch to see on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays throughout the entire season.
The big three will prepare for next weekend against Evansville, but the rest of Kentucky baseball prepares for their home opener against Morehead State (2-1) on Feb. 17 at 4 p.m.