Mailbag: Where will UK finish in the SEC in 2025?
Predicting where UK will land in the SEC race in 2025, plus some new updates on the team.
Fall baseball is in full swing for college teams across the country. Kentucky continues to scrimmage three times per week, with the next two coming on Friday at 10 a.m. and Sunday at 2:40 p.m. On Sunday, Oct. 27, the Wildcats will host Morehead State for a scrimmage at Kentucky Proud Park. It will be the last of two scrimmages against outside competition. The first scrimmage resulted in a 25-8 win for the Wildcats across 14 innings at Prasco Park against Wright State in Mason, Ohio.
All of the coverage from Bat Cats Central this fall can be found on the archive page. I sent a call for questions and received a few responses, so we’ll get to those in today’s mailbag. I expect to do a couple of mailbags a month once the season begins, but this might be it until around February or so. Let’s get to it.
Where do you feel Kentucky falls in the SEC race for 2025? - Brian
This is a great question. I’ve wondered where Kentucky — which earned a share of the regular season SEC championship for just the second time in program history last year — might ultimately fall when the SEC releases its preseason baseball poll in February. Teams like LSU, Florida, Tennessee, Arkansas and Texas A&M are going to likely make up the top five, but it gets a little murky after that. Using Baseball America’s early poll from July, the publication believes Georgia, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Texas and Kentucky are all top 25 caliber teams entering the season.
If the poll is in the ballpark of the Baseball America story, you could see Kentucky being picked 11th in the SEC but still a team considered an NCAA Tournament contender. This is a brutal league.
I reserve the right to change my mind as we get closer to the season, but my views line up quite a bit with Baseball America. This team has too many unknowns at this point in time to think it can contend for the regular season crown once again, but it’s fair to place expectations at making the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season. From what I’ve seen, I don’t think Kentucky lacks talent in its position group. There’s not a long track record of production, which shouldn’t be glossed over, but my guess is this ends up being both a solid offense and defense when all is said and done.
The pitching staff will be a question mark, particularly the weekend rotation. I could see a strong bullpen forming, but it’s hard to know who will open the season on the weekends at this point. For now, I’ll project Kentucky somewhere in the 12 to 15 win range in the SEC. In my opinion, anything more than that would be yet another impressive season, and anything less would probably be tough to stomach with how much momentum the program has.
Haven’t heard much about (Adam) Hachman this offseason. What’s your thoughts on him and his role for upcoming season? - Patrick
Is Ryan Schwartz hurt? I don’t think I have seen him mentioned this fall so far? - Anthony
Couple of injury questions here. Adam Hachman, a redshirt freshman lefthanded transfer from Arkansas, is still building up after missing the 2024 season with an arm injury. Hachman was an elite prospect out of high school but entered the portal following his freshman season with the Razorbacks.
Ryan Schwartz, a freshman catcher who was originally signed with Texas before a coaching change, broke his hand with 10 games remaining in his senior season. I’ve yet to see him scrimmage but not sure when he’s expected to return.
It was going to be an uphill battle for Schwartz to win the job behind the plate with Devin Burkes and Raphael Pelletier in the mix, but he’s athletic enough to compete elsewhere. But with how far behind he’s going to be the rest of the team, it’s hard for me to see him as a big piece of the team come Opening Day. Perhaps he can work his way into the mix later in the year if the team needs a boost.
Pelletier has looked good behind the plate. Burkes has been battling an injury? - David
Burkes had a minor injury that kept him from hitting some earlier in the fall, but he was back in the lineup for last Friday’s scrimmage. I’m not sure if that was his first day batting or if he hit in the Wednesday scrimmage, but it’s a recent development either way.
And you’re correct, Pelletier has been good this fall. He’s a talented defender who’s swung the bat well in the times I’ve seen him. Pelletier went 3-4 with two doubles and three runs batted in against Wright State. He’s been excellent defensively in nearly every practice I’ve seen as well, so this seems to be a quality pickup from the transfer portal. Kentucky has mostly just used one catcher the past few years, but this seems like the best pair of catchers Kentucky has had on the same team since Troy Squires and Kole Cottam in 2017.
When will full schedule be out? Looks like no round robin tourneys this year? Last year was a good time in Round Rock - Anthony
The schedule is done, though I’m told it might still be a few more weeks before it’s released. I don’t know all aspects of the schedule, but you’re correct that there will be no early season event like the Round Rock Classic in 2024. It’s safe to say that the most interesting series will take place once conference play begins. Here’s a refresher for anyone who missed the schedule release:
March 14-16: at Georgia
March 21-23: vs. Auburn
March 28-30: at Texas A&M
April 4-6: vs. Ole Miss
April 11-13: vs. Texas
April 18-20: at Tennessee
April 25-27: vs. South Carolina
May 2-4: at Mississippi State
May 9-11: vs. Oklahoma
May 15-17: at Vanderbilt