Kentucky players in MLB Draft: 5 Wildcats who could get picked in 2024 ft. Trey Pooser

The 2024 MLB Draft is right around the corner and the teams are looking forward to picking the best prospects in the annual event. It is slated to be held on July 14-16 at the Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas.

Ballclubs are raring to secure excellent prospects from the Kentucky Wildcats, who made history by qualifying for their first-ever College World Series.

Under coach Nick Mingione, Kentucky emerged as co-champions of the SEC Eastern Division and the regular season by going 22-8 in the conference and 39-12 overall.

The Wildcats were crowned regional and super-regional champions by sweeping past their opponents, thus securing a ticket to the College World Series. Ranked No. 2 in the NCAA Tournament, Kentucky won its first CWS match over NC State, 5-4, but they absorbed a 5-1 defeat to Texas A&M in the second round.

The loss relegated them to a win-or-go-home showdown with Florida and the Wildcats wilted to pressure, losing 5-15 to the Gators, ending their CWS campaign.

Kentucky's historic run to the College World Series wouldn't be possible without the MLB Draft prospects who contributed to their historic run.

With this in mind, here are the five Wildcats stars who could get drafted in the three-day event.

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Kentucky players who could get drafted in the 2024 MLB Draft

#1. Ryan Nicholson, 1B

Ryan Nicholson hit 23 home runs and recorded 63 RBIs in his only season with Kentucky (Image Source: IMAGN).

Ryan Nicholson was a great transfer portal pickup for Kentucky as he provided the power bat it needed to reach their first-ever College World Series. The transfer out of Cincinnati posted a batting average of .306 and smacked a career-high 23 home runs and 63 RBIs in 59 games for the Wildcats.

His propensity to bat with power, however, forces him to commit more strikeouts. The six-foot-four Louisville native had a combined 115 strikeouts in the past two seasons.

Nicholson's power surge catapulted him to a possible first-round pick in the coming draft, as per mock drafts.

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#2. Ryan Waldschmidt, OF

Ryan Waldschmidt smacked 14 home runs and 46 RBIs while hitting.333 this season for Kentucky (Image Source: IMAGN)

Ryan Waldschmidt was a key factor in Kentucky's College World Series run. The six-foot-two outfielder had a career season, hitting .333 with 14 home runs and 46 RBIs.

The Charleston Southern transfer was a terror on the basepaths, stealing 25 bases in 32 attempts this past season and finishing with 130 total bases. His on-base and slugging percentages were also a career-high at .469 and .610, respectively.

Various mock drafts place the centerfielder as a first-round draft pick, placing him around 14th and 22nd picks in this year's annual event.

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#3. Trey Pooser, RHP

Trey Pooser went 7-1 with 3.50 ERA for Kentucky in the 2024 season (Image Source; IMAGN)

Trey Pooser was what the doctor ordered for Kentucky as he consistently won games for coach Nick Mingione. The Charleston transfer started in 13 games and went 7-1 with an ERA of 3.50 in 90 innings.

Pooser was also dependable during relief situations, as he appeared six times to relieve a struggling pitcher. The six-foot-four pitcher struck out a career-high 82 batters this past season and recorded two saves.

In five seasons, Pooser finished with a 24-8 record and a 3.80 ERA in 310 innings. The pitcher could go as high as the second round for teams who wanted a durable arm that could pitch as a starter or a reliever when needed.

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#4. Emilien Pitre, INF

Emilien Pitre hit .310 and had 109 RBIs in the last two seasons for Kentucky. (Image Source: IMAGN)

Emilien Pitre had an excellent two-season stretch for Kentucky, as he was one of the key contributors to the Wildcats' College World Series run. The 5-foot-11 second baseman played 123 games and hit .310 in 2023 and 2024.

Pitre tallied 108 runs and 216 total bases and smacked 11 home runs and 109 RBIs. Like Waldschmidt, the Canadian used his speed to steal bags, recording 46 stolen bases during those seasons.

He is ranked No. 173 by the MLB in its latest draft prospect rankings, meaning he could be an early sixth-round pick.

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#5. Travis Smith, RHP

Kentucky pitcher Travis Smith went 3-4 with a 6.21 ERA in the 2024 season (Image Source: IMAGN)

Travis Smith had an up-and-down 2024 season after going 4-3 with a 4.84 ERA in 13 starts in the previous season. Smith went 3-4 with a 6.21 ERA in 37.2 innings this past season.

The right-hander appeared in 13 games for the Wildcats and started in six of them. He only struck out 33 batters, down from 43 in the 2023 season.

Despite the high ERA, Smith kept his spot on the Top 200 MLB Prospects list at No. 179, which could see him getting drafted in the sixth round.

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Who among the five Kentucky prospects will get picked first in the 2024 MLB Draft? Let us know your views in the comments section.