LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56) — If a college baseball team makes it to Omaha for the College World Series, it certainly has to have talent worthy of hearing some names called in the MLB Draft.

The 2024 Kentucky baseball team had the best season in program history, and has now had a memorable showing at the MLB Draft with seven players selected.

Ryan Waldschmidt got it started as a 1st round pick (No. 31 overall) to the Arizona Diamondbacks, with Emilien Pitre also getting picked on Day One in the 2nd round (No. 58 overall) to the Tampa Bay Rays.

This was the first time in the Nick Mingione era that two Kentucky players got picked in the first two rounds, making for a successful start before the team’s depth was showed off later.

Ryan Nicholson (No. 292 overall) led the team in home runs and tied a program single-season record, which got him to become a Day Two selection in the 10th round to the Los Angeles Angels.

Trey Pooser (No. 306 overall) was also selected in the 10th round to the Rays, raising his draft stock after an impressive postseason that saw him have stellar starts in the Super Regional and the College World Series. He was the Wildcats’ Friday starter this season.

Mason Moore and Travis Smith in the 15th round, combined with Dominic Niman in the 18th round, brought Kentucky to see all four of its top starting pitchers hear their names called.

Potential-incoming players also heard their names called in the Draft, both in the form of committed freshmen and transfers. UK signee Tyler Bell got picked 66th overall to the Tampa Bay Ray, and will likely skip college ball and sign with the organization.

Transfer portal commits Jackson Strong (7th round), Trent Youngblood (10th round) and Ryan Verdugo (12th round) each got selected and are not expected to arrive in Lexington. Youngblood was a transfer from up the road at Transylvania.

Decision time now awaits the players who have collegiate eligibility remaining, like Moore, who could potentially return as the Sunday starter, and like Bell, who could still pass on the money and play NCAA baseball for a program that just made the College World Series.

Four more schools stepped onto the big stage in Dallas at SEC Media Days. 11 Personnel is here to dish on the latest from Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Georgia.

Even though Kentucky doesn’t take the stage until Thursday, the Cats got a nice bump today from Brady Cook and the Georgia Bulldogs. Bush Hamdan and Brock Vandagriff received glowing reviews from their former SEC colleagues. We’ll touch on that and speak with On3’s JD PicKell in a new LIVE edition of 11 Personnel. Highlights:

— Georgia’s NIL collective is fining bad drivers.
— A Tennessee reunion for Tennessee’s Josh Heupel at Oklahoma.
— Eli Drinkwitz (shockingly) did a good thing.
— Who’s the best quarterback in the SEC?
— Too many folks are sleeping on LSU.

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KSR’s coverage at media days is presented by the team at Friends of Coal. Friends of Coal is dedicated to informing and educating Kentucky citizens about the coal industry and its vital role in the state’s future. They provide a united voice for an industry that has been and remains a critical economic contributor to Kentucky. By working together, they can provide good jobs and benefits for future generations. Coal is RESILIENT, RELIABLE, and AFFORDABLE.

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More UK News and Views on the KSR YouTube Channel

Kentucky Sports Radio has expanded its coverage of the Wildcats in the most ridiculous manner possible on our YouTube Channel. Here you will be able to find interviews with coaches and players, as well as commentary from the KSR crew. From Rapid Reactions following big events to our lengthy lineup of live shows, subscribe to the KSR YouTube Channel to stay up to date on everything happening around the Big Blue Nation.

Summer months offer relaxation and more free time for Kentucky’s youth. However, recovery care officials warn the summertime also presents more opportunities for substance use by children and adults. Officials with Addiction Recovery Care said first-time use and relapse rates have the potential to spike in the summer and offering quality care is a priority.

Data from the CDC shows between 2011 and 2021 more than 321,000 children lost their parents to a drug overdose. ARC West Region Chief Operating Officer Kevin Schmidt said the trauma from substance-related loss can cause future issues for young people.

“If you lose a parent to a drug overdose or to going to the penitentiary, being incarcerated, that’s traumatic for kids. If you take that and mix it with peer pressure, maybe kids in the neighborhood using, and then they find out that ‘hey if I drink a little bit or do something else it helps me not think about the bad things going on,’” said Schmidt.

Studies from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration show more than 11,000 youth drink for the first time on a typical June or July day. Schmidt said more free time creates more opportunities for exposure to substances.

“There’s more social gatherings and things happening. So, not only could that be a pitfall for young kids who may be experimenting with alcohol or drugs for the first time, but also it could be a pitfall for people who are in recovery as they have to learn to navigate social functions,” said Schmidt.

Officials said ARC’s recovery services, including inpatient and outpatient care, are available to anyone in need. People can call (606)-638-0938 for a free screening and referral to services suited to their needs.