MLB draft buzz for Louisville, Kentucky, Trinity players
Kentucky’s Tyler Bell, Louisville’s Zion Rose and Trinity High School’s Grayson Willoughby are expected to be early-round picks in the 2026 MLB Draft.
- Kentucky star shortstop Tyler Bell will begin his professional career in the Colorado Rockies organization.
- Bell was originally drafted 66th overall by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2024, but he elected to play college ball at Kentucky instead.
- Bell is Kentucky’s third top-20 draft pick under coach Nick Mingione after Evan White (17th, 2017) and Zack Thompson (19th, 2019).
Kentucky baseball shortstop Tyler Bell has been selected 10th overall in the 2026 MLB Draft by the Colorado Rockies.
The switch-hitting sophomore is expected to sign and turn pro after a breakout season with the Wildcats in which he hit .343 with nine home runs, 29 RBIs, 49 runs scored, a .517 on-base percentage and a .602 slugging percentage in 41 games. The first-team All-SEC selection helped lead UK to the NCAA Tournament, where it placed second in the Morgantown Regional to eventual College World Series semifinalist West Virginia.
Bell chose to play collegiately after being selected 66th overall by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2024 MLB Draft. He was ranked the No. 13 player in the country coming out of high school, according to Prep Baseball. After making the SEC All-Freshman Team and earning multiple Freshman All-America honors in 2025, Bell garnered widespread Preseason All-America recognition this spring and lived up to the billing.
During his time in Lexington, Bell finished with 110 hits, 73 RBIs, 23 doubles and 19 home runs in 97 games. He hit .296 with a .907 OPS during his freshman season before enjoying a stellar sophomore year. He was eligible for this year’s draft because he turned 21 years old at the end of June.
Kentucky has found success in the MLB draft under head coach Nick Mingione, with Bell becoming the 43rd selection of his tenure. The 21 players selected in the 2017 and 2018 drafts were the most of any program in the country.
Mingione has now produced three top-20 picks in Bell; first baseman Evan White, who went 17th overall in 2017; and left-handed pitcher Zack Thompson, who went 19th overall in 2019.
Reach sports trending writer Alaina Morris at [email protected] and follow her on X at @alainammorris.
