After bowing out in the finals of the Clemson regional last month in the NCAA Tournament, not much has gone wrong for the Kentucky baseball program. All signs point to the Bat Cats having a very good team on the diamond in 2026. The program received some more good news on Tuesday.
Right-handed pitcher Jaxon Jelkin will return to campus after missing all of the 2025 season with a elbow injury.
“After careful consideration I have made the decision to return to the University of Kentucky,” Jelkin wrote in a release. “My ultimate goal is to be a big leaguer and I feel my continued development by Coach (Dan) Roszel, Coach (Nick) Mingione and the entire staff is the best path to that dream. Big Blue Nation has become my home.”
The Bellevue (Neb.) West product became a star in the Omaha suburbs during his high school career. Jaxon Jelkin began his collegiate career at Nebraska in 2022 and made six appearances as a true freshman. Jelkin then transferred to South Mountain Community College where he made 14 starts (7-2, 3.81 ERA, 75.2 IP, 98 K). The pitcher was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 14th round of the 2023 MLB Draft but decided to stay in school.
Jelkin then transferred to Houston in 2024 where he started seven games for the Big 12 program and served as a Friday night starter before suffering an elbow injury. The pitcher posted a 3.41 ERA and became a ninth-round pick of the New York Mets in the 2024 MLB Draft. However, Jelkin decided to stay in school and transferred to Kentucky.
Now for the first time in his career, Jaxon Jelkin will be at the same school in consecutive years. The veteran should be back healthy and compete for a spot in UK’s 2026 starting rotation.
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