Four Kentucky baseball alumni have earned the distinguished recognition of being ranked among the Top 30 prospects in their respective Major League Baseball organizations, according to MLB.com.
Ryan Waldschmidt (No. 4, Arizona Diamondbacks), Ryan Ritter (No. 13, Colorado Rockies), Travis Smith (No. 28, Milwaukee Brewers), and Emilien Pitre (No. 29, Tampa Bay Rays) each made the prestigious list. Here’s what MLB.com had to say about each player:
Ryan Waldschmidt (No. 4, Arizona Diamondbacks)
Waldschmidt impressed scouts with his tools and performance, while also dazzling analysts with his metrics. Arizona selected him with the 31st overall pick, a selection they earned as a reward for Corbin Carroll’s Rookie of the Year win, and signed him for slot value at $2,904,000. Few players in this year’s draft matched Waldschmidt’s ability to make contact, avoid chasing pitches, and produce high exit velocities. He has a patient approach and a quick right-handed stroke that looks less uphill than it did in his first season with the Wildcats. He uses the entire field but has a knack for driving balls in the air to his pull side.
Ryan Ritter (No. 13, Colorado Rockies)
Ritter has proven to be more of an offensive force than expected, earning California League MVP honors and two promotions en route to a 20-20 campaign in his first full season. Nothing has changed regarding his defensive potential. Ritter is expected to play shortstop for a long time, with an excellent combination of athleticism and instincts. He has outstanding actions, great field awareness, and a plus arm that can make throws from anywhere on the field.
Travis Smith (No. 28, Milwaukee Brewers)
As Smith continues to move past his elbow reconstruction, he has improved his strength and conditioning, now carrying 220 pounds on his 6-foot-4 frame. He’s also showing more aptitude for locating and sequencing his pitches. If he stays on track toward developing two plus offerings and average control, Smith could become a mid-rotation starter.
Emilien Pitre (No. 29, Tampa Bay Rays)
Pitre was one of the better second-base prospects available in this year’s draft, going to the Rays in the second round, ahead of many projections, and signing for $1,522,700. Pitre has a mature approach, working deep counts and focusing on making all-fields contact to get on base. He pulled more pitches and produced solid exit velocities in 2024, though his flat left-handed swing generated a lot of grounders, limiting his power production. A solid runner, Pitre is an aggressive basestealer with good infield actions, covering plenty of ground at second base where he’s a quality defender.
These rankings come on the heels of a historic 2024 season for Kentucky baseball, which saw the Wildcats advance to the College World Series for the first time in program history.
