As a new era of Kentucky Baseball emerges, it’s time to take a look at some new faces making their way to Lexington from the Transfer Portal this offseason.
Left-handed pitcher Cole Hentschel, who will be a redshirt senior next season, announced that he would be transferring to Kentucky from Richmond on June 14.
The Pine Bush, NY native spent four seasons at Richmond, but did not play in 2021 as he was recovering from an injury. In 40 career appearances, Hentschel boasts a career 4.93 ERA, but opponents are hitting just .231 off the left-hander. He’s also struck out 59 batters in 42 innings.
This past season, Hentschel made a team-leading 27 appearances out of the pen. In 31 2/3 innings, he put up a 4.26 ERA while holding opponents to a stellar .227 batting average. He also notched eight saves, which led the Atlantic-10 conference.
Hentschel committed to Kentucky just one day before Mitchell Daly’s walk-off home run against NC State in its opening Men’s College World Series game. When asked what he knew about Kentucky before committing, the left-hander noted that he had seen the rise of the program from afar.
“I didn’t know a whole lot actually,” Hentschel said. “I really only knew the success they were having on the field and knew the program was on a climb as they’ve gotten stronger and stronger throughout the past few years”
On a climb the program has been, as Kentucky boasts the fourth highest overall winning percentage (70%) and third highest conference winning percentage (63%) over the span of the last two seasons.
“Excited is an understatement,” the left-hander said about the opportunity to play at Kentucky. “This team has proven it has a winning culture and I can’t wait to be apart of it and fight for a National Championship. My first day in the portal, both [former assistant] coach [Nick Ammirati] and coach [Austin Cousino] called me and instantly I wanted to get on campus. Shortly after I spoke with both coach [Dan Roszel] and coach [Nick Mingione] and knew I needed to get on campus and meet everyone because it felt like home already. I got to campus as soon as I was allowed to and was ready to commit after my day with the coaching staff and seeing the school and facilities. I told my parents right away this feels like home and the rest is history.”
Hentschel is just one of eight portal arms brought in by the staff this offseason. The left-hander is joined by Eastern Kentucky right-hander Chase Alderman, California right-hander Oliver Boone, Indiana State right-hander Simon Gregersen, Arkansas right-hander Adam Hachman, South Dakota State right-hander Nic McCay, Radford right-hander Scott Rouse, and Longwood left-hander Ethan Walker.
Although he hasn’t been apart of the program long, Hentschel is already boasting about the family aspect of the program, a sentiment shared by many of the incoming transfers.
“The facilities are the best I’ve ever seen and I know with combination of the great staff and available equipment, I’m confident our group as a whole will develop into the best players and people possible,” Hentschel said. “I love the family aspect around the program and it’s seen throughout everyone involved. I’ve spoken with a few guys and it’s been nothing but great talks. I feel this year will be awesome with the group returning and with the diversity of transfers and high school guys.”
When asked about his personal goals for the upcoming season, Hentschel kept it simple. “To develop into a reliable arm which includes me having a sharper arsenal,” he said. “That’s my personal goal coming into the season, but at the end of the day I want to do whatever it takes to be the last team standing in Omaha.”
Kentucky was the fifth-to-last team standing in Omaha in 2024, but that just wasn’t good enough. The Cats showed that they can break through that glass ceiling and get there, now it’s time to deliver.
“I’m passionate and want to win,” Hentschel said. “I want people to remember me as a positive impact on the University and leave it a little better then before I was here.”
Hansen is one of 16 incoming transfers (so far) for Nick Mingione’s Wildcats. Stay tuned toKSR’s 2025 Kentucky Baseball Roster Trackerfor all updates on the offseason and next season’s squad.
Prior installments in the Transfer Spotlight series:
- RHP Oliver Boone (California)
- LHP Ethan Walker (Longwood)
- RHP Chase Alderman (Eastern Kentucky)
- OF Shaun Montoya (San Diego State)
- 1B/DH Dylan Koontz (Campbell)
- OF/DH Carson Hansen (Milwaukee)
