Kentucky Reliever Ryan Hagenow Named Perfect Game Midseason All-American

Seven weeks into the 2023 college baseball regular season, No. 10 Kentucky has been one of the most surprising stories in the nation, as head coach Nick Mingione's squad has remained on a blistering pace, currently owning a 26-3 record.

One huge reason for that success is the Wildcats' pitching staff, which has held sturdy from top to bottom. A 3.11 team ERA is the third best in the SEC and one of the top marks in all of Division I. Opponents are batting just .205 against UK arms and have scored just 92 runs.

While the starting pitching has been stout, Mingione and pitching coach Dan Roszel possess a bevy of reliable hurlers in the bullpen, combining to make one of the deepest staffs that Mingione has had in his seven years as skipper in Lexington. One of the center pieces in the pen is junior right-hander Ryan Hagenow.

The 6-foot-5 Knoxville, Tenn. native has been named a Perfect Game Midseason All-American, making the pitchers Third Team. In 11 appearances this season, Hagenow owns a spotless 0.00 ERA. Across 15.1 innings, he's given up just four hits and five walks while striking out 23 batters.

Over the course of the season, he's began to develop as a closer for the Wildcats. He pitched in all three games in Tuscaloosa against Alabama, totaling 2.1 innings of hitless baseball. In the first SEC series of the season against Mississippi State, he allowed just one hit across 4.1 IP, striking out five.

Hagenow was unable to collect his second save of the season last weekend in UK's sweep of Missouri, as control issues led to a hit batsman and two walks in the third game of the series. Nevertheless, he's emerged as a go-to arm for Mingione in close games.

The righty was a starter for Kentucky as a freshman, making seven starts and nine total appearances, pitching 24 innings, collecting a 3.00 ERA, striking out 28 batters while walking 15. His first career start as a Wildcat saw just one hit in four shutout innings against Miami Ohio.

As a sophomore, he transitioned to the bullpen, but still made three starts in his 14 outings. He threw 29.2 innings, but struggled with control, walking 33 while allowing 19 earned runs, leading to a 5.76 ERA, though he gave us just three earned across his final 10 innings of the year.

Now, he's blossomed into a trusty arm that will likely feature in some important SEC ballgames for the rest of the 2023 campaign, as Kentucky looks to snap its five-year NCAA Tournament skid.

Other SEC players that made PG All-American teams:

First Team

IF Josh Rivera (Florida)
OF Charlie Condon (Georgia)
OF Dylan Crews (LSU)
OF Wyatt Langford (Florida)
UT Jac Caglianone (Florida)
SP Paul Skenes (LSU)

Second Team

3B Tommy White (LSU)
SP Chase Dollander (Tennessee)
SP Carter Holton (Vanderbilt)
RP Garrett Edwards (LSU)
RP Hagen Smith (Arkansas)

Third Team

IF Gavin Casas (South Carolina)
SP Drew Beam (Tennessee)
SP Hunter Hollan (Arkansas)
RP Ryan Hagenow (Kentucky)

More on Kentucky's path to the NCAA Tournament HERE.

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