Kentucky’s Tyler Bell and Jaxon Jelkin earned ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division I First-Team Midwest All-Region honors on Tuesday.
Here are more details from UK Athletics:
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky shortstop Tyler Bell and ace pitcher Jaxon Jelkin each were named ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division I First-Team Midwest All-Region, it was announced Tuesday.
The Midwest Region includes schools from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The American Baseball Coaches Association All-America Team first was recognized in 1949 and now spans nine divisions: NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, NAIA, NJCAA Divisions I, II, and III, the Pacific Association Division, and high school. ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove teams were first recognized in 2007.
Bell, a sophomore from the Chicago area, shined in 2026 despite getting injured in the opener and missing 14 games. Overall, he ranked third on the team with a .343 average during the regular season with 49 runs, nine doubles, one triple, nine home runs, 29 RBI, 10 stolen bases and a 1.118 OPS. His on-base percentage of .510 made him the first UK player since 2008 to reach base safely in more than half of his plate appearances.
In conference play he batted .333 with 23 runs, seven doubles, a triple, five home runs and 18 RBI. The home runs tied for the most on the team, the runs were the second-most on the team, doubles tied for the second most and RBI were the second most.
Jelkin, from Omaha, Nebraska, was perhaps the most indispensable piece on the roster this season, particularly in conference play. Overall, he went 8-3 with a 4.08 earned run average and a save. He struck out 106 in 97.0 innings and opponents hit just .243 as he turned in seven quality starts (defined as three or fewer earned runs in 6.0 or more innings). He is only the second Wildcat in the past 15 years to strike out 100 or more batters in a season.
Jelkin was sensational down the stretch of the regular season, pitching back-to-back complete games vs. Tennessee and Florida before earning a crucial save vs. Arkansas, all ranked opponents. He completed at least seven innings seven times.
