This Wildcat is among UK baseball’s most important players regardless of how he pitches

When Ryan Hagenow signed with Kentucky baseball as a much-hyped recruit, it would have been easy to envision him on the mound as the Wildcats one day took control of an NCAA Tournament regional.

But the circumstances that brought Hagenow to the mound for the final two innings of Kentucky’s win over Illinois in the Wildcats’ second game of the Lexington Regional last week would have been seen as unlikely for the second-highest ranked high school recruit to ever enroll at UK.

“No, he is not starting on Friday nights for us, but I believe he’s having a bigger impact than any start he could have on a Friday night because of what he does in that dugout and that locker room for our team,” UK coach Nick Mingione said. “It’s been unbelievable.”

Perfect Game ranked Hagenow as the No. 8 right-handed pitcher and No. 26 overall recruit in the high school class of 2021. Hagenow looked the part of a future ace as a freshman at Kentucky with a 3.00 ERA, 28 strikeouts and 15 walks in 24 innings pitched, but the first in a series of injuries limited his innings down the stretch that spring.

Hagenow’s stuff was still evident as a sophomore as opponents hit just .196 against him and struck out 40 times in 29 2/3 innings, but his ERA ballooned to 5.76.

As a junior, Hagenow moved to the bullpen full time. He earned midseason All-America honors after not surrendering a run in his first 12 appearances, but he allowed multiple runs in five of his last eight appearances.

“Ryan has had a couple injuries that have kind of set him back, and to his credit, what has he done every time? He just keeps coming back and back and back and back,” Mingione said. “I can tell you this, you look at what he’s been able to do on the field for us. Look at his numbers. It’s been unbelievable, but maybe just as unbelievable is the type of person.”

It was during his junior season Hagenow was assigned the role that would ultimately define his Kentucky career.

With energy lagging in a March series at Southern Illinois, Mingione named Hagenow the Wildcats’ dugout captain. Kentucky still needed Hagenow to get outs on the mound, but when he wasn’t pitching he would now be responsible for making sure his teammates were engaged and supportive on the bench.

“Basically told him, ‘This is yours,’” Mingione said. “You’re driving this dugout. It is yours. … From now on, I am not getting upset with anybody in this dugout. It falls on your shoulders.”

Under Hagenow’s watchful eye, Kentucky’s dugout has evolved into one of the most energetic in the country.

Hagenow does not take sole credit for the long list of zany antics, which includes wearing a fuzzy pink hat, blowing enormous bubble gum bubbles and engaging in staring contests with the television cameras, but he has final approval over any suggestion a teammate brings to him. He also has the power to eject any player who he feels is not bringing the proper attitude to the dugout.

When Mingione needs something, he calls for “Hags.” A strategy needs to be relayed to Kentucky’s hitters? Hagenow is the man for the job. A reminder to make sure a dugout ritual stays in the bounds of NCAA rules? That’s Hagenow’s responsibility.

“Now that I’m older and I’ve been here for four years I feel like guys trust and believe in what I say, don’t just shrug it off and get annoyed,” Hagenow said. “It’s been pretty cool to see how much everybody has bought into what we do.”

To be clear, Hagenow still has played an important role for Kentucky on the field as a senior.

He leads the team with a 1.96 ERA, but he has appeared in just 12 games.

Another injury caused him to miss more than a month early in the season. Hagenow’s once eye-popping strikeout numbers are no more with 16 in 18 1/3 innings, but he has been credited with two wins and three saves.

With Kentucky nursing a 4-1 lead against Illinois in the regional, Mingione turned to Hagenow to relieve starter Trey Pooser. The offense added two insurance runs, and Hagenow recorded the final six outs without allowing a run.

Unlike UK’s regional wins in 2017 and 2023, the victory over Illinois ensured the Wildcats would stay on the winners’ side of the bracket after two games. It handed a clear advantage to a team with questionable pitching depth, ensuring the Wildcats could clinch the regional in just three games.

“He’s a vital piece to this team,” shortstop Grant Smith said of Hagenow. “A four-year guy who’s been here since the beginning. He’s seen it all. He’s a staple to our team, gels everybody together. There’s a reason he’s the dugout captain. Coach Mingione doesn’t take that role lightly.”

Mingione reminds his players before each season that no matter how much they imagine things playing out on a steady upward trajectory, adversity is almost certain to hit. Peaks and valleys are far more likely than a straight line.

Hagenow needs no reminder that seasons and careers are unlikely to play out exactly as planned though.

When he arrived on campus as a freshman, Hagenow surely expected to be playing professional baseball by now. Instead, he is one of a group of relievers Mingione might turn to for key innings in this weekend’s super regional against Oregon State.

“I think college has helped me realize that I’m a lot more than just baseball,” Hagenow said. “At first, I was basing whether I was happy or not just strictly off my results. I was getting injured and stuff like that, so that obviously wasn’t working very well.

“Then once I realized I could obviously have a much bigger impact in the locker room and with the team as well as on the field, that stuff kind of stopped mattering as much to me. A lot of people from the outside may look at it as, it was unsuccessful, but I feel like I’ve grown a lot and become a much better person. Just every aspect of my life has gotten better.”

In a best-of-three super regional format, there is no guarantee Hagenow will pitch at all against Oregon State.

Kentucky is at its best when likely game one and two starters Pooser and Mason Moore go at least six innings. Relief ace Robert Hogan will surely pitch multiple innings in at least one game. Saves leader Johnny Hummel should be well rested after not being needed in the regional. Right-handed reliever Cameron O’Brien looks like Mingione’s go-to option to work out of a jam after striking out seven in two scoreless appearances in the regional.

But even if he doesn’t pitch, Hagenow should still be among the most important Wildcats in the super regional.

“He just cares so much,” Mingione said. “When someone cares that much, you just want to give (responsibility) to him because you know they’re going to take a good amount of pride — the good kind of pride — and responsibility in that. And he’s done that.

“We would not be where we’re at without this guy because the impact he has goes far beyond just on the field.”

This weekend

No. 2 Kentucky vs. No. 15 Oregon State

What: NCAA Tournament super regional

When: Saturday-Monday

Where: Kentucky Proud Park in Lexington

At stake: Winner of best-of-three series advances to College World Series

Tickets: UKBaseballTix.com

SCHEDULE

Saturday: 6 p.m. (ESPNU)

Sunday: 9 p.m. (ESPNU)

Monday (if necessary): TBA (TBA)

NCAA super regionals

Here are the pairings for this weekend’s super-regional round of the NCAA Tournament. Each matchup is a best-of-three series, with the winner advancing to the College World Series (Teams listed with overall NCAA seed at start of 64-team tournament):

Starting Friday

▪ Evansville (38-24) at No. 1 Tennessee (53-11)

▪ UConn (35-24) at No. 8 Florida State (45-15)

▪ Kansas State (35-24) at No. 12 Virginia (44-15)

▪ West Virginia (36-22) at No. 4 North Carolina (45-14)

Starting Saturday

▪ No. 15 Oregon State (45-14) at No. 2 Kentucky (43-14)

▪ No. 10 North Carolina State (36-20) at No. 7 Georgia (42-15)

▪ Florida (32-28) at No. 6 Clemson (44-14)

▪ Oregon (40-18) at No. 3 Texas A&M (47-13)

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