Kentucky pitcher Jaxon Jelkin became the final selection of the opening day of the 2026 MLB Draft on Saturday, when the Philadelphia Phillies chose him with the 135th overall pick in the fourth round, according to UK Athletics. It marks the third time the 23-year-old right-hander from Omaha, Nebraska, has been drafted, having previously turned down offers from the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023 and New York Mets in 2024.

Jelkin, who redshirted the 2025 season while recovering from injury, emerged as a crucial performer for the Wildcats this year. He compiled an 8-3 record with a 4.08 earned run average and 106 strikeouts across 97 innings during his sole season at Kentucky. The pitcher earned First Team All-Region honors from the ABCA and Rawlings, as well as All-SEC Second Team selection from the coaches. His performance placed him on the National Pitcher of the Year Watch List from the College Baseball Foundation.

Jelkin joined Tyler Bell as the two Wildcats selected on the first day of the 20-round event. Bell was selected in the first round by the Colorado Rockies with the 10th overall pick, becoming the second-highest ranked draft pick in program history. Together, they bring the total number of players taken in the first four rounds under UK coach Mingione to a dozen across the nine draft classes he has overseen.

The Phillies selected Jelkin using a compensation pick received for losing Ranger Suárez to free agency. Jelkin's fastball sits in the 93-96 mph range and touches 98 mph, complemented by a sharp curveball. He completed at least seven innings in seven starts this season and delivered consecutive complete games against Tennessee and Florida, both ranked opponents, before earning a crucial save against Arkansas.