One of the most overlooked aspects of being an elite athlete is the tough decisions that come with it. Decisions about where to go to college, who to hire as advisors, and when to enter the draft are just a few conundrums athletes face that could make or break their careers. For 2026 MLB Draft prospect Matt Ponatoski, his toughest decision will come in July when he’ll need to decide between starting a professional baseball career or heading to the University of Kentucky to play football and baseball.
Ponatoski’s Unique Decision
In the modern draft era, Ponatoski is not the first athlete who has the potential to hear his name called in both the Major League Baseball and National Football League Drafts. Over the years, elite two-sport athletes such as Kyler Murray have had franchises from both leagues competing to persuade him to choose one sport. Much like the current Minnesota Vikings quarterback, Ponatoski has been a star on the diamond and on the field throughout high school, making him a highly sought-after recruit.
According to 24/7 Sports, Ponatoski is a four-star quarterback and the 13th-ranked gunslinger in the class of 2026. Instead of joining the Wildcats for spring ball, though, the Cincinnati, Ohio, native has been playing his senior year on the diamond. Playing both shortstop and pitcher, Perfect Game ranks Ponatoski as the 140th MLB Draft prospect in their latest Top-400 rankings update.
While Ponatoski will also play baseball at Kentucky, which could lead to him getting drafted after his junior season, he seems to be doing his due diligence ahead of the draft, which is just a few months away. In an interview with Katie Kapusta of Spectrum News, Ponatoski stated, “You know, it’s my decision. But at the same time, I’m basically going through the recruiting process again with these teams, and trying to show I have it, day in and day out.”
The talent with Ponatoski is undeniable, but the risk of drafting him for MLB teams falls into that same category. Taking a high school arm that has exceeded 100 MPH on his fastball may seem like a no-brainer. Still, teams will need to factor in that Ponatoski could earn more in NIL over three years at Kentucky than he would from a signing bonus, even if they offer him over-slot value.
Where Things Stand Currently
With how the MLB Draft works, Ponatoski does not need to make a decision right away. While at any point he could withdraw his name from the draft, the 6’2″ star at Archbishop Moeller High School could also wait to see where he lands in the 2026 MLB Draft and what teams are willing to offer him.
For Kentucky fans who are hoping for an answer soon, that seems unlikely, as Ponatoski also told Spectrum News, “I’m going to be fully prepared to go to school and go be at Kentucky and enroll and go compete for a quarterback battle when I get there.” He followed that up by saying, “But at the same time, like going and putting my best foot forward to these MLB teams and showing them like I have what it takes for you to draft me.”
If there is anyone Ponatoski can learn from throughout this process, it’s former Missouri two-sport athlete Sam Horn, whom the Dodgers drafted in the 17th round in the 2025 MLB Draft. Horn was in the same position as Ponatoski out of high school, but he decided to withdraw from the draft to play quarterback and baseball for the Tigers. Ultimately, multiple injuries led to Horn playing fewer than ten snaps at QB and pitching just 15 innings in his tenure at Missouri. Situations like that are a prime example of why decisions such as this one can alter a career before it truly begins.
Main Photo Credit: James Weber/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
