Matt Ponatoski has a decision to make. The four-star quarterback prospect is committed to play college football at Kentucky but he really wants to play baseball with the MiLB and, eventually, MLB.
His (potential) future head coach in Lexington is telling him to follow his heart.
Only time will tell whether he ever plays college football or if he decides to chase his dreams on the diamond. That is a decision for next month.
Who is Matt Ponatoski?
At 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, Ponatoski rated as one of the top 15 quarterbacks in the recruiting Class of 2026. He ranks as the No. 13 player at his position, the No. 218 player in his class and the No. 10 player in the state of Ohio out of Archbishop Moeller.
There may not be a more talented athlete in the Buckeye State.
Matt Ponatoski burst onto the scene in 2024 by completing 69.4% of his passes for 4,217 yards with 57 touchdowns and just three interceptions. The Fighting Crusaders went 14-2 and finished as the state runners-up. Their quarterback was named as the Ohio Mr. Football, Gatorade Ohio Player of the Year and MxxPreps Ohio Player of the Year.
He was also named as the Gatorade Ohio Player of the Year in baseball that same season. Ponatoski, an infielder and right-handed pitcher, hit .429 with 29 RBIs and 10 stolen bases as a junior.
Needless to say, the two-way star could go in either direction— football or baseball. Ponatoski committed to play both sports at the University of Kentucky.
His impressive showing at the Elite 11 made the Wildcats even more excited to get him on campus. First-year head coach Will Stein would love to mold him into his quarterback of the future.
However, Ponatoski may not ever play football again. He might not ever play a single snap in Lexington.
Will he play college football at Kentucky or pursue Major League Baseball?
The Kentucky football program began its summer workouts over the weekend. Matt Ponatoski was not there. He is a busy.
Archbishop Moeller made the Final Four for high school baseball. The Fighting Crusaders will play for an Ohio state championship on the Division I level of competition as the No. 4 seed. Their semifinal game against No. 10 Perrysburg is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. The championship game would then be played over the weekend.
Ponatoski skipped out on the Wildcats’ workouts because he was throwing a combined two-hit shutout to sent his team to state.
Stein completely understands. In fact, the head football coach at Kentucky actually encouraged his 4-star quarterback to pursue baseball.
“Coach Stein told me if you get the number you want in baseball and you don’t go, you’re stupid.”
The 2026 MLB Draft is scheduled for July 12-13. Ponatoski told the Overs-Slot podcast that he would prefer to play professional baseball than to play college football.
“I think people who don’t talk to me face to face might get an idea that I want to go play college football. I do, but that’s option 1B. Option 1A is to go be a (MLB) draft pick and go get drafted and go be in an organization at 18 rather than go to college and be in an organization at 21, which is not a bad option either. I want to be drafted. That’s 1A for sure.”
I don’t know whether Ponatoski will spend any time in Lexington between now and July 12. Maybe he will get down there for workouts before the MLB Draft and decide from there. Maybe he will wait until after the draft to make his move if he doesn’t get picked as high as he had hoped. That isn’t the priority at the moment.
Kentucky’s 4-star quarterback commit is focused on winning a state championship in high school baseball!