Matt Ponatoski

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #13 prospect in 2026 draft
  School: Archbishop Moeller HS, Cincinnati, Ohio Age At Draft: 18.3
  
  Committed: Kentucky
  
  Ponatoski is the quarterback for one of the top programs in the country at Archbishop Moeller HS in Ohio, where he broke the school’s single-season record for passing yards as a sophomore in 2023 and then won Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior. He’s committed to play both football and baseball at Kentucky, a testament to his talent in both sports, but one that will also complicate his draft status. He’s a lefthanded hitter who starts his swing with a barrel tip to the pitcher but has good bat path and contact skills. Ponatoski has good hand-eye coordination, strike-zone judgment and a patient approach that leads to high OBPs. Ponatoski has fast hands, good bat speed, makes hard contact and has the physical projection to grow into more power. Ponatoski is athletic but he’s a fringe-average runner who doesn’t have typical shortstop actions or range, so second or third base are more likely to be his defensive home as he gets closer to the big leagues. His best defensive tool is his plus-plus arm, which has been up to the mid 90s on the mound.
• Ranked #51 prospect in 2026 draft
  School: Archbishop Moeller HS, Cincinnati, Ohio Committed/Drafted: Kentucky. Age At Draft: 18.3
  
  Ponatoski is the quarterback for one of the top programs in the country at Archbishop Moeller High in Ohio, where he broke the school’s single-season record for passing yards as a sophomore in 2023 and then won Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior. He’s committed to play both football and baseball at Kentucky—a testament to his talent in both sports, but one that will also complicate his draft status. He’s a 6-foot-2, 200-pound lefthanded hitter who starts his swing with a barrel tip to the pitcher but has good bat path and contact skills. Ponatoski has good hand-eye coordination, strike-zone judgment and a patient approach that leads to high OBPs. He has fast hands, good bat speed, makes hard contact and has the physical projection to grow into more power. Ponatoski is athletic, but he’s a fringe-average runner who doesn’t have typical shortstop actions or range, so second or third base are more likely to be his defensive home as he gets closer to the big leagues. His best defensive tool is his plus-plus arm, which has been up to the mid 90s on the mound and helped him record the hardest recorded infield throw (101 mph) at the 2025 PG National showcase.