​This morning during the 2026 MLB Draft, the Colorado Rockies took Tyler Bell, a shortstop from the University of Kentucky, with the No. 10 overall pick. Shortly after the selection, Bell joined media members on a Zoom call to discuss his approach at the plate, how he plans to manage a shoulder issue, why he chose to sign with the Rockies, and the influence Ryan Ritter has had on his baseball journey. It’s worth noting that Bell was drafted 66th overall by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2024 draft, but he made a clear choice to attend college instead.
“I made that decision back in high school,” Bell explained. “I had a target number in mind as a high school athlete, and I wanted an organization that would build a real connection with me and genuinely value me. It came down to money in the end, but that dollar figure represented not just what I was worth as a player, but also how much they were willing to invest in me from their organizational side.”
That commitment to college paid off, Bell believes, as he never second-guessed his path. “It turned out to be a really good thing for me because I didn’t sell myself short, and I bet on myself. I knew my true worth as a person and a player.”
Beyond the diamond, college life taught him several valuable lessons. “One of the best things college taught me is how to win the game,” Bell said. “That’s the biggest takeaway. A lot of my teammates say they love playing with me, but if they’re facing me, they’d probably hate it.”
Bell’s early conversations with the Rockies at the MLB Combine reinforced his choice. “The Rockies were my best meeting at the combine,” he noted. “This is the right fit for me, and I’m incredibly excited that it’s with the Rockies.” He added that the fit felt natural. “The Rockies were the best fit for me—the strongest meeting at the combine, the truest connections,” he said.
He also recalled a familiar face within the organization. “Funny enough, Brett Baldwin, a cross checker for the Rockies, used to be an area scout when I was in high school,” Bell recalled. “I really felt that family vibe from him during home visits here, and I even saw him again at the combine. They had him in the room during my meeting, and it felt like a really good fit for both sides.”
Bell’s connection with Ryan Ritter, a Lincoln-Way High School teammate and fellow Kentucky Wildcat, runs deep. The two players grew up together on the same travel team and continue to train at the same offseason facility. “He’s already texted me,” Bell smiled, noting the ongoing back-and-forth. “We went to the same high school, we both went to Kentucky, and now he’s with the Rockies.” Bell is eager to join forces with Ritter and to train together in the offseason as they chase success in the big leagues.
“I’m excited to get to work with him, to train with him in the offseasons, and to pursue it in the majors,” Bell said, emphasizing his readiness to contribute to the Rockies and to grow as a player with a friend who shares his background and aspirations. As Bell looks ahead, his focus remains on the present—developing his hitting, managing his shoulder, embracing the Rockies’ system, and building the kind of professional trajectory that first drew him toward college and now toward a pro career with Colorado.