This morning in the 2026 MLB Draft, the Colorado Rockies selected Tyler Bell, a shortstop from the University of Kentucky, as the No. 10 selection. Soon after, Bell spoke with the media via Zoom to answer questions about how he approaches hitting, how he plans to address his shoulder issue, why he wanted to sign with the Rockies, and how Ryan Ritter has influenced his baseball life.
As a reminder, Bell was drafted 66th by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2024 draft, but he was clear in his decision to attend
college.
“I made that decision back in high school,” Bell said. “I had a number set as a high school athlete, and I wanted an organization to build that connection with me and truly value me. And it was a money thing at the end of the day, but I felt like that dollar figure was how much it kind of represented who I was as a person and a player, but also how much they wanted to pour into me from their organizational side.”
After that, Bell was committed to going to college, and he never looked back.
“It turned out to be a really good thing for me because I didn’t sell myself short, and I bet on myself. And I knew what I was truly worth as a person and a player.”
Plus, he learned some valuable lessons outside the classroom.
“One of the best things that college taught me is literally just how to win the game,” Bell said. “That’s the biggest thing. And a lot of my team, they say they absolutely love playing with me, but if they’re playing against me, they would absolutely hate it.”
Signing with the Rockies — and Ryan Ritter
His initial meetings with the Rockies at the MLB Combine reaffirmed his decision.
“The Rockies were my best meeting at the combine,” Bell said. “This is the right fit for me, and I’m very pumped that it’s the Rockies.”
For Bell, things just clicked.
“The Rockies were the best fit for me. The best meeting I had at the combine, the truest connections,” he said.
“Funny enough, Brett Baldwin (a cross checker for the Rockies) used to be an area scout whenever I was back in high school,“ Bell said, “and I really felt that family piece from him whenever he was in my house doing home visits back here, and I actually saw him down at the combine. They had him up in the room whenever I had that meeting, so it was a really good meeting, and just, it’s the right fit for both of us.”
Add to that his Lincoln Way High School friend and fellow Kentucky Wildcat Ryan Ritter. They both played with the same travel team when they were in high school and they train in the same facility during the offseason.
“He’s already texted me,” Bell grinned. “I’ve been texting back and forth with him.” Then Bell added, “He went to same high school, went to Kentucky, obviously, and now plays with (the Rockies). ”I’m excited to get to work with him, train with him in the offseasons, and get after it in the big leagues.“
A shoulder injury
In the near term, Bell will have labrum surgery on his left (non-throwing) shoulder. He was injured during the Wildcats’ opening but played through it during the season. For him, there was no other choice.
“It was scary,” Bell said of the injury. “Obviously, I didn’t really know what it was. It turned out to be a dislocated shoulder and a torn labrum. And a lot of people pushed me in different directions, trying to get me to be done with the year.”
However, he was always focused on supporting his UK teammates and the MLB draft
“I didn’t come to college to sit out,” Bell said. “I didn’t come here to not play. I wanted to be on the field with my boys. I wanted to represent Kentucky, and I found out my shoulder was good enough to keep playing, and had to wear a brace for that. There were struggles at times. (I would) wake up with some pain, some stiffness. It didn’t feel great all the time, for sure. But I knew that was all going to come with it as part of the challenges.”
Plus, the Wildcats had their eyes on Omaha.
“We had a chance to win a national championship this year, and I was going to be a big part in playing if that was going to happen.”
He has not yet had shoulder surgery, but will work with the Rockies on determining his next steps.
“I want to be healthy, and I want to help at the big league level as fast as possible.”
Versatility
Bell is willing to play wherever he’s needed, which is a quality a versatility-focused Rockies organization probably appreciates.
“I just want to help out in whatever way possible,” Bell said.
“I think I know I am a shortstop, but if I need to move over to a different position for a little while, just to help out and win and get my bat in the lineup. I’m all for it. I want to take the quickest route to the big leagues and start helping at the big league level as quick as possible.”
“I’m a hitter”
Bell is a self-professed hitting nerd.
“I like learning a lot about swings and stuff like that.”
With that in mind, Bell spent the last offseason working on his approach at the plate from the left side.
“My left-handed swing wasn’t exactly where I wanted it this spring, dealing with my back shoulder, kind of how I slot into the zone and stuff like that,” Bell said. “But I love taking little cues.”
And he’s focused on getting better this season by becoming more consistent.
“I struck out a lot more than I should have last year as a freshman,” Bell said, “and my whole goal going into the fall as a player was to control the strike zone and have more walks than strikeouts, and it just really allowed me to have a ‘bought-in approach’ and be very aggressive to my approach, but not chasing and swinging outside the zone. And I brought that into the spring, and it allowed me to have full control. And whenever I got the pitch that I was hunting, I was able to do a lot of damage, which probably boosted those other numbers as well.”
Visiting Colorado
Although Bell has yet to visit Coors Field, Colorado is a familiar spot for him and his skiing family.
“I used to go skiing every single year out West, and started in Colorado all the time, Breckenridge,” Bell said.
“My dad is a huge skier, so I think this is the best spot that I could have landed for him. He’ll probably end up moving out there whenever I’m playing every day.”
Although the Bells are a skiing family, they haven’t actually been to Coors Field for a game, but Bell’s found a substitute.
“It’s funny,” he said. “I play a lot of MLB The Show, and I play every single game at Coors Field at home, so maybe I knew something. I don’t know.”
Why choose that setting?
“I’m a hitter. I’m not a pitcher, so I like hitting home runs, and yeah, I just love it.”
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