Started By
Message
re: *2024 ARKANSAS RAZORBACK SEC BASEBALL SEASON THREAD*
Posted on 1/16/24 at 10:08 am to Hawgeye
Posted on 1/16/24 at 10:08 am to Hawgeye
Glue Guys: The 5-foot-10, 205-pound senior Peyton Holt is the consummate glue guy — a “tough nut” who can play all over the field, as Dave Van Horn put it. He hit .392 in limited action last spring and kept on hitting this fall, and he should help make this team go with his on-base ability, energy and aggressiveness on the basepaths. Right now, he looks like the favorite for the third base job, but he could also wind up wherever Arkansas has a hole to fill. Veteran RHP Will McEntire is the glue guy on the mound — a proven winner who has succeeded in just about every role over the course of his Arkansas career. He gives the Hogs so much peace of mind in case one of the projected weekend starters should falter.
Picks to Click: Four emerging sophomores will help form the backbone of the Arkansas bullpen: expected closer Gage Wood plus fellow righties Christian Foutch and Ben Bybee can all run their fastballs into the mid-90s or better (Foutch bumped 98 and Bybee touched 97 this fall), while lefthander Paker Coil made the biggest improvement of the bunch, showing off advanced feel for his three-pitch mix in the summer and fall. Expect big things from that group of arms.
Top Newcomers: Lefthander Mason Molina had a very good year as Texas Tech’s Friday night starter last spring, and now he fortifies a Arkansas rotation that essentially has three aces. Molina is a warrior whose fastball plays way above its 91-93 mph velocity, and he worked hard this fall to improve his changeup, giving him a fourth weapon along with his curveball and slider. Aloy was a freshman All-American after hitting for average and power at Sacramento State last year, and he’ll be counted upon to step into the heart of the Arkansas order. Helfrick plus fireballing righty Gabe Graeckle (an electric 6-foot righty in the JB Bukauskas mold) and big-bodied power lefty Hunter Dietz are the crown jewels of Arkansas’ No. 1 ranked freshman class, and all three should contribute in a big way from the outset of their careers.
Outlook: Arkansas enters just about every season as a strong contender to go to the College World Series, and this year is no different. An elite pitching staff and a powerful lineup give the Hogs a real chance to finally capture their first national title in 2024.
Projected Lineup
C Hudson White
1B Jack Wagner
2B Peyton Stovall
3B Peyton Holt
SS Wehiwa Aloy
LF Jayson Jones
CF Ty Wilmsmeyer
RF Kendall Diggs
DH Ben McLaughlin
SP1 Hagen Smith JR LHP
SP2 Brady Tygart JR RHP
SP3 Mason Molina JR LHP
SP4 Ben Bybee SO RHP
Closer Gage Wood SO RHP
- D1 Baseball
Picks to Click: Four emerging sophomores will help form the backbone of the Arkansas bullpen: expected closer Gage Wood plus fellow righties Christian Foutch and Ben Bybee can all run their fastballs into the mid-90s or better (Foutch bumped 98 and Bybee touched 97 this fall), while lefthander Paker Coil made the biggest improvement of the bunch, showing off advanced feel for his three-pitch mix in the summer and fall. Expect big things from that group of arms.
Top Newcomers: Lefthander Mason Molina had a very good year as Texas Tech’s Friday night starter last spring, and now he fortifies a Arkansas rotation that essentially has three aces. Molina is a warrior whose fastball plays way above its 91-93 mph velocity, and he worked hard this fall to improve his changeup, giving him a fourth weapon along with his curveball and slider. Aloy was a freshman All-American after hitting for average and power at Sacramento State last year, and he’ll be counted upon to step into the heart of the Arkansas order. Helfrick plus fireballing righty Gabe Graeckle (an electric 6-foot righty in the JB Bukauskas mold) and big-bodied power lefty Hunter Dietz are the crown jewels of Arkansas’ No. 1 ranked freshman class, and all three should contribute in a big way from the outset of their careers.
Outlook: Arkansas enters just about every season as a strong contender to go to the College World Series, and this year is no different. An elite pitching staff and a powerful lineup give the Hogs a real chance to finally capture their first national title in 2024.
Projected Lineup
C Hudson White
1B Jack Wagner
2B Peyton Stovall
3B Peyton Holt
SS Wehiwa Aloy
LF Jayson Jones
CF Ty Wilmsmeyer
RF Kendall Diggs
DH Ben McLaughlin
SP1 Hagen Smith JR LHP
SP2 Brady Tygart JR RHP
SP3 Mason Molina JR LHP
SP4 Ben Bybee SO RHP
Closer Gage Wood SO RHP
- D1 Baseball
This post was edited on 1/19/24 at 8:05 am
1
Posted on 1/16/24 at 10:08 am to Hawgeye
Baseball America 2024 College Top 25 Preview: No. 3 Arkansas
Last season: 43-18 (20-10), lost in Fayetteville Regional
Final ranking: No. 16
Coach (record at school): Dave Van Horn (839-441, 21 seasons)
The good news: It starts on the mound for the Razorbacks. Lefthander Hagen Smith, a first-team all-SEC starter last season, returns to lead the rotation. Backing him in the rotation will be righthander Brady Tygart, who last season pitched well down the stretch as a starter, and lefthander Mason Molina, who last season was Texas Tech’s top starter before transferring to Arkansas. Righthander Gage Wood returns to anchor the bullpen, which received additional reinforcements through the Razorbacks’ second-ranked recruiting class. With Smith leading the way, Arkansas could have the best pitching staff in the conference.
The bad news: Arkansas is rebuilding its lineup after losing six regulars. While this spring’s lineup will look different, it won’t be lacking for talent. The Razorbacks again hit the transfer portal hard to reload, bringing in a mix of veterans—slugger Jack Wagner (Tarleton State) and outfielder Ty Wilmsmeyer (Missouri) —and high-end prospects—shortstop Wehiwa Aloy (Sacramento State) and catcher Hudson White (Texas Tech). Those newcomers will need to hit the ground running, especially with White, Alloy and Wilmsmeyer expected to take on up-the-middle positions, but Arkansas consistently found a way to reload the offense on the fly.
Last season: 43-18 (20-10), lost in Fayetteville Regional
Final ranking: No. 16
Coach (record at school): Dave Van Horn (839-441, 21 seasons)
The good news: It starts on the mound for the Razorbacks. Lefthander Hagen Smith, a first-team all-SEC starter last season, returns to lead the rotation. Backing him in the rotation will be righthander Brady Tygart, who last season pitched well down the stretch as a starter, and lefthander Mason Molina, who last season was Texas Tech’s top starter before transferring to Arkansas. Righthander Gage Wood returns to anchor the bullpen, which received additional reinforcements through the Razorbacks’ second-ranked recruiting class. With Smith leading the way, Arkansas could have the best pitching staff in the conference.
The bad news: Arkansas is rebuilding its lineup after losing six regulars. While this spring’s lineup will look different, it won’t be lacking for talent. The Razorbacks again hit the transfer portal hard to reload, bringing in a mix of veterans—slugger Jack Wagner (Tarleton State) and outfielder Ty Wilmsmeyer (Missouri) —and high-end prospects—shortstop Wehiwa Aloy (Sacramento State) and catcher Hudson White (Texas Tech). Those newcomers will need to hit the ground running, especially with White, Alloy and Wilmsmeyer expected to take on up-the-middle positions, but Arkansas consistently found a way to reload the offense on the fly.
This post was edited on 1/31/24 at 12:27 pm
Page 1 of 1
Latest Arkansas News
Popular
Back to top
Follow SECRant for SEC Football News