Category: Arkansas baseball

Smith named preseason All-American by Perfect Game

Hagen Smith garnered first-team All-American recognition by Perfect Game on Friday in advance of the 2024 season.

Arkansas southpaw Hagen Smith is going to rack up the preseason accolades before the February 16 season opener.

Smith, the Razorbacks’ ace, was named a first team preseason All-American by Perfect Game on Friday.

Perfect Game’s analysis was basically what most Arkansas fans already knew.

Smith jumped around in terms of role a little bit for the Hogs in 2023, as Smith figures to be Arkansas’ biggest weapon on the mound in 2024. It’s electric from the left side with an upper-90s fastball and a wipeout breaking ball. The walks got a little high last year but in terms of competitiveness and overall stuff, Smith ranks among the best in the nation.

A semifinalist for last year’s Golden Spikes Award as well as the College Baseball Foundation’s National Pitcher of the Year Award, Smith was one of two starting pitchers, along with LSU’s Paul Skenes, to garner first-team All-SEC praise in 2023. He became Arkansas’ first starting pitcher to earn first-team All-SEC honors since Ryne Stanek in 2013.

James Madison comes to town for a four-game set starting in mid-February. Smith will most likely get the ball in the season opener.

Reynolds, ex-Arkansas baseball standout, taking his talent to Japan

Former Arkansas Razorbacks infielder Matt Reynolds has decided to extend his professional baseball career in Japan.

After spending the past 11 seasons playing professional baseball in the United States, former Arkansas All-SEC infielder Matt Reynolds is taking his talent overseas.

The 33-year-old Reynolds signed a one-year contract with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of the Nippon Professional Baseball League in November. He will head to Japan in about three weeks to begin workouts with his new club.

A dual-sport standout at Tulsa’s Bishop-Kelley High school, Reynolds spurned a few college basketball offers to play baseball for the Razorbacks from 2010-12. In his three seasons at Arkansas, he started 141 games and hit .275 with 72 RBI. He was also a part of the 2012 College World Series team that advanced to the national semifinals.

“Playing at Arkansas was huge for my career, and definitely prepared me for the higher levels of pro ball,” Reynolds said. “Getting to play in front of 12,000 fans on the weekend is probably one of my favorite experiences in my baseball career.

“Once you get into pro ball, it’s just a different animal and you really begin to realize how much you miss playing in the college game. The pros has the business side of things that you don’t have to deal with in college. In college, I could go 0-for-4, but if we won, I was pumped. In pro ball it’s just different, with the pressure of performing, so you can hopefully get called up.”

Obviously, playing in the College World Series is one of the highlights of his collegiate career, but he can still recall a number of special moments while playing in Fayetteville, that will forever be etched in his mind.

He vividly recalls James McCann’s three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth in 2011 that gave the No. 22 Razorbacks a 4-3 win over the No. 15 Tigers in front of an all-time record crowd at Baum Stadium.

“It feels like that just happened yesterday,” Reynolds said with a chuckle.

Then there was Collin Kuhn’s two-out grand slam in 2010 to give Arkansas a 17-16 win over Kentucky in an epic game on Easter Sunday. Kuhn’s mother, who was battling cancer, was in the stands after traveling from Wisconsin to watch him play.

“God was definitely looking over him in that situation, and I will never forget that moment,” Reynolds said. “Just so many special memories.”

Reynolds was drafted by the New York Mets in the second round of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft – the 71st overall selection. He made his professional debut that season for the Savannah Sand Gnats of the A-level South Atlantic League.

As he progressed through the minor leagues, he spent the 2015 regular season playing for New York’s Triple-A affiliate, the Las Vegas 51’s. He was then called up to join the Mets for their playoff run. He instantly made history, becoming the first player in the modern baseball era to be added to a postseason roster in the middle of a series without having any previous major-league experience. He also became the third player in modern baseball history to be included on a postseason roster without previous major-league experience.

“At that time I didn’t realize how special it really was,” said Reynolds, who was on the Mets’ roster when they defeated the Dodgers in the NL Divisional Series and when they beat the Cubs for the National League pennant. He was also in the Mets’ dugout for their heart-breaking loss to Kansas City in the 2015 World Series.

“Not many people get to experience a World Series in their career, and I got to experience one in my first days in the Big Leagues,” he said. “Now, when I look back it’s like, ‘Wow, what a ride.’ Getting to be a part of the World Series in college and in the pros, that was really special.”

Reynolds has accrued three years on of total service time at the Major League level, spending two stints with the Mets (2016-17 and 2022), as well as time with Washington (2018), Kansas City (2020) and Cincinnati (2022-23).

“I feel like I got a fair shot at the Big Leagues, and got plenty of opportunities, but it is what it is,” he said. “Early on I was kind of thrown into one of the toughest roles in baseball, which was primarily pinch-hitting and getting a spot-start once every seven or eight days. In that position, you don’t get very many at-bats, and when you do get an at-bat, you are facing their eighth- or ninth-inning guy, and getting nasty stuff.”

After putting up solid numbers for the Triple-A Louisville Bats last season, Reynolds began drawing interest from a few Japanese teams, with one team offering to purchase his contract from the Reds during the season. Cincinnati declined the offer, so after making only two brief appearances with the Reds, he finished out the year with Louisville and became a free agent.

“After I finished the year at Triple-A, I told my agent that I was really interested in pursuing something overseas, either Korea or Japan,” he said. “The first day I became a free agent, Hiroshima offered me. So after we negotiated for a few days, I decided to sign with them. It was a really cool opportunity for me.

“I think it’s just adds another layer to my career. The writing was kind of on the wall over here. It felt like I needed to try somewhere else to make some money and provide for my family. I got this opportunity and it was something that I just couldn’t pass up.”

Now residing in the Dallas area, he and his wife – former Razorback soccer player Sam Wolf – now have a 2-year-old son, Grady, and a 1-month-old daughter, Hallie.

Reynolds has no regrets for how his career has turned out, thus far, and isn’t sure how much longer he will play. He wants to continue playing as long as the game is still enjoyable.

“I’m just trying to enjoy my last few years – play hard, work hard and just enjoy it as much as I can,” he said, “And also set a good example for my son. He is just starting to understand what I’m doing, and now having him at the field, and I can see him in the stands, it’s just a feeling I’ve never had.”

Jun 22, 2012; Omaha, NE, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks third baseman Matt Reynolds (5) steals second base ahead of the tag by South Carolina Gamecoks short stop Joey Pankake (9) during the first inning during game thirteen of the 2012 College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park. Mandatory Credit: Matt Ryerson-USA TODAY Sports

Stovall, Diggs, Smith named Arkansas baseball captains

Hagen Smith could be the best pitcher in the country and Kendall Diggs’ power is up there, too.

For the umpteenth straight season, the Arkansas baseball team has its eyes toward Omaha and the College World Series.

Looking to lead the Diamond Hogs are Peyton Stovall, Kendall Diggs and Hagen Smith. The three returners from last year’s NCAA Tournament team were named captains over the weekend.

Smith, a left-handed pitcher, is the team’s best player and its best pro prospect. He split time in 2023 between starting and the bullpen, but not because he couldn’t find a spot. Smith pitched 71 2/3 innings, striking out 109 while allowing opponents to bat .217 with a 3.64 earned-run average.

Diggs was perhaps Arkansas’ best hitter. A third baseman/first baseman/outfielder/designated hitter, Diggs has positional flexibility, but it’s his bat that speaks. He slashed .299/.436/.547 with 12 home runs and a team-high 63 RBI.

If Stovall plays like he did his freshman year instead of his sophomore, the junior will be one of the best in the nation. A highly touted prospect who turned down the pros out of high school for Fayetteville, Stovall hit just .253 with a slugging percentage below .400 in his first year at second base.

The SEC preseason polls have not yet been released, but the Razorbacks are expected to be in the top five. They open the regular season against James Madison on Feb. 16.

Van Horn previews 2024 season and roster on Thursday

It’s going to be business as usual for Dave Van Horn and yet another extremely talented roster in 2024.

Dave Van Horn is one of the only coaches in the athletic department that was in his current role when Bobby Petrino was still the head coach here as of the spring of 2012.

Van Horn enters his 22nd season as the skipper of the Razorbacks and met with the assembled media on Thursday to discuss his thoughts on the team he has and the state of his program.

The catcher room is loaded, according to Van Horn, with potentially four guys who could all contribute in some form or fashion.

Pitching is also super deep, as deep as Van Horn can remember it being, and the top three is likely Hagen Smith, Brady Tygart and Hunter Hollan, although not necessarily in that order.

Kendall Diggs is back as a captain, and will be counted on for leadership and as a RBI machine.

Van Horn also mentioned the need for NIL in baseball, where they couldn’t get some of the players they wanted to campus because they weren’t able to pay enough.

Overall, the team is plenty deep and loaded per usual, and expect them to compete for a SEC title and a spot in Omaha.

SEC Power Rankings: Sorry Vanderbilt, but A&M, Arkansas bringing up the rear

The only question is who is worse at this point: Texas A&M or Arkansas?

Georgia, Alabama and….wait, this can’t be right.

Missouri?

That’s it. Fans of those two teams have plenty of reasons to be happy. Everyone else pretty much wants to burn the season down.

At Texas A&M, they have. Coach Jimbo Fisher was fired Sunday despite the Aggies’ 41-point win the day before. The alumni had seen enough of what most are terming mediocrity.

At Arkansas, the Razorbacks would kill to be regularly mediocre. Instead, after two positive seasons, the Hogs have taken a massive step back and will be lucky to get more than four wins.

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs are looking like national champions again. The Crimson Tide look like a team that could spoil that. And Missouri is in the midst of a revelation.

Ah, the SEC.

Here are this week’s power rankings.

Arkansas baseball will have new permanent opponents in 2025

Ole Miss and Missouri will be Arkansas’ permanent SEC opponents when the schedule is revamped in 2025 for Oklahoma and Texas’ entry.

With the addition of Oklahoma and Texas to the Southeastern Conference, schedules were going to have to be adjusted.

In baseball, the conference assigned new permanent opponents for everyone to take effect during the 2025 season.

Ole Miss and Missouri are the two that Arkansas will play on a regular basis from now on.

Arkansas has played Ole Miss every year for pretty much the entire time the Razorbacks have been in the SEC, but Missouri has been more hit or miss, since it has been in a separate division.

Arkansas leads the all-time series against Ole Miss in baseball, 59-53, along with leading Missouri 23-15, including 11-4 since Missouri became a member of the SEC prior to the 2013 season.

In 2024, both Missouri and Ole Miss are slated to visit Baum-Walker Stadium.

Arkansas baseball wraps up fall with extra-inning drama in finale

The Diamond Hogs wrapped up their fall season with an extra-inning affair in the Fall World Series finale.

As Yogi Berra once said, “It was Deja vu all over again.”

For the second time in two days of the Arkansas baseball team’s Fall World Series intrasquad clash, the teams were tied at the end of the intended seven innings of play.

Monday’s game was declared a 9-9 tie, with a winner-take-all finale set for Tuesday.

But with the scored tied at 8-8 after seven on Tuesday, a winner had yet to be determined. So, the teams played an extra inning, utilizing Major League Baseball’s so-called “ghost runner” rule. Each team began the inning with no outs and a runner on second.

The Cardinal team mustered a run in the top of the eighth, on freshman Kade Smith’s sacrifice bunt, that brought home Missouri transfer Ty Wilmsmeyer.

From there, freshman right-hander Jaewoo Cho shut down the White squad, with a pair of strikeouts, to secure the 9-8 victory for the Cardinal.

“It was real competitive today – I just saw a lot of clutch things happen,” Razorback Head Coach Dave Van Horn said. “All fall has been competitive, The scrimmages have been really tight. It’s been good, and there’s a lot of competition. If we started tomorrow, I could put you a lineup on the field, but I’m sure there would be guys right there to play that aren’t on the field, and then there’s a fall off.

“As far as offensively, you’ve got about 12 guys that look like they’re ready to go, and then there are some other guys who are not quite there yet, at least day in and day out. It was real competitive today.”

That puts a wrap on the fall season for the Hogs, who were allowed 28 official practices within a 45-day window, starting in September.

“Believe me, they’re ready to get off the field,” Van Horn said. “You think about a guy like Kendall Diggs, who won the Cape Cod League championship and played all the way to almost mid-August, Jayson Jones won the league up there in Wisconsin and they were the last team to finish. He went home for one day and he came here. He had an okay fall, but he’s better than what he showed. Get him strong, get him ready to go and find out what he can do.”

Diggs, a junior outfielder, who will be heavily counted on in the spring, gave the White team a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first Tuesday, with a 412-foot rocket to right field that ricocheted off the William Hunter Family Development Center.

The Cardinal evened things up in the second, as Tarleton State transfer Jack Wagner ripped his second homer in as many days, a 394-foot shot over the left-center field fence. Hunter Grimes followed with a double that plated Wilmsmeyer, to make it 2-2.

Van Horn has been impressed by Wilmsmeyer, who has a chance to make an immediate impact when the regular season rolls around in February.

“He’s got a chance to be our starting first baseman, starting left fielder, starting DH,” the coach said. “That’s what I see. We brought him here to help solidify our lineup a little bit with some offense. He brings some attitude, and you got to see that a little bit the last couple of days.”

It didn’t take the White team long to jump back ahead in the third. Back-to-back run-scoring singles from Hutchinson Community College transfer Will Edmunson and senior Ben McLaughlin made it 4-2.

Smith, a Harding Academy graduate, then made his initial impact of the game with a monster 430-foot two-run blast to left-center, tying the score once again, 4-4, in the top of the fourth.

Sophomore infielder Reese Robinett, who had two hits in the game, gave the Cardinal its first lead with a 347-foot solo home run to right field, making it 5-4 in the top half of the fifth.

Left-hander Jordan Husky, a redshirt freshman, proceeded to keep the White team scoreless through the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, allowing just one hit and striking out four.

Robinett then hit a bases-loaded double to score two more, and senior Hunter Grimes knocked in another on a ground out, to put the Cardinal in front 8-4.

Down four, heading into the bottom of the seventh, the White team began to rally. They scored one on a wild pitch, before senior Parker Rowland stepped to the plate and unleashed a three-run, game-tying homer to right field.

With pitching running thin on both sides, Van Horn isn’t sure what would have transpired if the game went past eight innings. Which is why they decided to put runners on second to start the extra inning.

“We were to the point now that we had one inning left, maybe,” he said. “It worked out. The guys have watched some games. The MLB does it pretty much all the time.”

Overall, Van Horn, was content with what he saw, beginning his 22nd season at the helm. He was especially pleased to see a freshman finish the game on the mound with a clutch performance.

“You just saw a lot of clutch things happen, whether it’s Jaewoo finishing up the game throwing a bunch of sliders that start out knee-high and end up about ankle-high,” he said. “Guys didn’t make an adjustment, and he did what he needed to do. He got them out.”

The Razorbacks will now begin skill work and hitting groups next week

“A lot of hitting in groups starting inside, just working on things, working on bunting, working on base running,” Van Horn said. “And then a lot of defense with the infielders. Outfielders will be out here a little bit. That’s what we do from now until Thanksgiving. After Thanksgiving, we get them for another week max and then they’re out of here for a long time.

The season officially gets under way on Feb. 16, when James Madison comes to Fayetteville for a four-game series.

Hogs set to play winner-take-all game in finale of Fall World Series

The Arkansas baseball team will play its final intrasquad game on Tuesday to determine the winner of the Fall World Series.

There is already drama brewing at Baum-Walker Stadium, and the Arkansas baseball season is still four months away.

The Razorbacks began wrapping up their fall-practice season on Monday, with the first game of their annual Fall World Series — a traditional best-of-three intrasquad series.

Game 1 was called in the seventh inning, with the Gray and Cardinal teams locked in a 9-9 tie. Head Coach Dave Van Horn had initially stated the game would conclude on Tuesday, but a short time later, the program released a statement that said “Game one of the Fall World Series is officially ruled a tie.”

The teams will now take the field at noon on Tuesday for a winner-take-all finale at Baum-Walker.

With the wind whipping throughout the game and some players playing out of position on Monday, both teams struggled in the field. Each team committed three errors, which led to eight of the 18 runs being unearned. They also combined for 16 walks and a hit batter.

“Today was about as ugly as I’ve ever seen,” Van Horn said afterward. “We’ve got a catcher playing second base. Welcome to fall baseball. We’ve got some guys that are a little banged up that aren’t playing. It got a little ugly and it might get uglier.”

The head Hog, entering his 22nd season at his alma mater, doesn’t remember much that happened after the fourth inning, as he was informed midway through the contest, that his daughter may be having triplets.

“My daughter and my son-in-law came down and told me that my daughter’s not going to have one — I don’t have any grandkids — and probably not going to have two, but there may be more,” a still-stunned Van Horn said. “This is all natural.”

Freshman right-hander Gabe Gaeckle looked sharp on the mound to start the game. He allowed just four hits and a run over the first three innings for the Gray team, who proceeded to give him support by scoring four runs in the top of the second.

The Gray took a 5-0 lead in the third on a run-scoring sacrifice fly by junior Hudson Polk. But the Cardinal squad responded with a run in the bottom of the third, then four more in the fourth, aided by two fielding errors, to tie the score at 5-5.

The Gray reclaimed the lead with two more runs in the fifth, benefitting from another error and back-to-back walks.

The Red cut it back to one on an sacrifice fly from freshman catcher Ryder Helfrick, then tied it at 7-7 on a Gray throwing error.

Helfrick impressed Van Horn, offensively and defensively, leading the Red team with three RBIs in the game. “He’s just a serious freshman,” Van Horn. “He takes it serious and he has a chance to be an everyday player as a freshman for us.”

The Red squad took it’s first lead of the day, when a wild pitch allowed freshman designated hitter Kade Smith to score to make it 8-7.

Junior right-fielder Kendall Diggs tied things up with a run-scoring single in the sixth, before another wild pitch allowed junior Parker Rowland to score and give the Gray a 9-8 lead.

That set the stage for senior first-baseman Jack Wagner, a Tarleton State transfer, to tie the game once again in the bottom of the inning. His one-out solo blast traveled 397 feet over the left field fence, to make it 9-9.

Beginning in September, college teams have a 45-day window to conduct 28 official practices. The Razorbacks have 24 new players added to the upcoming season’s 47-man roster, with a stout freshman class and some transfers at key positions.

The regular season will get under way on Feb. 16, when the Razorbacks host James Madison.

2023-24 Diamond Hogs Fall Roster

No. Player, Pos., Yr., Ht., Wt., B/T, Hometown / High School / Previous School

1 Ty Wilmsmeyer, OF, Grad., 6-2, 185, R/R, Springfield, Mo. / Glendale HS / Missouri

3 Nolan Souza, INF, Fr., 6-3, 210, L/R, Honolulu, Hawaii / Punahou HS

4 Jack Wagner, INF, Grad., 6-0, 200, R/R, Wichita, Kan. / Maize South HS / Kansas / Tarleton State

5 Kendall Diggs, INF/OF, Jr., 6-0, 205, L/R, Olathe, Kan. / Saint Thomas Aquinas HS

6 Ben McLaughlin, INF, Sr., 6-3, 215, L/R, Golden, Colo. / Golden HS / Hutchinson CC

8 Hudson White, C, Jr., 6-1, 200, R/R, Keller, Texas / Byron Nelson HS / Texas Tech

9 Wehiwa Aloy, INF, So., 6-2, 200, R/R, Wailuku, Hawaii / Baldwin HS / Sacramento State

10 Peyton Stovall, INF, Jr., 5-11, 190, L/R, Haughton, La. / Haughton HS

11 Jaewoo Cho, RHP, Fr., 6-3, 200, R/R, Seoul, South Korea / IMG Academy

12 Jared Sprague-Lott, INF, Sr., 6-0, 190, R/R, Philadelphia, Penn. / Springside Chestnut Hill Academy / Richmond

14 Ross Lovich, OF, Sr., 6-0, 185, L/L, Overland Park, Kan. / Blue Valley West HS / Missouri

15 Lincoln Riley, OF, Grad., 5-10, 190, R/R, Marion, Iowa / Cedar Rapids Washington / Eastern Illinois

16 Hudson Polk, C, Sr., 6-1, 210, R/R, Coppell, Texas / Coppell HS / Oklahoma

17 Hunter Grimes, INF/OF, R-Sr., 6-1, 185, R/R, Kerrville, Texas / Tivy HS / UTSA / McLennan CC

18 Reese Robinett, INF, So., 6-3, 215, L/R, Kennett, Mo. / Kennett HS

19 Will Edmunson, OF, Jr., 6-0, 200, R/R, Luther, Okla. / Home School / Hutchinson CC

20 Gabe Gaeckle, RHP, Fr., 6-0, 190, R/R, Aptos, Calif. / Aptos HS

21 Mason Molina, LHP, Jr., 6-2, 225, R/L, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. / Trabuco Hills HS / Texas Tech

22 Ty Waid, C/INF, Fr., 6-2, 225, R/R, Texarkana, Ark. / Arkansas HS

24 Peyton Holt, INF, Sr., 5-10, 205, R/R, Greenwood, Ark. / Greenwood HS / Crowder College

25 Brady Tygart, RHP, Jr., 6-2, 215, R/R, Hernando, Miss. / Lewisburg HS

26 Tate McGuire, RHP, Fr., 6-3, 210, R/R, Liberty, Mo. / Liberty North HS

27 Ryder Helfrick, C, Fr., 6-1, 200, R/R, Discovery Bay, Calif. / Clayton Valley Charter HS

28 Koty Frank, RHP, Grad., 6-2, 220, R/R, Tushka, Okla. / Tushka HS / Eastern Oklahoma State College / Nebraska

29 Austin Ledbetter, RHP, Jr., 6-1, 200, R/R, Bryant, Ark. / Bryant HS

31 Dylan Carter, RHP, R-Jr., 6-2, 205, R/R, Bentonville, Ark. / Bentonville West HS / Crowder College

32 Hunter Dietz, LHP, Fr., 6-6, 230, R/L, Trinity, Fla. / Calvary Christian HS

33 Hagen Smith, LHP, Jr., 6-3, 225, L/L, Bullard, Texas / Bullard HS

34 Diego Ramos, RHP, Fr. 6-3, 195, S/L, Vian, Okla. / Vian HS

35 Jordan Huskey, LHP, R-Fr., 5-11, 190, L/L, Quitman, Ark. / Greenbrier HS

36 Parker Coil, LHP, So., 6-3, 190, R/L, Edmond, Okla. / Edmond Memorial HS

37 Jake Faherty, RHP, Jr., 6-3, 185, R/R, Georgetown, Ky. / Great Crossing HS

38 Colin Fisher, LHP, Fr., 6-3, 215, L/L, Noble, Okla. / Noble HS

39 Tucker Holland, LHP, Fr., 6-6, 230, R/L, Fayetteville, N.C. / The Burlington School

40 Ben Bybee, RHP, So., 6-6, 230, R/R, Overland Park, Kan. / Blue Valley Southwest HS

41 Will McEntire, RHP, R-Sr., 6-4, 225, L/R, Bryant, Ark. / Bryant HS

43 Kade Smith, INF/OF/RHP, Fr., 6-0, 200, R/R, Searcy, Ark. / Harding Academy

44 Parker Rowland, C, Sr., 6-3, 215, S/R, Tulsa, Okla. / Bishop Kelley HS / Arkansas State / Eastern Oklahoma State College

45 Gage Wood, RHP, So., 6-0, 205, R/R, Batesville, Ark. / Batesville HS

46 Christian Foutch, RHP, So., 6-3, 230, R/R, Littleton, Colo. / Chatfield HS

48 Cooper Dossett, RHP, So., 6-0, 190, R/R, Springdale, Ark. / Har-Ber HS

49 Stone Hewlett, LHP, Sr., 6-1, 195, L/L, Leawood, Kan. / Rockhurst HS / Kansas

51 Jack Smith, LHP, Fr. 6-4, 220, L/L, Moultain, Ala. / Hartselle HS

52 Jonah Conradt, RHP, Fr., 6-3, 175, R/R, Greenville, Wis. / P27 Academy

55 Josh Hyneman, RHP, R-Fr., 6-4, 245, R/R, Jonesboro, Ark. / Jonesboro HS

61 Adam Hachman, LHP, Fr., 6-5, 230, L/L, Wentzville, Mo. / Timberland HS

Kjerstad to make MLB playoff debut with Orioles today

Heston Kjerstad will be on the Orioles’ active roster for the American League Division Series which begins today against the Texas Rangers.

Game 1 of the American League Division Series between the Baltimore Orioles and the Texas Rangers begins today.

Heston Kjerstad, the former Arkansas outfielder who got the September call-up, will be on the active roster for the series.

The Orioles were the No. 1 seed by virtue of having the American League’s best record, as they went 101-61 and won the East Division by two games over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Baltimore would’ve gotten a showdown with the Rays, but Texas took them out in two games with ease in the Wild Card series earlier this week.

In the other division series, Minnesota will be taking on the defending American League champion Astros.

The Twins dispatched Toronto in two games for their first postseason series win since 2002.

Diamond Hogs smack 4 homers to highlight fall scrimmage

The Diamond Hogs blasted four homeruns in an intrasquad scrimmage Friday night.

In preparation for Saturday’s showdown with BYU on the football field at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, a slew of faithful Arkansas fans gathered inside Baum-Walker Stadium Friday night to cheer on the Razorbacks newly reloaded baseball squad in an intrasquad scrimmage.

Fans got to see 19 position players and 14 pitchers, including many of the new freshman and transfers, as the Red and Gray teams combined for 11 hits, highlighted by four homeruns. The Gray won the contest, 7-2.

Junior right fielder Kendall Diggs got the crowd stirred early, with a mammoth two-run homer off junior hurler Brady Tygart to give the Gray team the lead, only two batters into the game. That followed a seven-pitch walk by a Missouri grad transfer Ty Wilmsmeyer.

Junior lefty transfer Mason Molina, who was the ace of the Texas Tech staff last season, wasted little time in making an early statement in the bottom of the first, striking out the side in order. Freshman left-hander Hunter Dietz, who throws upward of 95 mph on his fastball, quickly responded in the top of the second, sitting down the first three batters he faced.

Senior catcher Parker Rowland, who is competing behind the plate with junior Hudson White, another Texas Tech transfer, launched a 400-foot solo homerun in the bottom of the second to get the Cardinal on the scoreboard. That was followed by a wild pitch to tie the score at 2-2.

Junior Hudson Polk would keep the long-ball hit-parade going for the catchers when he smashed a 425-foot leadoff homer over the centerfield wall to lead off the third for the Gray.

“The big thing for me was getting outfield reps,” Diggs said of his summer experience. “I got a glimpse of some playing time out there last year (for Arkansas), which was awesome. I was really blessed to get some live-game reps. But that was huge for me this summer, because I played almost every game out there in right field. And I feel like I improved a lot out there.”

Freshman catcher Ryder Helfrick then displayed his defensive prowess and throwing arm behind the play, gunning down graduate infielder Jack Wagner trying to steal second base, in the fourth.

Freshmen hurlers Tate McGuire and Colin Fisher — who struck out the side in his frame — each pitched scoreless innings in the sixth, before the Gray squad tacked on two final runs in the seventh.  Freshman infielder Nolan Souza beat out an infield single, then proceeded to score on Wagner’s double. It was the second hit of the night for Wagner, who smacked 15 homers for Tarleton State (Stephenville, Tex.) last season.

The Razorbacks will scrimmage again on Sunday, and will continue fall practices through late October, when they will conclude the early season with their annual intrasquad best-of-three Fall World Series.