Category: Arkansas baseball

Kevin Kopps knocking on door to Majors after latest promotion

Arkansas’ former Player of the Year could soon crack the Padres’ 40-man roster and eventually make his way to San Diego.

Kevin Kopps’ final season with the Arkansas baseball team completely changed the trajectory of his career.

The 2021 National Player and Pitcher of the Year for the Razorbacks had been, until that season, a longshot to get drafted, nevermind near the Major Leagues. His senior season, though, saw him earn just about every plaudit available in college baseball.

And now, just over two calendar years later, Kopps is nearing a Major League call-up.

The San Diego Padres’ system right-hander was promoted Tuesday from the team’s Double-A affiliate San Antonio to Triple-A El Paso. Kopps was striking out 11 batters per nine innings with San Antonio while registering a 2.63 earned-run average

He was taken in the third round of the 2021 Draft by the Padres and age 26 could be in line for a call up to San Diego’s 40-man roster. That step would be needed before a trip to the Padres could happen.

Still, Tuesday’s promotion suggests the former Razorbacks dynamo could have a Major League future after all.

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Diamond Hogs pick up commitment from brother of current outfielder

Eli Lovich is the brother of Ross Lovich, an outfielder who transferred from Missouri to Arkansas in the offseason.

Eli Lovich is no longer Irish. Rather, he’s no longer Fighting Irish.

The outfielder/pitcher from Overland Park, Kansas, dropped his commitment to Notre Dame on Wednesday and flipped to Arkansas. Lovich is the brother of Ross Lovich, an outfielder who transferred from Missouri to Arkansas in the offseason.

The younger Lovich will be a senior at Blue Valley West in the 2024 spring. He had originally committed to Notre Dame in October 2022 and at that time lifted the Fighting Irish’s class into the Top 25.

At Arkansas, he joins a class filled with in-state for coach Dave Van Horn, led by Valley View outfielder/pitcher Slade Caldwell. Lovich did plenty of damage of his own in the state to the northwest, though, helping BVWHS to a second straight state title last year.

Van Horn met with the media for the first time since the MLB Draft earlier in the week and expectations are the Diamond Hogs will be in the Top 10 when rankings are released in February.

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Dave Van Horn updates Diamond Hogs after MLB Draft and signings

Arkansas lost a lot of talent to the MLB Draft. Dave Van Horn expected it and landed the No. 2 transfer and No. 2 freshmen classes.

Dave Van Horn was ready for the exodus. When your players are that good, it’s expected.

The Arkansas coach brought in 15 freshmen and 11 transfers to his expected 2024 roster after all was finished following last month’s MLB Draft and subsequent signing period. Both the transfer class and the signing class are ranked No. 2 in the country.

“We knew that we were going to lose some kids in the draft, obviously, and we were just hoping we might be able to keep one of those three infielders that signed,” Van Horn said. “The money that’s given them, so to speak, and where there were drafted, there were some tough calls, but they got what they wanted and they stuck to their word.”

Van Horn specifically mentioned a pair of left-handers he was unsure the Diamond Hogs would be able to land. Both Adam Hachman and Tucker Holland – each Top 100-ranked prospects – will make it to Fayetteville. Hacman, though, might be out into the spring after needing surgery on his UCL.

Out of the portal, former Texas Tech pitcher Mason Molina and former Texas Tech catcher Hudson White were two of the most important additions. Molina is a potential All-American after logging 108 strikeouts in 83 1/3 innings for the Red Raiders last year.

“First off, when we talked, Mason had about 37 Division I schools trying to get him to come there. We feel really fortunate that he liked it here,” Van Horn said.

Combined with key returners like Will McEntire and Hagen Smith, Arkansas will have one of the best rotations in the next country come 2024. Now it’s all about getting ready for fall.

“Our philosophy here is to get them here and go a couple of weeks with kind of their position coaches and the weight room a little bit and then get out there and get them going and off the field in October,” Van Horn said.

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Hogs fans will get a chance to see Cayden Wallace again up close

Former Arkansas third baseman and outfielder Cayden Wallace was promoted to Double-A on Monday.

Monday wasn’t a half-bad birthday for former Arkansas third baseman and outfielder Cayden Wallace.

He’s headed back to NWA.

The Kansas City Royals prospect was promoted Monday to the team’s Double-A affilate, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. The Naturals play in Springdale, one city north of where Wallace played his college baseball with the Diamond Hogs.

Wallace slashed .261/.341/.431 in 97 games for Quad Cities at the Royals’ High-A level in 2023. His 22 doubles and 64 RBI led the team. Wallace will also be joined in Northwest Arkansas by teammates Gavin Cross and Javier Vaz. The three were all starters for Quad Cities. Cross entered the year as Kansas City’s No. 1 prospect and Wallace entered as No. 4.

Wallace was excellent for Arkansas in 2022 before he entered the MLB Draft. He slashed .298/.387/.553 with 16 home runs and 16 RBI in helping the Diamond Hogs to the College World Series.

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Diamond Hogs add another transfer in the portal

Got transfers? Dave Van Horn added another to the Arkansas baseball program on Thursday.

Dave Van Horn is always searching for talent.

He found some more on Thursday, as Richmond infielder Jared Sprague-Lott committed to the Razorbacks.

 

Sprague-Lott was second-team all-Atlantic 10 a year ago, and drew 44 walks which was good for a tie for second in the conference.

He had 13 home runs and 43 RBI, and his bat should be an immediate shot in the arm for the Arkansas lineup.

The former Spider joins a transfer class of Ty Wilmsmeyer, Lincoln Riley, Jack Wagner, Ross Lovich, Hudson White, Stone Hewlett, Wehiwa Aloy and Mason Molina.

Report: Former Razorback pitcher Zack Morris commits to TCU

Former Arkansas pitcher Zack Morris entered the portal last month and has reportedly found a new home in Fort Worth.

Former Arkansas pitcher [autotag]Zack Morris[/autotag] has found a new home after entering the transfer portal last month.

TCU insider Jamie Plunkett reported on Tuesday morning that Morris has committed to the Horned Frogs. Plunkett tweeted that he was told about Morris’ commitment news, tagging the official TCU baseball account.

Morris has a career ERA of 4.77 in just 61 appearances. He only had 18 appearances for the [autotag]Diamond Hogs[/autotag] in 2023 and struggled to find consistency. He finished the year with a 7.64 ERA and record of 1-4.

Last season was undoubtedly a disappointment for Morris and the Arkansas coaching staff after he had an incredible 2022. Morris was a integral part of the pitching staff that helped the Razorbacks to Omaha. He finished 2022 with a record of 6-1 and 2.31 ERA in 22 appearances.

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Dave Van Horn promotes Bobby Wernes to full-time assistant

Wernes, a former slick-fielding infielder in the 2010s, will be entering his fourth year as a coach.

Bobby Wernes is Arkansas through and through.

Now he can be paid a bit more like the loyal Diamond Hogs man he is.

Arkansas baseball coach Dave Van Horn promoted Wernes to a full-time assistant coaching job earlier this week. Wernes had spent the previous three years as a volunteer assistant. He joins pitching coach Matt Hobbs and pitching coach Nate Thompson as Van Horn’s official assistants.

Wernes played two seasons for the Razorbacks in 2014 and 2015 after transferring from community college. He was known as the best fielding third basemen in college baseball during his time and slashed .279/.374/.425 in his final season.

The Houston Astros selected Wernes in the 30th round of the MLB Draft in 2015 and he reached the Double-A level in 2018 before retiring to become a coach.

Arkansas won the SEC West last year and finished 43-18 overall with a 20-10 record in league play. The Diamond Hogs were ultimately eliminated in the Fayetteville Regional.

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Diamond Hogs add yet another transfer to the mix

Lincoln Riley (not the USC football coach) is now the newest transfer portal addition to the Arkansas baseball roster.

No, Arkansas did not just earn a commitment from the USC and former Oklahoma football coach.

But Lincoln Riley is the newest transfer portal addition to the Razorback baseball team.

The 5-foot-10, 180-pound outfielder, who most recently played at Eastern Illinois, will provide added depth at the position.

He hit .307 last year for the Panthers and started 59 games. The former all-stater in Cedar Rapids, Iowa took a visit to his home state school, but ultimately decided against the Hawkeyes and wanted to play in the SEC.

Riley had 20 games last season in which he recorded more than one hit, with two of those coming against both Arkansas and Vanderbilt, respectfully.

Arkansas pitcher Jaxon Wiggins signs with Cubs, just ahead of deadline

Former Diamond Hogs pitcher Jaxon Wiggins will turn pro after all.

The longer the process played out, the more Arkansas fans’ hopes grew.

Unfortunately for the Razorbacks, Jaxon Wiggins will turn professional.

The former hard throwing Arkansas right-hander signed for $1.4 million with the Chicago Cubs, making him the last player from the Cubs’ draft class to ink a deal. In fact, the $1.4 million was all Chicago had left in its pool.

Wiggins had leverage against whichever team drafted him as many considered him a first-round talent and he could return to Arkansas for another season if he chose. But he also missed the 2023 season with Tommy John surgery, too, meaning the future was a bit muddier than it might be for someone with a clean bill of health.

In 2022, his only season with the Diamond Hogs, he struck out 82 batters in just 66 innings. That is the sort of stuff that put him so high on draft boards, despite his 6.55 earned-run average that year.

Still, coach Dave Van Horn had to anticipate Wiggins turning pro. He picked up Mason Molina, an All-Big 12 pitcher with Texas Tech last year, out of the transfer portal to bolster next year’s rotation.

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Arkansas baseball will play in Arlington again in February 2024

Razorback fans living in the DFW metroplex, go ahead and get your calendar reminders out for Feb. 23-25, 2024. The Diamond Hogs are coming your way once more.

It’s become a tradition now.

Arkansas baseball begins the season at the home of the Texas Rangers, Globe Life Field in Arlington.

It was announced Tuesday that the Razorbacks will once again play in a season opening showdown series in the DFW metroplex.

The Razorbacks will play Oklahoma State, Oregon State and Michigan in the three-game set.

Oklahoma State got thrashed by Arkansas last year, 18-1, and of course lost a home regional to Arkansas in 2022.

Arkansas hasn’t played Oregon State since the infamous national championship series in 2018.

Michigan and Arkansas have never played on the diamond.

Tickets for the games will go on sale tomorrow to the general public.