Don’t let the snowy weekend forecast fool you; spring is in the air. The OmaHogs start their 2022 campaign in 35 days. Even the most loyal of fans will need to check their scorecards a few times early in the year, as several new faces will dot the lineup and the bullpen. While stalwarts like Casey Opitz and Christian Franklin will be missed, it is time to get to know the next crop of talent assembled by Dave Van Horn and his staff.
D1Baseball came to town last fall to evaluate the new recruits. They ranked Arkansas as the #3 recruiting class last year, and many of those newcomers will see playing time early and often. No one has created more buzz than freshman infielder Peyton Stovall.
With a quiet setup and a simple, quick and compact stroke from the left side, Stovall is a line-drive machine with power to all fields, but he’s also uncannily disciplined for his age — coach Dave Van Horn raved about his control of the strike zone, which could make him a perfect leadoff man as a freshman. He’s a versatile defender who likely fits at first base on this experienced team but figures to slide to second or third down the road.
You can read the full breakdown from D1Baseball here, along with the rest of the Top 25 recruiting classes from last year.