Arkansas baseball coach Dave Van Horn said immediately after the Diamond Hogs’ season ended that he was fully aware the Razorbacks would need to be rebuilt in 2025.
Step two toward that end began Friday.
Arkansas landed Florida Gulf Coast utility player Charles Davalan as their second commitment from the transfer portal this offseason. Davalan was a member of the All-Freshman team in the Atlantic Sun Conference this year after slashing .288/.414/.514 with 10 home runs, 16 doubles and 13 stole bases.
Technically, Davalan is a utility player, but not because he’s a reserve. He can play both the infield and outfield as he started 30 games at second base and 26 in the outfield in the 2024 season.
Davalan follows former Brigham Young first baseman Kuhio Aloy as the second player the Diamond Hogs have picked up from the portal. Aloy is the younger brother of current Arkansas shortstop Wehiwa Aloy, who was named All-SEC this season, his first with Arkansas.
Van Horn said he figured he would lose his entire starting outfield, all three weekend rotation pitchers and about half the regulars on the infield this offseason. The Razorbacks saw their season come to an end in the Fayetteville Regional after spending about half the season ranked as the No. 1 team in the nation.