Left-handed pitchers used to be considered soft-tossers. They were guys who went through lineups more with control than flame-throwing or relievers who specalized in recording outs against fellow southpaws.
Randy Johnson changed that image in the 1990s and the shift in baseball toward stuff – read: speed and movement – has changed the way coaches develop their left-handers pitchers, even from youth.
One such player Hagen Smith, Arkansas’ No. 1 starter who is largely expected to be a first-round draft choice this summer. Before he turns pro, though, Smith is seeking to the Diamond Hogs back to the College World Series. That path, sort of, started Friday.
Arkansas baseball’s first scrimmage of the spring semester took place on a chilly evening at Baum-Walker Stadium. Smith took the hill and, per the usualties of scrimmages, didn’t pitch long. But what he showed was the stuff of maybe the best collegiate pitcher in the country.
Arkansas’ lefty ace sat at 98-miles-an-hour the entire inning and torched a 100-mile-an-hour fastball for a strikeout on his final pitch. The last time the Razorbacks had a pitcher who could such things consistently was…maybe never.
If Smith can maintain such velocity to go along with everything he’s had the last two seasons, Arkansas doesn’t just have an ace, it has a superstar.
“I’m growing up and maturing. I feel like my body is capable,” Smith said. “I’ll throw two (innings) next week and we’ll keep progressing and progressing.”
Coach Dave Van Horn is taking things slowly with Smith, knowing how much the Diamond Hogs will need him when the season starts. Last year, Smith was Arkansas’ best healthy pitcher by a mile and Van Horn had to use him in both starting roles and relieving. If the rest of the staff plays like it largely has most of the last 15 years – the bullpen had some issues last year – then Smith can settle into Friday nights and the Razorbacks will be even better than last year’s NCAA Tournament team.
Van Horn is ready.
“I’m going to try to grab every inning I can to save for the end of the season (for Smith),” he said.