As painful as it was for Arkansas second baseman Peyton Stovall to watch from the dugout as the Diamond Hogs’ season came to an end in the Fayetteville Regional last June, the rising junior is getting back on track and excited for the season ahead.
“I’m a couple of weeks away from being able to take some ground balls, but not throwing or anything, yet,” Stovall said while attending an event in Camden on Saturday. “I just started lifting some weights a few weeks ago, so I’m really starting to get back into it, physically. I’ve been super excited to start ramping it up again.”
The 5-foot-11, 195-pound Haughton, La., product, was one of the highest-rated recruits Dave Van Horn has ever landed at Arkansas. But after a brilliant freshman season in 2022, his sophomore season was cut short by a torn labrum in his shoulder.
He had surgery on June 5 in Dallas and is now in the early stages of rehab, but should be 100 percent by the time the upcoming season arrives.
He did battle through pain to play in 38 games before being shut down in May, hitting .253 with five home runs and 31 runs batted in, while boasting a .982 fielding percentage.
“I really dealt with that shoulder injury for a large part of the season,” he said. “I just played through it and I probably shouldn’t have, because it may have made it worse. But it did allow me to play more games.”
He will return to Dallas on Sept. 5 for his three-month checkup with renowned orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Keith Meister.
“The first couple of weeks after the surgery was pretty tough, being in a sling, not being able to sleep a lot,” Stovall said. “But I’m in a really good place now, mentally, for sure. So, hopefully within the next month I will be able to start swinging again. And then it should go fast from there. I do a hitting program, that will take two or three weeks. Then I will start a throwing program. Hopefully, there will be no restrictions, coming around November.
“I’ve just been rehabbing a lot and doing a lot of strengthening on my rotator cuff and my shoulder. I’ve got my full-range of motion back.”
Coming out of Haughton High School, Stovall shocked a lot of people when he turned down a possible estimated $2.5 million professional contract to become a Razorback. He was a Perfect Game All-American, rated as the top player in Louisiana, the No. 11 shortstop, nationally, and the No. 47 overall prospect.
He was on the board to be the No. 29 player selected in the 2021 draft, a pick with a slot value of $2.42 million.
“It would have been life-changing money, but I wanted to win SEC championships and national championships at Arkansas,” he said at the time. “The draft will still be there in three years.”
Once he arrived at Baum-Walker Stadium, he did not disappoint. He started 51 games as a true freshman — 48 at first base and three at second base. He finished fourth on the team with a .295 batting average with six homers and 31 RBIs, and was nearly perfect with a .995 fielding percentage. He made just two errors in 441 chances, helping the Razorbacks set a new school record in fielding percentage with a .982 mark for the year.
He really shined brightest during Arkansas’ postseason run to the College World Series. He hit .500 (8-for-16) in the Stillwater Regional and was named to the All-Regional team, then proceeded to hit .500 (4-for-8) in the Chapel Hill Super Regional, including a momentum-shifting home run in a Game 1 win over the Tar Heels.
He then hit .360 (9-for-25) on the biggest stage, in Omaha, with another homer and a team-high 10 RBIs. His five-hit performance against Auburn was the most in a World Series game since 2009.
But it was costly for the Hogs when he had to sit out this past postseason.
“It was extremely tough, especially just having to go out there and watch, and not being able to help in the Regional at home,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to play in a Regional at home, so having to just watch wasn’t fun. But I just did what I could to support my teammates.”
His replacement at second base, junior Peyton Holt, filled in admirably, hitting .392 with a pair of home runs and 17 RBIs. But Stovall expects to
return to his position in the spring.
“Peyton Holt came in a played second, and did a phenomenal job for us,” Stovall said. “We couldn’t be more excited to have him back this year. He’s one of my really good friends.”
But for now, it’s just one step at a time for Stovall, allowing his body to heal properly.
“I’m just looking forward to a healthy season,” he said. “And really, I’m looking forward to just being able to get back out there with my guys.”