Tag: Jalen Battles

Jalen Battles Signs With Tampa Bay Rays

Expect to see Jalen Battles’ glove in The Show in a few years after the Arkansas shortstop signed with the Rays.

Jalen Battles will be taking his defensive talents to the west coast of Florida, officially signing with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Battles has been touted as one of the best defensive prospects heading into the MLB Draft. He was drafted in the 5th round, 164th overall by the Rays, in a draft class that includes two other shortstops.

Battles’ journey to the majors is honest, being a junior-college product before Arkansas. The Philadelphia Phillies drafted Battles in 2019, but he elected to return to college.

As a Razorback, Battles had a .279 career batting average and 122 career starts at shortstop. Alongside Robert Moore, who signed with the Milwaukee Brewers, he created the best double-play duo in college baseball.

Jordan Sprinkle spurns Arkansas, signs rookie deal with Chicago White Sox

Jordan Sprinkle, who announced his intent to transfer to Arkansas following the 2022 season, has elected to turn pro.

Turns out that Jordan Sprinkle will not report to Arkansas after all.

Sprinkle, who announced his intent to transfer to Arkansas from UC-Santa Barbara earlier this month, was selected in the fourth round of the 2022 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Chicago White Sox.

On Tuesday, it was reported that Sprinkle has elected to sign a deal with the White Sox, and will forgo his commitment to Arkansas Baseball. According to MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis, the White Sox signed Sprinkle for full slot value for the 131st pick for $452,900.

Sprinkle had an impressive three-season career for the Gauchos. He hit for a .319 average with 10 home runs, 67 RBI, and 51 stolen bases. He was known best for his ability to get extra-base hits. In his three year career, Sprinkle recorded 29 double and six triples.

Sprinkle joins four other Razorbacks who have signed their rookie contracts. Tuesday was the busiest day for draft signings, as [autotag]Robert Moore[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalen Battles[/autotag] also signed deals with the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays respectively. Pitchers [autotag]Connor Noland[/autotag] (Cubs) and [autotag]Evan Taylor[/autotag] (Marlins) have also signed rookie deals.

[listicle id=10298]

After losing starting shortstop and likely replacement starter via draft, Diamond Hogs get transfer

John Bolton will head to Arkansas to fight for the starting shortstop gig in 2023.

John Bolton wants to be Arkansas’ next starting shortstop.

The former Austin Peay man in the middle announced Thursday he will play his final season of college baseball for the Diamond Hogs.

Bolton had a slash line of .287/.384/.399 last year for the Governors. He tied for the team lead with 11 stolen bases and was third in doubles with 18.

Arkansas lost starting shortstop Jalen Battles to exhausted eligibility. Earlier in July, California-Santa Barbara shortstop announced he would transfer to Arkansas, but he was taken in the fourth round of the MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox.

Arkansas’ lone returning starter in the field, Peyton Stovall, played shortstop in high school. He spent this season manning first base, but is expected to shift to second base for fall ball in preparation for the 2023 season.

Arkansas’ expected 2023 starting shortstop taken in MLB draft

Jordan Sprinkle could still land at Arkansas, but a fourth-round selection will be tough to turn down.

Jordan Sprinkle announced he would be transferring to Arkansas for the 2023 season just days ago. Now he may never make it to campus.

Sprinkle, a transfer from Cal-Santa Barbara, was taken in the fourth round of the 2022 MLB draft by the Chicago White Sox. The Sox had selected Arkansas pitcher Peyton Pallette in the second round the day before.

Sprinkle has two seasons of college eligibility left should he decline to sign with Chicago and play at Arkansas, instead. He hit .285/.381/.413 with the Gauchos last year. Sprinkle was expected to slot into the starting shortstop role left vacant by Jalen Battles, whose eligibility was exhausted.

Battles was taken a round later than Sprinkle, in the fifth, by Tampa Bay.

Through six rounds, Arkansas had six players associated with the school selected: four who played with the team last year, Sprinkle, and high-schooler Cole Phillips.

Arkansas shorstop Jalen Battles taken by Tampa Bay in MLB draft

Jalen Battles, a slick-fielding middle infielder, will join the Rays organization.

Jalen Battles’ glove has always played at a Major League-level. Turns out, teams like his bat, too.

The former Arkansas shortstop was taken in the fifth round of the 2022 MLB draft on Monday by the Tampa Bay Rays. He hit hit .289/.364/.480 with 10 home runs this past season while combining with Robert Moore at second base to give the Diamond Hogs one of the NCAA’s best double-play combinations.

Battles considered leaving for the professional ranks after the 2021 season when he hit .269/.371/.407 as his fielding skills had made him a prospect already. Instead, he returned to Fayetteville and helped the Razorbacks to the College World Series.

Battles was the fourth Arkansas player taken in the draft after Sunday saw third baseman Cayden Wallace, pitcher Peyton Pallette and Moore all selected.

[listicle id=10246]

Stay Golden: Robert Moore wins Arkansas’ first-ever Gold Glove Award

The junior is honored as College Baseball’s top 2nd baseman after fielding at a 0.992 clip this season.

One of the best defenders in College Baseball now has an award to back it up.

Arkansas’ [autotag]Robert Moore[/autotag] has been awarded the Rawlings Gold Glove award, being named the best 2nd baseman in College Baseball, Rawlings alongside the American Baseball Coaches Association announced Wednesday.

The junior from Leawood, Kan. becomes the first-ever Razorback to win the award after an incredible season at 2nd base by fielding at a 0.992 clip. In 63 games, Moore has recorded 92 putouts, has assisted in making 163 outs, and has only made two errors.

He, alongside [autotag]Jalen Battles[/autotag], have teamed up to become one of the best middle-infield duos in the country. Battles was unfortunately left off of the finalist list for best shortstops in the country.

In true Robert Moore fashion, he spent time to appreciate everyone who put him in this position to win the award.

Joining Moore as a finalist for the Gold Glove Award from Arkansas was pitcher [autotag]Connor Noland[/autotag]. Noland, however, finished behind Iowa’s Ben Beutel as the nation’s best defender at pitcher. The senior right-hander fielded at 1.000 in 2022, making five putouts and assisting in recording 16 outs.

[mm-video type=video id=01g126e2j5e6vxwhcxdd playlist_id=none player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g126e2j5e6vxwhcxdd/01g126e2j5e6vxwhcxdd-e16c0be95a1a32f3b17fbf4233f016ac.jpg]

[listicle id=9506]

Photo Gallery: Arkansas blasts, eliminates Auburn from College World Series

Will McEntire gave Arkansas a special performance as the Razorbacks eliminated Auburn from the College World Series.

Will McEntire gave Arkansas everything he could and everything the Razorbacks needed.

The sophomore from Bryant tossed seven innings, giving up just three hits and striking out nine in Arkansas’ 11-1 win over Auburn at the College World Series. The victory set up a rematch with Ole Miss on Wednesday. If the Rebels win, they’ll play for a national championship. If the Razorbacks win, the teams will meet again Thursday in a loser-goes-home game.

McEntire’s nine strikeouts were one shy of tying Arkansas’ school record at the College World Series. He carried a no-hitter to the fourth inning and shutout until the seventh. A solo home run was the only blemish on his night.

Meanwhile, his teammates racked up 16 hits, including a three-run third inning and a four-run fourth inning, to send Auburn packing.

Arkansas and Ole Miss will meet at 6 p.m. CT.

WATCH: Phil Elson calls Arkansas’ Omaha-clinching walk-off single

Here’s how Brady Slavens’ walk-off single sounded from the voice of Arkansas Baseball

“And you can call them the Omahogs!”

Those words were exclaimed by Phil Elson, the radio voice of Arkansas Baseball, following [autotag]Brady Slavens[/autotag]’ walk-off single in the bottom of the 9th inning that lifted Arkansas over North Carolina on Sunday afternoon to clinch a spot in the College World Series for the 11th time in program history.

North Carolina broke the 2-2 tie in the top of the 9th inning on an RBI single to take the 3-2 lead, hoping that it would be enough to beat Arkansas and force a winner-take-all game three on Monday.

As they have proven all postseason, the Razorbacks were not going to go away that easily.

The inning started with back to back singles by [autotag]Jalen Battles[/autotag] and [autotag]Peyton Stovall[/autotag]. In the next at-bat, [autotag]Kendall Diggs[/autotag] would reach on a walk, loading the bases for [autotag]Braydon Webb[/autotag]. Webb hit a grounder that resulted in a fielder’s choice, allowing Battles to score from 3rd base to tie the game again at 3-3.

With two on and no outs, Slavens delivered the game winning hit that would send Arkansas to Omaha.

Here is how the walk-off sounded from the voice of Elson:

Arkansas will face the winner of Monday’s Stanford Super Regional between Stanford and UConn in the College World Series later this week at Charles Schawb Field in Omaha, Nebraska. Official dates and times will be released at a later time.

[listicle id=9249]

Michael Turner named Stillwater Regional MVP

Arkansas catcher Michael Turner named MVP of Stillwater Regional as Diamond Hogs advance to Super Regionals.

As if the weekend weren’t already crazy enough, Arkansas’ Stillwater Regional win Monday night was capped in perhaps the best way possible.

Razorbacks catcher Michael Turner, who made national sports news the previous week for…other reasons…was named the Regional’s Most Valuable Player at the conclusion of Arkansas’ 7-3 win.

The graduate transfer from Kent State had a two-run double in the ninth to help insure the Hogs victory. For the Regional, Turner went 8-18 with two walks, two home runs and a double and knocked in nine runs while scoring seven more.

Arkansas will play North Carolina in the Super Regionals in Chapel Hill on the weekend. The Tar Heels, the No. 10 seed, advanced after beating Virginia Commonwealth on Sunday.

Arkansas first baseman Peyton Stovall, third baseman Cayden Wallace, shortstop Jalen Battles and pitcher Connor Noland were named to the All-Regional team, as well.

The trip is Arkansas’ fourth straight to the Super Regionals. The Diamond Hogs lost in the Supers last year to North Carolina State, but the previous two times in the round they advanced to the College World Series.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01fc3h383th881vsf1 player_id=none image=https://razorbackswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Razorbacks win shootout with Cowboys to win Stillwater Regional

Arkansas stood tall once the dust settled in Stillwater. They will now travel to North Carolina to meet the Tar Heels in the Super Regionals.

In a weekend fueled by long balls, marathon games, and a plethora of runs scored, the eventful Stillwater Regional has now come to an end.

Arkansas and Oklahoma State provided offensive fireworks in their previous two meetings in the Stillwater Regional, but when it came down to one final battle in the war, it was the mighty Razorbacks who stood tall when the dust settled.

All Arkansas needed was an early lead and a shutdown effort by a freshman on the mound to move on to their 4th straight Super Regional by defeating Oklahoma State, 7-3, on Monday night at O’Brate Stadium in Stillwater, Okla.

Monday’s winner-take-all game did not begin as swiftly as the previous two meetings between the Razorbacks and Cowboys, with neither team scoring a run through the first three innings.

Trailing 5-3 in the 8th inning, Oklahoma State threatened to take the lead before ending the frame with the bases loaded.

Freshman [autotag]Hagen Smith[/autotag], who lasted just 1.1 innings in Saturday’s win over the Cowboys, entered the game in relief of [autotag]Zebulon Vermillion[/autotag]. Smith struggled to find command early on, as he allowed the first three runners of his outing to reach base. However, with the bases loaded, Smith struck out the final two batters of the inning, including the thorn in the Razorbacks side this regional, Roc Riggio.

Smith would gain momentum in the top of the 9th as Michael Turner doubled home two runners to extend the lead to 7-3, and to give him a four-run cushion. Smith would use that confidence to sit down Oklahoma State in order, ending the game with two strikeouts.

In two innings of work, Smith struck out four batters while allowing one walk and hitting a batter. The outing was a breath of fresh air for Smith, as the usual Saturday starter has seen his role change over the last month.

Arkansas found its’ groove in the 4th inning by plating four runs to jump out to a comfortable lead. [autotag]Brady Slavens[/autotag] led off the inning by hitting his 15th home run of the season to put Arkansas on the board, 1-0.

Arkansas would then get two baserunners on with two outs for [autotag]Jalen Battles[/autotag], who then delivered a single that would be deep enough to score those runners, and to give the Razorbacks the 3-0 lead.

Battles would score one at-bat later on an RBI single by [autotag]Peyton Stovall[/autotag].

The Stovall-Battles connection teamed up again in the 6th inning to add one more to Arkansas’ total. Stovall singled up the middle to score Battles from 2nd base to move the Arkansas lead to 5-0.

The Cowboys began chipping away at Arkansas’ lead, by scoring three runs over the next two innings. Oklahoma State’s David Mendham hit a solo home run in the 6th inning to erase the shutout. Then, in the 7th inning, Roc Riggio and Zach Ehrhard each grabbed an RBI to cut the Razorbacks lead to 5-3.

Battles and Stovall would lead the Arkansas offense with two hits and two RBI each. Turner also grabbed two RBI on his 9th inning double. [autotag]Kole Ramage[/autotag] earned the win out of the bullpen for Arkansas, where he allowed three earned runs on four hits while striking out five batters in 2.2 innings of work.

Arkansas’ season will continue next weekend in the Super Regionals. Their next stop on the road to Omaha is Chapel Hill, N.C., where they will face the North Carolina Tar Heels. North Carolina went 4-1 in the Chapel Hill Regional, defeating Virginia Commonwealth, 7-3 in Monday’s championship game.

[listicle id=8976]