Tag: Peyton Pallette

Arkansas Baseball to open season in Arlington

By competing in the State Farm College Baseball Showdown, Arkansas is guaranteed a rematch against a 2021 tournament opponent.

Arkansas Baseball enjoyed a three-game sweep over top-10 teams to open the 2021 season at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, defeating Big 12 powers Texas Tech, Texas, and TCU.

The Razorbacks will get a chance to capitalize on that weekend by opening the 2023 season at the home of the Texas Rangers, as part of the State Farm College Baseball Showdown February 17-19.

The three-game weekend set will feature three teams from the SEC, and three teams from the Big 12. Arkansas will be joined by Vanderbilt and Missouri at next season’s classic, and will compete against Oklahoma State, Texas, and TCU.

“We’re thrilled to be included in the field for the 2023 State Farm College Baseball Showdown at Globe Life Field,” Arkansas head baseball coach [autotag]Dave Van Horn[/autotag] said in a press release. “It’s a great season-opening event at an incredible venue right down the road from Fayetteville. We loved our experience there to begin the 2021 season, and our fans did too.”

One of Arkansas’ key wins in the inaugural classic in 2021 was a 4-0 shutout of rival Texas. In the game, [autotag]Brady Slavens[/autotag] went 2-for-4 with two RBI while [autotag]Peyton Pallette[/autotag] struck out eight Longhorns in 4.1 innings. Out of the bullpen, [autotag]Caleb Bolden[/autotag] struck out seven batters.

Texas was only limited to two hits, both were by Murphy Stehly. The announced attendance for the game was 17,587, which marked the second-highest attended college baseball game of the season.

As part of the State Farm College Baseball Showdown, Arkansas is guaranteed a rematch with Oklahoma State. The Razorbacks and the Cowboys battled in three classic games during the Stillwater Regional in the 2022 NCAA Tournament, with Arkansas winning the deciding game, 7-3, to advance them to the Chapel Hill Super Regional, and ultimately to the College World Series.

Photo Gallery: Cayden Wallace’s time as a Razorback

Cayden Wallace had a great two-year career in Arkansas in every aspect of the game.

The 2022 Major League Draft began by Arkansas standards in round two, when third baseman [autotag]Cayden Wallace[/autotag] was taken with the 49th overall pick by the Kansas City Royals.

Wallace was one of three players taken in the second round of the MLB Draft, joining RHP [autotag]Peyton Pallette[/autotag] (White Sox) and second baseman [autotag]Robert Moore[/autotag] (Brewers).

Wallace had a successful two seasons in a Razorback uniform. At the plate, Wallace hit for a .298 average, and collected 272 total bases, 149 hits, 30 home runs, and 104 RBI in 127 games.

Wallace started all 67 games for Arkansas in 2022 at third base. He led the team in RBI with 60, and in doubles with 20. He joined Brady Slavens atop the team’s home run leaderboard with 16, and was second in hits with 82, one hit behind the team’s leader, Michael Turner.

In the field, Wallace had a career fielding percentage of .956, committing just 11 errors in two seasons. In 2022, Wallace made 29 putouts while assisting on 110 outs. He, along with fellow draft picks Jalen Battles and Robert Moore, formed one of the best defensive infields in the SEC.

Here’s a look back at the best moments from Wallace’s two seasons at Arkansas:

Chicago White Sox agree to terms with Michael Turner

Turner is set to join teammate Peyton Pallette in the White Sox organization

He may have only spent one season in Arkansas, but, wow, what a season it was.

[autotag]Michael Turner[/autotag], who transferred to Arkansas from Kent State ahead of the 2022 season, has officially signed a rookie deal with the Chicago White Sox, ending his career as a Razorback after one season.

According to Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline, the White Sox have signed Turner to a money-saving deal worth $35,000.

Turner was taken in the 9th round by the Chicago White Sox in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, becoming the second Razorback to the selected by the White Sox, joining RHP [autotag]Peyton Pallette[/autotag].

He became the seventh player from Arkansas selected out of nine overall. Those drafted before Turner have all signed with their respective organizations at the time of this post, with the exception of [autotag]Cayden Wallace[/autotag], who was drafted by the Kansas City Royals at No. 49 overall.

Turner enjoyed his best season in a college uniform at Arkansas in 2022 in a myriad of ways. He set career bests in RBI (53), walks (27), doubles (17), hits (83), at-bats (257), home runs (9), and total bases (129).

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Peyton Pallette officially signs with Chicago White Sox

Peyton Pallete’s first assignment following Tommy John surgery will be with the White Sox organization

One of Arkansas’ highest draft picks has officially signed his rookie contract.

[autotag]Peyton Pallette[/autotag], who missed the 2022 season to recover from Tommy John surgery, has signed his rookie contract with the Chicago White Sox, the organization that selected him with the No. 62 overall pick.

Pallette is in for a hefty payday. Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline is reporting that Pallette has signed with the White Sox for $1.5 million, which is just under slot value for the No. 62 overall selection.

In two seasons at Arkansas, Pallette struck out 70 batters while posting an ERA of 3.79. In 2021, Pallete appeared in 15 games, making 11 starts. He struck out 67 batters while issuing 20 walks in 56 innings of work.

Pallette was expected to become the anchor to the Arkansas weekend rotation in 2022, however, an injury to his ulnar collateral ligament forced him to miss what eventually was his final season at Arkansas, making the way for [autotag]Connor Noland[/autotag] to take the role.

Pallete was the second Razorback selected in the 2022 MLB Draft, and one of three selected in the second round. Cayden Wallace was taken 13 picks higher by the Kansas City Royals, and Robert Moore was taken with a compensation pick by the Milwaukee Brewers.

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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.

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Diamond Hogs lose would-be freshman pitcher to MLB draft

Cole Phillips could still choose to go to Arkansas, though Atlanta will make every attempt to sign him to a pro deal.

Cole Phillips was always a longshot to play for Arkansas even though he committed out of Boerne, Texas.

Phillips, one of the top high-school pitchers in the country, was selected in the second round of the MLB draft Sunday by Atlanta, going 57th overall, five picks ahead of Arkansas pitcher Peyton Pallette, who went to the White Sox.

Phillips underwent Tommy John surgery three months ago and won’t play the rest of the summer even if he decides to join the Braves organization. If Phillips chooses to go to Arkansas, he will draft-eligible after his sophomore season.

He was one of four players with Diamond Hogs connections taken on Sunday. Third baseman Cayden Wallace was the first Arkansas player taken when Kansas City chose him with the No. 49 pick. Second baseman Robert Moore, whose father Dayton is the general manager for Kansas City, went to Milwaukee with the 72nd pick.

Several other Arkansas players are likely to be taken during Monday’s portion of the draft which covers rounds three through 20.

Phillips and the other three Arkansas players selected have until August to decide whether he will sign with Atlanta or attend Arkansas.

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Diamond Hogs land next year’s starting shorstop…unless he decides to go pro

Jordan Sprinkle should slot into the starting shortstop position for Arkansas next year if he isn’t scooped up by the MLB draft later this month.

Jordan Sprinkle will almost certainly hear his name called in the MLB draft later this month.

For now, though, he is headed to Arkansas after announcing his transfer from California-Santa Barbara to the Diamond Hogs via the transfer portal.

Sprinkle, a rising junior, had a slash line of .285/.381/.413 with the Gauchos last season, driving in 35 runs and stealing 25 bases for UCSB. His team was eliminated by Stanford in the the Palo Alto Regional, shortly after which Sprinkle entered the transfer portal.

The MLB draft begins Sunday, July 17 and continues through Tuesday, July 19. Sprinkle is rated as the No. 156 prospect for it.

Arkansas has three players ranked higher in the prospect status for the draft. Third baseman Cayden Wallace is No. 31, right-hander Peyton Pallette is No. 43 and second baseman Robert Moore is No. 108. All three are expected to sign when drafted.

Coach Dave Van Horn bemoaned the draft’s late start date – it had been in June until last year – when he gave his end-of-season press conference on Thursday. In the meantime, Arkansas continues to use the transfer portal as the only position-player starter expected to return is Peyton Stovall.

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Connor Noland hints at a possible return to Arkansas

Arkansas’ ace discussed his future during an interview with a local morning show on Wednesday.

The key piece to Arkansas’ pitching rotation for the 2022 season has a big decision to make.

Arkansas right-handed pitcher [autotag]Connor Noland[/autotag] joined “The Morning Rush” on ESPN Arkansas Wednesday morning, where the topic of declaring for the Major League Baseball draft was discussed.

When asked whether or not he had plans to begin his professional career, or return to Arkansas for his fifth season of eligibility that has been granted due to the shortened 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Noland says that he is going to take his time to make the right decision for him.

Noland stepped up in a huge way for Arkansas, as he took over the Friday night starter role in place of projected ace [autotag]Peyton Pallette[/autotag], who suffered an elbow injury prior to the start of the 2022 season.

Noland, who had not gotten significant starts on the mound since his freshman season in 2019, went 8-6 in 19 starts, accumulating a 3.65 ERA with 113 strikeouts to just 34 issued walks in 116.0 innings pitched. He tells hosts Tye Richardson and Tommy Craft that he prepared during the offseason to be a shoe-in for that role.

The MLB Draft is set to begin Sunday, July 17 and last until Tuesday, July 19. If Noland is not selected in a spot that is beneficial, he has the opportunity to return to Arkansas for next season in an effort to improve his draft stock.

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Arkansas Baseball: Four Razorbacks grab SEC Awards

Arkansas Baseball was well represented on the all-freshman team, as well as the all-defensive team from the Southeastern Conference

Now that the regular season has concluded, four Razorbacks find themselves listed among the Southeastern Conference’s best.

Arkansas pitchers Hagen Smith and Brady Tygart were named to the Freshman All-SEC team, while Connor Noland and Robert Moore grabbed SEC all-defensive team honors, the league announced Monday.

[autotag]Hagen Smith[/autotag], a freshman from Bullard, Texas, was thrown into the Razorbacks weekend pitching rotation early, starting in 13 of 14 series primarily as the Saturday starter. In 13 starts, Smith struck out 68 batters while holding an ERA of 4.34 in 64.1 innings pitched. In what was his best outing of the season, Smith struck out nine batters while tossing 7.0 innings in a 4-2 win over Southeastern Louisiana on March 5. He matched his longest outing of 7.0 IP against LSU on April 15.

Fellow freshman [autotag]Brady Tygart[/autotag] was a reliable arm for the Arkansas bullpen, being used primarily in a late-inning, closer role. The freshman from Hernando, Miss. recorded eight saves for Arkansas in 2022, striking out 47 batters in 34.0 innings pitched.

[autotag]Connor Noland[/autotag] has stepped up in a huge way for the Razorbacks. With the loss of [autotag]Peyton Pallette[/autotag] due to Tommy John Surgery at the beginning of the calendar year, Noland has become the Friday night starter for Arkansas. Noland, who only made 12 appearances over the last two seasons, has started in 14 games this season with a 5-4 record. Noland has struck out 90 batters while walking just 26.

The primary second baseman for Arkansas, [autotag]Robert Moore[/autotag], has just one error in the field in 204 fielding opportunities, while making 74 putouts. He and shortstop Jalen Battles have combined to become one of the best one-two punches in the SEC when it comes to making plays in the field.

Arkansas Baseball opens their stay at the SEC Tournament on Wednesday morning. While in Hoover, the Razorbacks will look to win a couple of games in an effort to boost their chances of hosting a regional next weekend at Baum-Walker Stadium.

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