From @masonchoate
arkansas.rivals.com
As has become tradition for head coach Dave Van Horn's Arkansas baseball program, the Diamond Hogs are preparing to lose plenty of pieces to the MLB Draft.
With the crown of Perfect Game's top-ranked 2023 recruiting class comes the fact that the Razorbacks aren't going to get many of their highest-ranked incoming freshmen. Some will make it to campus, but Van Horn and his staff are preparing conservatively.
"The draft, I’m done complaining about it, and I think every Division I coach, we’ve talked about it until we’re blue in the face," Van Horn said June 27. "The draft should have been two weeks ago. Or at the very latest now. At the very latest. So at least we could move on and figure this thing out.
"We don’t know what’s going to go on with Aidan Miller or Walker Martin. I could go on and on. We are talking with them, trying to figure out what kind of money they’re going to demand to sign and what they’re really thinking. Do they really want to go to school? Having all those conversations."
On top of a lot of the signees looking at being draft selections, the Razorbacks are expecting to lose four key pieces who have remaining eligibility following their junior seasons. Outfielders Jace Bohrofen and Tavian Josenberger along with pitchers Hunter Hollan and Jaxon Wiggins are each projected on all four draft boards HawgBeat took into account.
The Razorbacks also have some players not listed on draft boards that could end up signing with a pro team, either via the draft or an undrafted free agent deal. Two of the more intriguing names in that regard are infielders Peyton Holt and Caleb Cali.
Van Horn said Cali wants to play professional baseball, but the contract numbers will have to be just right for him.
"I just talked to him yesterday and it’s not all about signing," Van Horn said. "He’s not going to sign for a little bit, so to speak. He’s got to feel good about it. There’s got to be a path. You kind of have an idea if an organization just signs you to fill a spot or whatever. They need to show you the way a little bit. There’s always that possibility."
Other names that could sign include pitchers Cody Adcock, Will McEntire and Zack Morris. Designated hitter Ben McLaughlin showed he has a legit bat as a junior and he could also move on given the right opportunity.
Arkansas also has six incoming transfers, three of which are draft eligible. The only one that HawgBeat has seen listed on draft boards is Indiana transfer right-handed pitcher Craig Yoho, who told HawgBeat that he will definitely be considering his options as he's been in college baseball for five years now.
Of the 21 signees in the 2023 class, 13 are listed on at least one of the four draft boards that HawgBeat analyzed. The class is ranked No. 1 nationally on Perfect Game and the Hogs will be lucky to get half of it to campus.
The 2023 MLB Draft will be held at Lumen Field in Seattle and the first two rounds will be held on Sunday beginning at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN. Rounds 3-10 will be on Monday and 11-20 will be on Tuesday, with both rounds being streamed at MLB.com.
Below is a breakdown of where Arkansas players and signees rank on draft boards. Not all of the draft boards have an equal amount of prospects as MLB Pipeline goes to 250, Prospects Live goes to 400, ESPN goes to 150 and Future Stars Series goes to 600.
Arkansas MLB Draft Rankings
* - transfer from Indiana
Arkansas Signees MLB Draft Rankings
HawgBeat - Arkansas MLB Draft preview
HawgBeat previews what to expect from an Arkansas baseball perspective in the MLB Draft.
arkansas.rivals.com
As has become tradition for head coach Dave Van Horn's Arkansas baseball program, the Diamond Hogs are preparing to lose plenty of pieces to the MLB Draft.
With the crown of Perfect Game's top-ranked 2023 recruiting class comes the fact that the Razorbacks aren't going to get many of their highest-ranked incoming freshmen. Some will make it to campus, but Van Horn and his staff are preparing conservatively.
"The draft, I’m done complaining about it, and I think every Division I coach, we’ve talked about it until we’re blue in the face," Van Horn said June 27. "The draft should have been two weeks ago. Or at the very latest now. At the very latest. So at least we could move on and figure this thing out.
"We don’t know what’s going to go on with Aidan Miller or Walker Martin. I could go on and on. We are talking with them, trying to figure out what kind of money they’re going to demand to sign and what they’re really thinking. Do they really want to go to school? Having all those conversations."
On top of a lot of the signees looking at being draft selections, the Razorbacks are expecting to lose four key pieces who have remaining eligibility following their junior seasons. Outfielders Jace Bohrofen and Tavian Josenberger along with pitchers Hunter Hollan and Jaxon Wiggins are each projected on all four draft boards HawgBeat took into account.
The Razorbacks also have some players not listed on draft boards that could end up signing with a pro team, either via the draft or an undrafted free agent deal. Two of the more intriguing names in that regard are infielders Peyton Holt and Caleb Cali.
Van Horn said Cali wants to play professional baseball, but the contract numbers will have to be just right for him.
"I just talked to him yesterday and it’s not all about signing," Van Horn said. "He’s not going to sign for a little bit, so to speak. He’s got to feel good about it. There’s got to be a path. You kind of have an idea if an organization just signs you to fill a spot or whatever. They need to show you the way a little bit. There’s always that possibility."
Other names that could sign include pitchers Cody Adcock, Will McEntire and Zack Morris. Designated hitter Ben McLaughlin showed he has a legit bat as a junior and he could also move on given the right opportunity.
Arkansas also has six incoming transfers, three of which are draft eligible. The only one that HawgBeat has seen listed on draft boards is Indiana transfer right-handed pitcher Craig Yoho, who told HawgBeat that he will definitely be considering his options as he's been in college baseball for five years now.
Of the 21 signees in the 2023 class, 13 are listed on at least one of the four draft boards that HawgBeat analyzed. The class is ranked No. 1 nationally on Perfect Game and the Hogs will be lucky to get half of it to campus.
The 2023 MLB Draft will be held at Lumen Field in Seattle and the first two rounds will be held on Sunday beginning at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN. Rounds 3-10 will be on Monday and 11-20 will be on Tuesday, with both rounds being streamed at MLB.com.
Below is a breakdown of where Arkansas players and signees rank on draft boards. Not all of the draft boards have an equal amount of prospects as MLB Pipeline goes to 250, Prospects Live goes to 400, ESPN goes to 150 and Future Stars Series goes to 600.
Arkansas MLB Draft Rankings
| Player | MLB Pipeline | Prospects Live | ESPN | FSS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jace Bohrofen | 66 | 72 | 59 | 91 |
| Hunter Hollan | 100 | 150 | 150 | 160 |
| Jaxon Wiggins | 103 | 219 | 115 | 260 |
| Tavian Josenberger | 156 | 125 | 122 | 97 |
| Jared Wegner | NR | 210 | NR | 158 |
| Craig Yoho* | NR | 352 | NR | 276 |
* - transfer from Indiana
Arkansas Signees MLB Draft Rankings
| Player | MLB Pipeline | Prospects Live | ESPN | FSS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aidan Miller | 13 | 22 | 24 | 20 |
| Walker Martin | 30 | 30 | 26 | 25 |
| Nazzan Zanetello | 52 | 54 | 64 | 50 |
| Kendall George | 65 | 59 | 52 | 48 |
| Adam Hachman | 101 | 151 | 151 | 134 |
| Barrett Kent | 126 | 75 | 145 | 87 |
| Colin Fisher | 139 | NR | 243 | 340 |
| Hunter Dietz | 141 | 232 | 223 | 345 |
| Gabe Gaeckle | 159 | 340 | 259 | 224 |
| Tate McGuire | 183 | NR | NR | NR |
| Dylan Questad | 194 | 309 | NR | 387 |
| Ryder Helfrick | 205 | 231 | NR | 306 |
| Nolan Souza | 222 | 271 | NR | 375 |
