Arkansas Baseball Summer Assignments (2024)

*Also invited to USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Training Camp

After not having a player selected in the 2024 NBA Draft, the Arkansas Razorbacks had a five-year streak of having at least one draft selection come to an end.

With new head coach John Calipari now leading the program, that is likely to change next year. The Hall of Famer is now up to 44 all-time NBA Draft selections, which trails only former Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski, who had 46 in his career.

Looking ahead to the 2024-25 roster Calipari has put together, the Razorbacks are up to 11 scholarship players — two of which were listed in ESPN's recent 2025 NBA mock draft, although that number will likely grow once the season begins.

While Calipari signed three highly-touted freshmen in five-star Boogie Fland and four-stars Billy Richmond and Karter Knox, the new Head Hog also brought in some of the nation's best transfers. Three of those transfers came with Calipari from Kentucky, and two of them — forwards Adou Thiero and Zvonimir Ivisic — were projected as second round selections in next year's draft by ESPN.

Thiero started 19 games and appeared in 25 as a sophomore last season for the Wildcats. He averaged 7.2 points and 5.0 rebounds while also leading the team regulars with 1.08 blocks per game.

ESPN also tabbed Thiero as a "returning prospect to watch" for the draft, crediting his athleticism, energy and shot-blocking ability at 6-foot-7, 220 pounds. He was mocked to go No. 32 overall with the second pick in the second round.

"Having recently turned 20, Thiero will presumably have an expanded opportunity to showcase his upside after following coach John Calipari to Arkansas," ESPN's Jeremy Woo wrote. "He was often undisciplined on the floor and has a long way to go before being trustworthy of minutes at a high level, but Thiero's leaping ability and penchant for making things happen defensively give him an intriguing baseline if he can learn to read the game better and develop as a perimeter shooter.

"There's a wide range of development outcomes here, and NBA teams will be interested to see how his role might change in a new situation, even under the same coach."

Projected nine picks after Thiero at No. 41 was 7-foot-2 big man Zvonimir "Big Z" Ivisic, who missed the first 16 games of his freshman season at Kentucky last year before he became eligible on Jan. 20. Ivisic appeared in 15 games and averaged 5.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.

I visit scored double digits four times, including a 12-point performance with nine rebounds and two blocks against Arkansas on March 2. A native of Vodice, Croatia, Ivisic had five games with five-plus rebounds and he also knocked down six threes, including three in his collegiate debut against Georgia on Jan. 20.

ESPN's mock draft did omit a handful of Razorbacks that will have their names on plenty of other draft boards. Fland and Knox are both projected first round selections on NBADraft.Net, which mocked Fland as the No. 9 overall pick in the first round. That outlet also has Ivisic, Kentucky transfer guard DJ Wagner and returning forward Trevon Brazile projected as second round picks.

Other names that could work their way into being draft selections include some of the Hogs' top transfer addition in Florida Atlantic guard Johnell Davis and Tennessee big man Jonas Aidoo, although both are older at 23-years-old and 21-years-old, respectively.

The Arkansas Razorbacks got good news on Sunday as three-star defensive lineman JaQuentin Madison called the Hogs.

Madison, a native of Alpharetta, Georgia, made his announcement fresh off an official visit to Arkansas this past weekend

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Madison, 6-foot-3 and 280 pounds, plays on the interior of the defensive line. He holds offers from Georgia Tech, Missouri, Kansas and several others.

He also garnered interested from Georgia and Florida State.

With Madison’s commitment, Arkansas now sits at 11 in the class of 2025. He’s the first defensive lineman to commit to the Razorbacks in this cycle.

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Now that it seems inevitable that Deion to Colorado is happening z curious to see what people think.

Selection Sunday for the 2025 NCAA Tournament is still nine months away, but that hasn't stopped prognosticators from predicting where Arkansas and other programs will end up when March Madness begins next year.

One of the most well-known bracketologists is ESPN's Joe Junardi, who updates his projected field of 68 frequently throughout the offseason and regular season.

RELATED: Arkansas Basketball 2024-25 Roster Tracker

His latest bracket from June 18 is sure to spark some animosity in the Arkansas fanbase, however, especially after the Razorbacks hired head coach John Calipari and signed multiple highly-rated freshmen recruits and top transfers during the offseason.

Heading into the 2025 season, Lunardi currently predicts that Arkansas will end up as a 5-seed in the Midwest (Indianapolis) Region. Paired with the Hoop Hogs in the Round of 64 is 12-seed Bradley, and Arkansas would face either 4-seed Purdue or 13-seed Louisiana Tech in the Round of 32 should the prediction come to fruition.

RELATED: Report: Arkansas to host Oakland for 2024-25 non-conference matchup

A 5-seed isn't bad by any means, but Razorback fans might be hoping for a better draw with the No. 5 high school recruiting class coming along with experienced transfers like Johnell Davis, Jonas Aidoo and DJ Wagner.

Of course, Lunardi's projection isn't the end-all, be-all. In fact, he only ranks 18th in accuracy out of qualifying bracketologists over the previous five years.

RELATED: Arkansas to play Miami in ACC/SEC Challenge

Other SEC teams in Lunardi's field of 68 include 1-seed Alabama, 2-seed Auburn, 4-seed Tennessee, 4-seed Texas, 6-seed Kentucky, 6-seed Mississippi State, 6-seed Texas A&M, 7-seed Ole Miss and 8-seed Florida. Missouri and Vanderbilt are projected as "First Four Out" teams.

RELATED: Arkansas to face Big 10 team in upcoming basketball season

As for Arkansas' confirmed non-conference opponents, Illinois is listed as a "Last Four Byes" team while Michigan and Miami are both 8-seeds.

Oakland, which eliminated Calipari’s Kentucky Wildcats in the postseason last year, is not projected to make the NCAA Tournament by Lunardi.

Arkansas still has four scholarship spots remaining on its 2024-25 roster and the full schedule is yet to be finalized, so be sure to follow along at The Trough premium message board for updates on all the offseason action.

Alright, with July 1st I feel like it’s time to start the thread again.


Not a change at Utah, but a successor in place.

Smoldering hot P4 jobs - Arkansas, Baylor, Florida, Vanderbilt, Cincinnati (probably just more my opinion), West Virginia

Interesting to keep an eye on - BYU, Pitt, South Carolina, Virginia, Illinois

From @RileyMcFerran. Probably going to make a series out of this.


Walk into any local grocery store or gas station and you're sure to find the latest college football preview magazine, a staple for fans looking to catch up on their favorite team and programs around the country. A notable print is Lindy's Sports, which covered Arkansas and much more in its latest release on May 28.

Is there anything notable in these 200-plus page previews? HawgBeat will help determine that, with looks at hotseat candidates, team strengths and weaknesses, unit rankings and more.

On the cover​

Note: This is one of many different versions of the Lindy's Sports College Football 2024 Preview Magazine's covers.

Temperature check​

1. Sam Pittman, Arkansas: Flaming

"Hiring Bobby Petrino is a last-ditch effort to extend Pittman's tenure."

2. Billy Napier, Florida: Scoring

"Boosters need way more bang for their Gatorbucks than two losing seasons."

3. Dave Aranda, Baylor: Roasting

"It's all gone so wrong since '21 Big 12 title winners of just three of past 13."

4. Clark Lea, Vanderbilt: Baking

"Would Vandy start all over again? Well, 2-22 vs SEC: Something has to give."

5. Pat Narduzzi, Pitt: Steaming

"Last year's nine losses undid much of the warm fuzzies of 20 wins over 2021-22.

6. Kalani Sitake, BYU: Fevered

"Tougher schedule or no, consecutive losing seasons would blow minds in Provo.

7. Mack Brown, UNC: Flushed

"At 72, he's far younger than either presidential candidate, but still ..."

​

Primary strengths, problems, overview and key number​

CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING

Walk into any local grocery store or gas station and you're sure to find the latest college football preview magazine, a staple for fans looking to catch up on their favorite team and programs around the country.

A notable print is Athlon Sports, which covered Arkansas and much more in its latest release on June 4.

Is there anything notable in these 150-plus page previews? HawgBeat will help determine that, with looks at head coach Sam Pittman's hot seat, offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino's role, rankings, projections and more.

On the cover​

Note: This is one of many different versions of the Athlon Sports College Football 2024 Preview Magazine's covers.

Coaches hot seat​

Sam Pittman, Arkansas:

"Arkansas was a much-improved team in Pittman's first year (2020) and finished 9-4 in his second season. However, the Razorbacks have since trended in the wrong direction. Pittman's team went 7-6 in '22 and finished 4-8 last season, closing the season with blowout losses to SEC rivals Auburn and Missouri by a combined score of 96-24. After winning seven SEC games in his first two years, Pittman has managed only four over the last two seasons. The hire of former Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino as offensive coordinator will make or break Pittman's tenure in Fayetteville."

Other coaches listed:

~ Dave Aranda, Baylor
~ Mike Bloomgren, Rice
~ Sonny Cumbie, Louisiana Tech
~ Stan Drayton, Temple
~ Will Hall, Southern Miss
~ Billy Napier, Florida
~ Mike Neu, Ball State

Things to watch - No. 9: Bobby Petrino Rides Again​

"After Petrino's tenure as the Arkansas head coach ended following a motorcycle crash that later turned into a scandal in 2012, the odds of him returning to work for the Razorbacks seemed set on zero.

"But college football coaches can make interesting decisions when faced with desperation. That's exactly the scenario Arkansas coach Sam Pittman faces after a 4-8 season in '23 that placed him squarely on the hot seat.

"With the Razorbacks needing to drastically improve an offense that managed only 4.5 yards per play in SEC games, Pittman turned to Petrino to handle play-calling duties in Fayetteville once again.

"Petrino clearly didn't lose his touch in the SEC after leading Texas A&M to an average of 33.3 points a game, and the early returns in the spring were positive with Boise State transfer Taylen Green at quarterback.

"Can Petrino write a redemption story and help Pittman save his job? Or will this tenure for Petrino end like almost all of the other spots in his career: in disappointment or chaos?"

Tidbits, rankings and more​

~ Preseason national forecast: No. 46, only Mississippi State (No. 63) and Vanderbilt (No. 80) are lower among SEC teams

~ Preseason SEC prediction: 14th

~ Top incoming transfers: QB Taylen Green - "Arkansas is hoping Green's dual-threat ability will jump-start an offense that finished near the bottom of the SEC."

~ Bowl projection: Arkansas is not projected to qualify for a bowl game

SEC unit rankings​

~ Quarterbacks: No. 13
~ Running backs: No. 13
~ Wide receivers: No. 13
~ Offensive lines: No. 14
~ Defensive lines: No. 13
~ Linebackers: No. 14
~ Secondaries: No. 14

Projected two-deep​

Projected Depth Chart

Thoughts from anonymous SEC assistant coach​

"This is the hot-seat job for the SEC heading into the season. Sam (Pittman) is such a well-respected guy across this industry, you really feel for him having a guy like (new offensive coordinator Bobby) Petrino, who the fans and boosters probably think should be head coach, coming in underneath him.

"That's the SEC right there. If Petrino can get (quarterback) Taylen Green ready, they might have a shot at a .500 year, but they have a shaky situation with their offensive line losses in the spring. Is .500 enough to keep Sam? The defensive line is their best unit probably, but they just don't have the overall defensive talent right now to compete in this league."

Final Analysis​

"Winning tight games is key for a bounce-back from last year's 4-8 fall. Arkansas was 2-2 in one-score games while going 9-4 in 2021, but the Hogs are 2-9 in such games since.

"If the offense can stay on the field longer and bump up its production a bit, and the defense can maintain last year's level, Arkansas could produce a winning record."

From @RileyMcFerran


The Arkansas baseball team has added nine offseason commitments since the opening of the transfer portal June 3, but how will the Razorbacks address their remaining needs in the coming weeks, and more importantly, what are those needs?

So far, the Diamond Hogs have received Division I transfer commitments from two pitchers and six position players. A major focus has been placed on the outfield, as Peyton Holt, Ty Wilmsmeyer and Kendall Diggs are all expected to move on.

RELATED: Arkansas Baseball 2024 Offseason Roster Tracker

In their place, transfers such as Fresno State transfer Rocco Peppi, TCU transfer Logan Maxwell and Milwaukee transfer Carson Hansen will all have a shot at claiming a spot. Florida Gulf Coast infielder Charles Davalan and Georgia State shortstop Maximus Martin both have outfield experience as well, making it pretty clear that Arkansas is set at the position going forward.

The Razorbacks also added Division II transfer outfielder Carson Boles, a DII First Team All-American, on Wednesday.
What isn't clear, though, is how Arkansas will produce power in its lineup. College World Series finalists Tennessee (184 HRs) and Texas A&M (136 HRs) both finished top-5 nationally in long ball production this season, while the Hogs finished 60th (87 HRs).

RELATED: Arkansas Injury Report: Updates on Kendall Diggs, key pitchers

"It’s not like you’re going to have a lineup of really good runners that are more run scorers than producers," Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn said Wednesday. "You’ve seen it just watching the games through the tournament. You’ve got to be able to hit it over their heads, you’ve got to hit some home runs, you’ve got to have some power."

While none of Arkansas' Division I transfer commitments are pure home run hitters, three of them hit double-digit bombs in 2024 and the group combined for 49. That doesn't necessarily jump off the page, but the Razorbacks also have power within their JUCO commitments.

RELATED: Tennessee’s Vitello credits Van Horn, Arkansas after national championship

New Mexico J.C. infielder Brent Iredale (25 HRs) and Florida Southwestern State outfielder Justin Thomas (14 HR) are two of four future Hogs out of the junior college ranks to hit 10+ home runs last season.
Hitting deep fly balls isn't the only priority for Van Horn, as he said he wants his team to make things happen around the base paths when the weather is bad or when the opposing team has a dominant pitcher on the mound.

"But you need some athletes in there that can steal a bag and steal a bag when everybody knows you’re going to steal," Van Horn said. "We’re working on that so it’s definitely something like we feel we’re addressing. Again, we’ve got to get these kids to show up and then we’ve got to deal with, in some cases, the draft, because some of these kids are older. For the most part it looks like we’re going to get these new guys and some of these young guys and a couple of JUCO guys."

As for other positions, Arkansas has to feel good about its pitching staff with so many talented returners and the additions of Ohio State transfer LHP Landon Beidelschies and Oregon State transfer RHP Aiden Jimenez. Ideally, pitching coach Matt Hobbs will add one more on the mound whether in the form of a starter or bullpen reliever.

In the field, landing a corner infielder (or two) and a catcher make the most sense for the Hogs. If Iredale foregoes the MLB Draft and makes it to campus, don't be surprised to see him at third base, leaving first base open for an experienced transfer to come in. The Hogs do have a commitment from BYU transfer designated hitter Kuhio Aloy, brother of shortstop Wehiwa Aloy. Kuhio played at first sparingly in 2024 for the Cougars.

Don't doubt soon-to-be sophomore Ryder Helfrick at the catcher position, but adding competition through the portal only benefits the team and provides depth after the expected exit of Hudson White and graduations of Parker Rowland and Hudson Polk.

"We’re still pretty active, honestly, but I can’t put a number on it because there’s getting ready to be a lot more movement," Van Horn said. "You’re going to see some movement from a couple teams in Texas, and some of them might jump from one team to the other. Or, maybe this is their time to get out and do something else. There will be some big names, but you’re talking a lot of money for some of these kids that are going to be out, and I mean a lot (of money).

"I don’t think people realize what’s going on in the NIL scene in college baseball when you’re talking two, three, $450,000 to get a player," Van Horn said. "Again, there’s some that can do it a lot, some that can do it a little. It’s never over because of that draft that should have been last week, or the week before, which would have been nice. Because it affects everybody. It trickles down all the way to the incoming high school senior that’s coming to school."

Van Horn and his staff will continue to build up the 2025 roster, and HawgBeat provides unmatched coverage of all the movement, so stay tuned to The Trough premium message board.

Arkansas head coach John Calipari was in Istanbul, Turkey, over the weekend scouting and recruiting high school athletes who are showing out on the world stage.

The FIBA U17 World Cup is currently in progress and will be until July 7, and several Arkansas targets put on dazzling performances in Team USA's most recent game against France.

All told, Team USA has six athletes that Calipari has on his radar as targets to become future Razorbacks: Cayden and Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, Koa Peat, Chris Cenac and Tyran Stokes.

Most of those targets are in the class of 2025, aside from Stokes, who is in the class of 2026 and ranked No. 2 in the country.

The game itself wasn't particularly close. Team USA built up a 31-17 lead by the end of the first quarter, and it swelled to 18 in the second. France went on a run to cut it to nine, but that was as close as it got.

Team USA was able to extend its lead to 28 points in the fourth quarter and took home the win, 104-81.

Team USA was led in scoring by Cameron Boozer — one of two twin sons of two-time NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer — with 29 total points. Both Cameron and his brother Cayden played in the contest.

Team USA is next scheduled to play against China on Tuesday, July 2 at 1:30 p.m. CST. You can watch by clicking here.

HawgBeat takes a closer look at how each Arkansas target played in the game.

*Note: You can watch the game in full in the video player at the bottom of the page.*

Cameron Boozer​

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Rivals' No. 2 overall player in the 2025 class, Cameron Boozer was the driving force behind Team USA's win Saturday night. He played more than any other athlete on the team, logging 27 minutes and 14 seconds of action, and he was both the leading scorer and the leading rebounder.

Boozer finished the game with 29 points and 12 rebounds. Eighteen of his points came in the first half.

At 6-foot-9 and 225 pounds, Boozer got most of whatever he wanted down low, going 9-of-15 from field goal range. All of those came within the arc. He also finished 11-of-13 from the free throw line.

Cayden Boozer​

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Cayden didn't have as flash a game as his brother Cameron, but was still effective. He finished the game with just two points and four rebounds, but he led both teams with nine assists in the game, one of which was an inbounds play with his brother for a dunk.

The Miami (FL) native didn't attempt to shoot much, only attempting three shots in the game. It's clear his role was as a facilitator, and he did that job well.

Defensively, Cayden finished with three steals, which was tied for second with Brandon McCoy behind AJ Dybantsa's team-best five takeaways.

Chris Cenac​

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Cenac played the least amount of minutes among the Arkansas targets, as he only logged seven minutes and 30 seconds of game time. He finished the game with five points on 2-of-3 shooting, plus he added four rebounds and an assist.

Ranked the No. 15 player in the nation, Cenac is playing his final year of high school basketball at Link Year Prep in Branson, Missouri — the same school that produced former Razorback Jordan Walsh, who just won an NBA Championship with the Boston Celtics.

Koa Peat​

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Ranked the No. 6 player in the country, Peat ran down low and was a presence under the basket. He finished the game with 18 points and six rebounds, and shot 47.1% from the field on 8-of-17 shooting.

Most of Peat's scoring was done under the basket, with 15 of his 17 shots coming from inside the arc. Peat, a native of Gilbert, Arizona, dished out three assists and logged one steal in the game.

AJ Dybantsa​

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Dybantsa is the No. 1 player in the country for the 2025 class, and for good reason. He is every bit of 6-foot-8 and 200 pounds. His ball handling and explosiveness at that size makes him a formidable threat to score at will, which he mostly did for Team USA.

For the game, Dybantsa finished with 19 points, five rebounds, four assists and a team-leading five steals.

The Manti, Utah, native scored the first two points of the game for Team USA with a physical layup running the baseline. Not much later in the first quarter, Dybansta followed up a missed layup by Peat with a put-back dunk that pushed the Team USA run to 8-0.

In the win over France, he shot 63.6% from the field on 7-of-11 shooting and was 5-of-8 from the free throw line. His three-point shooting wasn't great, though, as he was 0-of-4 from long range, a far cry from the 39.3% he shot on the Nike EYBL 17U circuit.

Dybantsa was also active on the defensive end of the floor. He recorded five steals, the first of which came with 3:45 left in the first quarter. He got the steal from a bad pass and then lobbed the ball on the fastbreak to Peat for the slam.

Tyran Stokes​

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Tyran Stokes and Dybantsa were actually teammates at Prolific Prep before Dybantsa transferred to Utah Prep ahead of the 2024-2025 season, and they are now teammates again on Team USA.

Stokes, ranked the No. 2 player in the country in the class of 2026, played a total of 18 minutes and seven seconds, and he finished with 12 points on 3-of-8 shooting. The Napa, California, native was 1-of-4 from three-point range and 5-of-8 from the charity stripe. He finished the game with four rebounds and one steal.

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The Arkansas baseball program has a long track record of quality frontline aces in its pitching staff, and the Razorbacks may have their next candidate for the 2025 season in right-handed pitcher Gabe Gaeckle.

Expected "to be a big-leaguer one day" according to head coach Dave Van Horn, Gaeckle shined during his freshman season in Fayetteville with a 2.32 ERA and 57 strikeouts across 42.2 IP out of the bullpen.

Following in the footsteps of Arkansas left-hander Hagen Smith, Gaeckle made the official roster for USA Baseball's Collegiate Team and will use that time this summer to continue developing his maturity around some of the best young talent in the world.

"It’s just going to make him better," Van Horn said on Wednesday. "Gaeckle’s already mature for a sophomore to be. You can see his demeanor on the mound. All indications are he’s going to be a starter for us and he’ll be a great one."

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Rated as the 51st overall player in the class of 2023 by Perfect Game, Gaeckle was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 20th round of the 2023 MLB Draft but ultimately made it to campus and started his career with the Razorbacks.

In 22 appearances, the California native racked up seven saves and a 3-3 win/loss record while holding hitters to a .167 batting average. More impressively, Gaeckle only allowed four earned runs to SEC opponents during the regular season, and all four came between two outings. He was named to the Freshman All-SEC team for his efforts.

RELATED: Gabe Gaeckle picks up second Freshman All-America honor

His lone NCAA Tournament appearance came against SEMO on May 31, when he allowed one run in three innings of work for the Hogs.

"It was just like at the end of the year, we were building him up and he was our best bullpen arm as far as giving two or three innings, finishing the game, he’s a defender in the middle of the field, can defend his position as well as anybody," Van Horn said. "If we would’ve got through the regional, with the way we pitched, he might’ve been in the rotation for the super."

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Van Horn and his staff will continue to build up the 2025 roster, and HawgBeat provides unmatched coverage of all the movement, so stay tuned to The Trough premium message board.

The Arkansas baseball team lost another player on Tuesday, as Razorback outfielder Will Edmunson entered the transfer portal, according to 64Analytics.

The 6-foot-1, 195-pounder played in 39 games for the Razorbacks in 2024 and slashed .241/.362/.333 with one home run, five doubles and 10 RBI in 87 at bats.


The Luther, Oklahoma, native is the fourth Razorback player to enter the portal after the 2024 season, joining fellow outfielders Hunter Grimes, Jayson Jones and Kade Smith.

Edmunson is looking for a new home after spending one season at Arkansas. He transferred from Hutchinson Community College prior to last season.

Prior to joining the Arkansas program, Edmunson was an All-KJCCC West First Team selection for the Hutchinson Blue Dragons and was the KJCCC West MVP.

So far, Arkansas has picked up several incoming transfers from the Division I ranks, including five outfielders. Click here to view HawgBeat's Arkansas baseball offseason roster tracker.

Arkansas has also picked up multiple JUCO commitments such as Florida Southwestern State outfielder Justin Thomas, New Mexico J.C. infielder Brent Iredale, Coffeyville C.C. infielder Carson Schrack, Crowder C.C outfielder Kolton Reynolds and Seward County C.C. infielder Trenton Rowan.

The Hogs will have many more roster fluctuations over the coming weeks, so be sure to follow along at The Trough premium message board for updates on all the action.

Arkansas head coach John Calipari has been a household name in college basketball for a long time, boasting star-studded success at the collegiate level, as well as with NBA draft picks.

With two of his former players selected in Wednesday night's first round of the 2024 NBA Draft — freshmen Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham — Calipari has had at least one of his players drafted in every single NBA Draft since 2008, dating back to his time as the head coach at Memphis.

The new Head Hog spent time Wednesday evening being there for his former players, but he also put the Arkansas brand in the spotlight, most notably by joining the ABC broadcast set for a brief chat.

Sheppard and Dillingham were the 42nd and 43rd all-time NBA Draft picks coached by Calipari, which is second only to former Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski, who had 46 in his career.

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Four of Calipari's draft picks — Anthony Davis, Karl-Anthony Towns, Derrick Rose and John Wall — were taken with the first overall pick in the draft.

Calipari was on ESPN's The Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday afternoon to preview the NBA Draft, which had the first round held Wednesday, and talked about how it’s his program's culture that keeps his draft machine running.

“I’m not a magician, I don’t have a magic wand,” Calipari said. “It’s all about the culture. A bunch of really good players come together. We’ve had four-star guys (become) lottery picks, not in the McDonald’s All-American Game (become) lottery picks, because the cream rises. It'll always rise.”

Of course, it's hard to talk about the amount of draft picks Calipari has produced without looking at the elephant in the room — the lack of postseason success he's had in recent years.

Since 2020, the formerly Calipari-led Kentucky Wildcats have only won one NCAA Tournament game, and have been bounced in the first round of the tournament twice to double-digit seeded teams.

Calipari said because the game has changed with NIL and the transfer portal, he's going to have to adapt if he wants to win another national championship — this time at Arkansas.

RELATED: Arkansas freshman Billy Richmond says Hogs will shock people in 2024-25

"It's just a different day and age, and my teams have to get older," Calipari said. "We were too young last year, I had seven freshmen. Everybody else has old teams, so hopefully, I've learned we're going to have a little bit more experience, yet I still want to have the best freshmen in the country."

The roster Calipari has assembled for his inaugural season in Razorback red has a good blend of young and old. There are three freshmen — Billy Richmond, Boogie Fland and Karter Knox — who will play important roles on the team, but the rest is made up of older players.

Transfers like forward Jonas Aidoo (Tennessee) and guard Johnell Davis (Florida Atlantic) come from the transfer portal, as well as a trio of transfers from Calipari's last team at Kentucky in forward Zvonimir Ivisic, guard DJ Wagner and forward Adou Thiero.

That blend of older transfers and freshmen are what Calipari hopes will give Arkansas a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, which will increase the number of draft picks coming from Arkansas in the 2025 NBA Draft.

RELATED: Arkansas lands commitment from Division II transfer guard

"When my teams win, six guys get drafted," Calipari said. "How about we win? We go to a Final Four, we win a national title, all six or seven of you will eat ... winning matters."

Calipari did talk about the 15 years he spent at Kentucky. He said he had a great time in Lexington, but he's excited for the next chapter at Arkansas.

"Fifteen years, it was a great run, a lot of fun, a lot of friends," Calipari said. "But you know what? I want to do this one more time, and Arkansas was the place."

What a difference a week makes for the Arkansas baseball program. In HawgBeat's transfer update seven days ago, questions loomed on the Razorbacks' recruiting approach with only one commitment. Now, Arkansas has three portal players locked in with other potential pledges on the horizon.

After landing the brother of current Hog shortstop Wehiwa Aloy in BYU two-way player Kuhio Aloy on June 7, Arkansas has added Florida Gulf Coast freshman outfielder Charles Davalan and Milwaukee junior outfielder Carson Hansen.

RELATED: Kuhio Aloy could help Arkansas more than just at the plate

Head coach Dave Van Horn has also received commitments from a handful of JUCO athletes, including Florida Southwestern State outfielder Justin Thomas, New Mexico J.C. infielder Brent Iredale, Coffeyville C.C. infielder Carson Schrack, Crowder C.C. outfielder Kolton Reynolds and Seward County C.C. infielder Trenton Rowan.

RELATED: Arkansas Baseball 2024 Offseason Roster Tracker

The Razorbacks fell victim to the wave of offseason fluctuations as well, as outfielder Hunter Grimes entered the transfer portal on Friday.

Let's dive deep into the behind-the-scenes of Arkansas' portal movements with transfers to watch, interesting nuggets and a look around the SEC:

Commitments so far:​

Transfers:

~ DH Kuhio Aloy, BYU
.269/.329/.447, 52 GP, 53 H, 8 HR, 9 2B, 1 3B, 39 RBI, 20 BB, 62 K

~ OF/INF Charles Davalan, FGCU
.290/.417/.520, 56 GP, 64 H, 10 HR, 17 2B, 2 3B, 38 RBI, 29 BB, 35 K

~ OF Carson Hansen, Milwaukee
.315/.404/.604, 55 GP, 64 H, 11 HR, 25 2B, 63 RBI, 27 BB, 42 K

JUCO transfers:

~ OF Justin Thomas, Florida Southwestern State
.393/.514/.699, 58 GP, 86 H, 14 HR, 21 2B, 2 3B, 49 RBI, 44 BB, 52 K, 35 SB

~ INF Brent Iredale, New Mexico J.C.
.441/.576/1.000, 58 GP, 83 H, 25 HR, 22 2B, 4 3B, 78 RBI, 47 BB, 32 K, 24 SB

~ INF Carson Schrack, Coffeyville C.C.
.348/.435/.478, 57 GP, 70 H, 2 HR, 16 2B, 2 3B, 42 RBI, 26 BB, 20 K, 13 SB

~ OF Kolton Reynolds, Crowder C.C.
.369/.475/.644, 62 GP, 86 H, 10 HR, 24 2B, 5 3B, 68 RBI, 38 BB, 62 K, 6 SB

~ INF Trenton Rowan, Seward County C.C.
.403/.510/.765, 35 GP, 48 H, 10 HR, 11 2B, , 1 3B, 41 RBI, 14 BB, 15 K, 2 SB

Transfers to watch:​

After visiting Arkansas last week, TCU transfer outfielder Logan Maxwell took a trip to Ole Miss and confirmed to HawgBeat that he plans on taking a few more SEC visits before making a final decision.

A 5-foot-10, 185-pound soon-to-be senior, Maxwell finished the 2024 season with TCU's second-highest batting average at .335. He added 12 doubles, two triples, three home runs and 25 RBIs across 170 at-bats.

Another name that HawgBeat can confirm has talked to Arkansas' staff is East Carolina standout outfielder transfer Bristol Carter, who holds the Razorbacks and specifically hitting coach Nate Thompson in high regard. Since our last update on Carter, Arkansas is still viewed as a competitor in his recruitment and potentially even a finalist.

Editor's Note: Carter reportedly committed to Auburn on Monday morning.

Fans of the Diamond Hogs are begging for some power pickups from the portal, and Arkansas may be on one in USC Upstate outfielder/catcher Koby Kropf. The No. 155 overall transfer prospect finished with a .352 batting average but added 20 home runs and 21 doubles to his resume in 2024.

He told HawgBeat that he is considering the Razorbacks, has talked to the staff and will potentially take a visit should things work out.

The final new name added to the list is Houston freshman outfielder Ace Reese, who checks in at No. 110 after slashing .278/.395/.506 with eight doubles, four triples, seven home runs and 34 RBI. HawgBeat can confirm contact between Reese and the coaching staff.

As for updates on known targets, Jacksonville State third baseman Brennan Norton and Sam Houston State outfielder Malachi Lott are in wait-and-see mode with the Hogs. Stetson outfielder Kyle Jones also told HawgBeat that he currently has Arkansas outside of his list of finalists.

Other nuggets:​

Note: The following tidbits of information are deemed as nuggets because, well, they're small and potentially insignificant in the grand scheme of things. However, there's always a chance that players here become one to watch, so why not talk about them now?

Finding information on pitchers connected to Arkansas has been a difficult task, and it wouldn't be a surprise if one committed out of the blue. A name that fits the bill is Long Beach State left-hander Myles Patton, who accumulated a 3.26 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 66.1 IP last season.

The No. 98th overall portal player was followed by Arkansas pitching coach Matt Hobbs on social media early in the process, so keep an eye on him going forward.

Memphis outfielder Pierre Seals is confirmed to have been contacted by the Razorbacks, but the staff has likely moved on over the last few days.

Toledo center fielder Garret Pike is one of the best players currently in the portal after hitting .360 with 21 home runs in 2024, but he's considered an MLB Draft lean as of now. Should he return and the Razorbacks still need help at the position, watch Pike closely as he told HawgBeat that he's heard from the coaching staff.

A potential backup shortstop option has also heard from Arkansas, as Tennessee Tech transfer Tanner Shiver told HawgBeat that he is "definitely interested in playing for the Hogs." He slashed .296/.388/.559 with 12 doubles, four triples and nine home runs last season.

Updates around the SEC:​

Kentucky - No. 1:
~ DH Cole Hage, Columbia - No. 74
~ RHP Ryan Verdugo, CSU Bakersfield - No. 83
~ RF Jackson Strong, Canisius - No. 130
~ RHP Nic McCay, South Dakota State - No. 149
~ RHP Scott Rouse, Radford - No. 183
~ LHP Ethan Walker, Longwood - No. 197
~ SS Trent Youngblood, Transylvania - No. 272
~ LHP Cole Hentschel, Richmond - No. 463
~ RHP Chase Alderman, Eastern Kentucky - No. 546

Georgia - No. 2:
~ 2B Ryan Black, UT Arlington - No. 11
~ 3B Ryland Zaborowski, Miami (OH) - No. 23
~ 2B Christian Adams, Florida Atlantic - No. 72
~ CF Robbie Burnett, UNC Ashville - No. 92
~ C Daniel Jackson, Wofford - No. 240
~ RHP Eric Hammond, USC - No. 255
~ INF Charlie Jones, Air Force - No. 336
~ RHP Davis Chastain, Georgia State - No. 1,373
~ DH Justin Byrd, USK Aiken - No. 1,543
~ LHP Bradley Stewart, Eastern Kentucky - No. 2,341

LSU - No. 6:
~ RHP Luke Hayden, Indiana State - No. 13
~ RHP Deven Sheerin, Mount St. Mary's - No. 24
~ 1B Luis Hernandez, Indiana State - No. 45
~ RHP Zac Cowan, Wofford - No. 49
~ RHP Chandler Dorsey, USF - No. 123

Auburn - No. 8:
~ C Lucas Steele, Samford - No. 22
~ RHP Samuel Dutton, LSU - No. 33
~ SS Eric Snow, South Florida - No. 202
~ 2B Andrew Dutton, Birmingham-So. - No. 442
~ RHP Ryan Hetzler, Cal Baptist - No. 492

Vanderbilt - No. 16:
~ LHP Joseph Dzierwa, Michigan State - No. 7
~ RHP Cody Bowker, Georgetown - No. 75
~ LF David Mendez, Dayton - No. 299
~ RHP Tommy O'Rouke, Stanford - No. 3,376

Alabama - No. 17:
~ 1B Jason Torres, Miami - No. 8
~ DH Carson Ozmer, Penn - No. 25
~ 3B Garrett Staton, Samford - No. 44

Florida - No. 23:
~ LF Blake Cyr, Miami (FL) - No. 6
~ 2B Justin Nadeau, Jacksonville - No. 203
~ DH Landon Stripling, Texas Tech - No. 639

Arkansas - No. 24:
~ 2B/OF Charles Davalan, FGCU - No. 35
~ RF Carson Hansen, Milwaukee - No. 215
~ DH Kuhio Aloy, BYU - No. 692

Texas A&M - No. 32:
~ 3B Wyatt Henseler, Penn - No. 69
~ 1B Matt Bergevin, Fairfield - No. 121

Mississippi State - No. 33:
~ 3B Gehrig Frei, North Alabama - No. 87
~ SS Sawyer Reeves, The Citadel - No. 168

South Carolina - No. 34:
~ CF Dalton Mashore, Saint Mary's - No. 62
~ RHP Caleb Jones, Winthrop - No. 307

Note: Tennessee, Ole Miss and Missouri have yet to receive a transfer commitment. All rankings are courtesy of 64analytics.