HawgBeat - Arkansas to host grad transfer infielder
Arkansas is set to host a talented graduate transfer first baseman next week, HawgBeat has learned.
arkansas.rivals.com
The college baseball portal season is already off to a hot start, and that is especially true for the Arkansas baseball team.
With already one confirmed visitor set to be in Fayetteville on Thursday in Miami (OH) shortstop transfer Cooper Weiss, the Hogs will be looking to bring in more players throughout the next few weeks.
Tarleton State infielder Jack Wagner confirmed to HawgBeat that he’ll be taking a visit to the Razorbacks on Tuesday.
During the 2023 season, Wagner played in 48 games. The redshirt junior had a .337 batting average with an OPS of 1.143. He also drove in 56 runs with eight doubles, four triples and 15 home runs. Once he got on base, Wagner managed to steal seven bags during the season.
At first base, the Wichita, Kansas, native made seven errors on the year with a .978 fielding percentage. For reference, Arkansas first baseman Brady Slavens only made one error in 2023 with a .998 fielding percentage.
Before Tarleton State, Wagner was a member of the Kansas Jayhawks and a former teammate of Arkansas center fielder Tavian Josenberger. He played in right field all four years at Kansas.
In 2021, Wagner started 31 games, hitting for a .257 batting average with six doubles and two home runs in 146 plate appearances. He drove in 17 runs and walked 22 times while striking out on 35 occasions.
In 2020, he had six multi-hit games with a 10-game on-base streak. As a freshman in 2019, Wagner played in 17 games, batting .281 in 41 plate appearances. He did not play in 2022 due to an injury.
With Brady Slavens graduating and moving on from his career at Arkansas, head coach Dave Van Horn will be looking to add an experienced first baseman to the fold. Wagner has also proved he can be moved around to different positions, though.
At his next stop, Wagner will have one final year of eligibility.
