HawgBeat - Assessing Arkansas baseball's biggest transfer portal needs
HawgBeat assesses Arkansas baseball's biggest needs of the 2024 offseason.
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For the second straight season, the Arkansas baseball program will have a head start on building its roster during the coming months by using the transfer portal, which officially opened on Monday.
Six everyday position players and one starting pitcher for the Razorbacks started their careers at other programs before making their way to Fayetteville, and head coach Dave Van Horn will once again have to seal up team needs with prospects looking for greener pastures.
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Expected to return for the Diamond Hogs in 2025 is shortstop Wehiwa Aloy, while right fielder Kendall Diggs has another year of collegiate eligibility if his draft prospects don't align with his goals. Either way, Van Horn expects to be gutted during the offseason.
"Your whole rotation will probably go if they get an opportunity," Van Horn said. "I could go on and on. I think about it every day. It’s just the way it is. It’s the way it is these days."
Arkansas will definitely lose ace left-hander Hagen Smith to the draft, while fellow mound mates Brady Tygart, Mason Molina and Will McEntire may call it a career as well.
Fortunately for the Hogs, the freshman trio of Gabe Gaeckle, Colin Fisher and Hunter Dietz are more than capable of grabbing a starting role next season. Keep an eye on talented freshman lefty Adam Hachman too if he can rebound from his UCL injury.
On top of those four, probable returners Gage Wood and Ben Bybee have starting experience and will look to make a jump heading into their junior campaigns.
Though Van Horn and pitching coach Matt Hobbs may want to add a clear-cut starting contributor from the portal along with a few bullpen pieces, the main priority should be in the field.
"We’ve lost our complete outfield again," Van Horn said. "They’ll all be gone. Going to lose your second baseman. I don’t think the first baseman will be back. Starting catcher’s gone. Starting third baseman graduates.
Based on what Van Horn believes, the Razorbacks are projected to need a new catcher, first baseman, middle infielder and an entire outfield. One of second or third base will likely be occupied by soon-to-be sophomore Nolan Souza and Ryder Helfrick will get his chance at catcher, but don't be surprised if an experienced addition is still made behind the plate.
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As previously mentioned, Diggs isn't a lock to return despite his underperforming season. Ty Wilmsmeyer and Peyton Holt are set to graduate as well, so there's a good chance three new faces take over those spots for the second straight year — and that may not necessarily be a bad thing.
"The outfield this year, they all hit seven, eight, nine in the order a lot of them, very rare," Van Horn said. "Usually those guys are going to be in the middle of the order, we’ve got to get that right. So, we’re working on it. I could go on and on about personnel and what we’ve got to do for the future because my mind is already hitting there and it really never leaves there."
To summarize, the Razorbacks will be making a lot of moves this offseason from the portal. A couple of players already in the program (Reese Robinett, for example) or freshmen could enter their names in the conversation for playing time, but expect Arkansas to be a major player for transfers.
Van Horn already has junior college commitments from Florida Southwestern State outfielder Justin Thomas and New Mexico J.C. infielder Brent Iredale, and many more will be heading to the Natural State over the coming weeks.
Be sure to follow along on The Trough premium message board for updates on all the offseason action.
