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."
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.
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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."
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.
