Arkansas had college-best 10 former players on hand for MLB’s Spring Breakout showcase last weekend

BY DUDLEY E. DAWSON

FAYETTEVILLE – While No. 3 Arkansas was winning its SEC opening series at No. 13 Ole Miss last weekend, a plethora of former Diamond Hog standouts were participating in one of Major League Baseball’s spring showcase events.

The MLB Spring Breakout is a 15-game event that featured many of the youngest and most talented players currently making their way through the minor leagues.

The second annual Spring Breakout had 10 former Arkansas standouts – the most of any college program – participating the event last Thursday through Saturday.

“Yeah, that’s pretty cool,” Arkansas head baseball coach Dave Van Horn said. “It’s good for our program. All of a sudden, MLB pops that out..on Twitter.

“…You know, we all got a good smile out of that. Proud of those guys and happy for them.”

Van Horn and his staff, whose Razorbacks (20-2, 2-1) host South Carolina (17-5) this weekend for a three-game series beginning Friday night at 6 p.m., were quick to share the news with recruits.

“So what do we do?,” Van Horn stated. “We fire it out. We want everybody that we’re recruiting to see that, and hopefully we’ll get them to come our way.

“Excited that those guys are doing well and moving up the ladder.”

That list was headed up by Chicago White Sox pitcher and former Razorback star Hagen Smith, the nation’s top collegiate pitcher last season who was the fifth overall pick of the 2024 draft.

Smith is the White Sox’ No. 3 prospect and No. 34 overall prospect in The Show right now according to MLBPipeline.

He started and pitched two scoreless innings with a strikeout and two walks in a 3-1 loss to the Colorado Rockies prospects.

Smith threw 30 pitches with 127 strikes.


He was followed to the mound by fellow left-handed pitcher and Chicago’s No. 1 and MLB’s No. 14 overall prospect Noah Schultz, who also threw two scoreless innings.

“It was really cool,” Smith said. “It’s cool to pitch on the same day as him.”

They have previously done that in two spring training games and three scoreless innings each at the White Sox’ Saddleback Ranch Complex.

“We have got a good thing going,” noted Schultz, who had 16 strikes in his 22 pitches. “We are set to no there innings (thjs) week.”

Smith and Schultz are expected to start the season at AA Birmingham and have bright futures per Brian Bannister, Director of White Sox Pitching.

“I’ve probably been most impressed with their calm demeanor,” Bannister, said. “Big league camp is challenging for anyone — you’re facing better hitters, you put a lot of pressure on yourself to perform.

“They’re friends, they have different arsenals even though they’re both left-handed, so they’re out there in different styles.

“They walk around not with an ego but kind of a presence that, ‘I belong here.’ They’ve done their work, throwing professional bullpens already. Just the way they carry themselves, they know they’re going to be big leaguers and it’s just exciting to watch them work.”

Two other former Razorbacks that were on the White Sox Spring Breakout roster were Pauley Paulette and catcher Michael Turner, but neither one got into the game.

The White Sox also have former Arkansas outfielders Andrew Benintendi and Dominic Fletcher on their roster.

Benentendi returned to spring training action this week after being out around three weeks with a non-displaced fracture in his hand.

Benintendi’s $17.1 million salary is the highest of any White Sox player this season and he and Luis Robert are the only Chicago players making over $6 million this season for a club in its second year of a rebuild.

Former Arkansas third baseman Cayden Wallace, playing second base for Washington, was 0 for 2 with 2 walks in the Nationals’ 6-6 deadlock with the Houston Astros.

Two former Razorbacks and current Chicago Cubs also played in outfielder Christian Franklin and pitcher Jaxon Wiggins in their 4-1 win over the Angels.

Franklin, the Cubs’ No. 25 prospect, Chicago Cubs was of 0 for 3 with a walk and a run scored in the contest.

Wiggins pitched one scoreless inning while fanning a batter.

Jared Wegner is with the New York Yankees and went for 0 of 2 as a pinch hitter and then designated hitter in his team’s 5-4 loss to Baltimore.

Peyton Stovall was selected to the Cincinnati Reds squad, but did not player in a 9-7 win over Milwaukee.

Seattle third baseman Caleb Cali was 0 of 1 in an 8-7 loss to Cleveland.

Toronto designated hitter Jace Bohrofen rounded out the former Razorbacks involved.

He went 0 for 1 with a walk and two runs scored in a 10-0 win over Twins.

Photo courtesy of Chicago White Sox