Jiminez’ debut among bright spots in Diamond Hogs’ first two 2025 scrimmages

BY DUDLEY E. DAWSON

FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas baseball coach Dave Van Horn sent eight pitchers to the mound during Friday’s scrimmage, but only one of those was making his debut on the mound at Baum-Walker Stadium.

That was Oregon State transfer Aiden Jimenez, who missed all of last season after Tommy John surgery and was able unable to pitch this fall at his new home while rehabbing.

Jimenez fired 19 pitches – 11 of them strikes – fanning three batters while allowing a solo homer to freshman Brenton Clarke as the likely starters on the Gray squad downed the Cardinal 4-1 in a six-inning scrimmage.

The hitters got the best of things during Saturday’s scrimmage as the Cardinal – most of whom played on the Gray on Friday – cruised to an 11-2 win.

Jiminez was 5-2 with a 5.68 ERA as a freshman for the Beavers and expected to be in the OSU weekend rotation before the injury.

Van Horn was hopeful to see the 6-3, 225-pound right hander pitch at some point during the upcoming season, but was unsure for a long time when Jiminez would be able to help.

“We didn’t know in the fall, weren’t sure where we got him to sign for us and the verbiage was basically if you are not ready to pitch this year, we will get you ready for next year (2026),” Van Horn said.

“But the kid is an incredible worker. I mean he is not even 12 months out of Tommy John. He’s got good stuff. We knew a couple of months ago he was going to be ready this season.

“He throws the ball downhill. He made one mistake and it got hammered, but other than that he was really good. He has got a wipe our breaking ball and he didn’t even though his split finger, which is nasty with a lot of natural tumbles and sink on it.

“Everybody is real excited about him. He’s super kid, a hard worker glad we got him.”

Jimenez and the rest of the pitchers pumped in strikes throughout the Friday contest while allowing a combined 11 hits, fanning 18 and walking just three batters.

Gabe Gaeckle and Gage Wood tossed two scoreless innings each to open the contest in 40-degree weather.

“I thought that both looked great actually,” Van Horn said. “They were throwing the ball 95, 96 miles an hour in this type of weather, the first time out. Obviously they were on a…pitch limit, but both got their innings in and threw a lot of strikes.”

Dylan Carter also tosses a pair of frames while Tate McGuire, Steele Eaves, Jimenez, Christian Foutch and Parker Coil all tossed an inning apiece.

The Gray jumped out front in the bottom of the second when Brett Iredale walked, raced to third on Nolan Souza’s single and scored on Ryder Helfrick’s sacrifice fly.

The latter two were involved in the fourth inning when the Gray plated a trio of runs when Souza singled to being the rally and rode home on Rocco Peppi’s two-run blast to start the scoring.

Helfrick was hit by a pitch later in the inning and run for by Souza, who moved up on a wild pitch and then stole third.

Helfrick’s sacrifice fly plated Souza for the 4-0 advantage.

Clarke capped Friday’s scoring with his line drive homer off of Jiminez.

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The Cardinal got things going early on Saturday with a three-run first inning that included singles by Wehiwa Aloy and Logan Maxwell and a two-out, two-run single by Helfrick.

The Gray cut that to 3-1 when Gabe Fraser reached on a bunt single and scored on Zane Becker’s two-out double.

Bouncing right back, the Cardinal’s edge grew to 5-1 in the second when Justin Thomas walked and first baseman Michael Anderson launched a two-run homer.

Anderson’s blast was measured at 417.8 feet and left the bat at 108 miles per hour.

A four-run third pushed it to 9-1 and began with a Kendal Diggs’ single, included a two-run error on a ball hit by Thomas and was capped by an Anderson run-scoring double.

Elliott Peterson’s solo homer added a run for the Gray, but Diggs’ two-run single ended things in the top of the sixth.

Cole Gibler, Zach Root, Will McEntire, Ben Bybee and Jackson Ferrell were among those who saw time on the mound Saturday.

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The two teams will be back in action Sunday with first pitch set for 12:35 p.m.

Photo by John D. James