FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas' baseball team was greeted with a glorious, sunny day on the opening day of spring practice Friday at Baum Stadium.
The Razorbacks, ranked No. 16 in Perfect Game's preseason rankings, are hoping to improve on last year's 40-25 record and earn their 14th consecutive trip to an NCAA regional under Coach Dave Van Horn.
Arkansas baseball
2014 RECORD40-25, 16-14 (4th) in SEC West
POSTSEASON 2-2 in Charlottesville (Va.) Regional
RETURNING STARTERS INF/OF Clark Eagan (.301), LF/DH Joe Serrano (.289), SS Brett McAfee* (.277), CF Andrew Benintendi (.276), RF Tyler Spoon (.256), SS Michael Bernal (.250), 3B Bobby Wernes (.217)
RETURNING KEY PITCHERS RHP starter Trey Killian (4-9, 2.30), RHP reliever Jacob Stone (4-0, 0.94), RHP Zach Jackson (2-3, 2.53)
KEY SIGNEES RHP Keaton McKinney, OF Luke Bonfield, 2B Rick Nomura, INF Max Hogan, C Tucker Pennell, INF Blake Wiggins, C Nathan Rodriguez#
- Limited to 15 games by injuries in 2014
Ineligible, suspended for season
Arkansas, which owns the nation's best earned run average over the past three years at 2.47, figures to have a transition season ahead on the mound, but its core of position players looks like its deepest in years.
"We've got a lot of competition for playing time with the position players," said Van Horn, who is in his 13th season at Arkansas. "I still think the pitching staff is something that will be evaluated probably week to week throughout the season so we can figure out who we're going to start and who we're going to leave in that bullpen."
Right-hander Trey Killian, coming off a bout of tendinitis this summer that ended his run with the USA Collegiate National team coached by Van Horn, heads the starting rotation. Sophomore right-handers Zach Jackson, Dominic Taccolini and James Teague and freshman right-hander Keaton McKinney are the most likely pitchers to join him in the weekend rotation.
Senior right-hander Jacob Stone (4-0, 0.94 ERA, 4 saves) is the most likely closer, and a lengthy array of pitchers -- which is noticeably short of left-handers -- will comprise the bullpen.
The return of shortstop Brett McAfee, who missed all but 15 games last season while dealing with a back injury, has helped create infield depth that should give Van Horn plenty of options.
Juniors Michael Bernal and Bobby Wernes both played extensively on the left side of the infield last year. Junior transfers Rick Nomura and Matt Campbell, a former North Carolina signee, will get looks at second base. Clark Eagan, an outfielder and designated hitter last year and the team's top returning hitter (.301), is working at first base along with signee Blake Wiggins of Little Rock.
The outfield could get crowded with returning starters Tyler Spoon, Joe Serrano and Andrew Benintendi pushed by heralded signee Luke Bonfield, returning senior KJ Wilkerson, a potential power bat, and others.
"We've got good players at every position doubled up pretty good, and it makes it hard on the coaching staff," Van Horn said. "I told the players, make it hard on us. We'll do the best we can to write down the right lineup. But really, bottom line, the players write the lineup."
The Razorbacks ranked 12th in the SEC and 185th nationally with a .263 batting average, and seventh in the SEC and tied for 75th nationally with 323 runs scored. A new baseball, with lowered seams and presumably more pop, and a deeper lineup should help the Razorbacks improve in both of those categories.
"I think that if we had a big-time experienced pitching staff with the team we're going to put on the field, we'd be ranked pretty good," Van Horn said. "But it's still a big question mark."
The Razorbacks open Feb. 13 with a three-game series at Baum Stadium against North Dakota. West Coast teams Cal, Loyola-Marymount and Gonzaga come to Baum Stadium during a challenging nonconference schedule before the Razorbacks open SEC play March 13 at defending NCAA champion Vanderbilt.
Sports on 01/24/2015