FAYETTEVILLE — Don't let Missouri's winless conference record fool you heading into this weekend's series at Baum Stadium.
The Tigers (15-12, 0-6 SEC) boast two of the SEC's best pitchers in senior right-hander Reggie McClain and sophomore right-hander Tanner Houck.
McClain (3-0, 1.72 ERA) is scheduled to start Friday and Houck (2-2, 2.09 ERA) on Saturday.
"Their guy on Friday mixes it up and they have a pitcher on Saturday who throws hard," Arkansas shortstop Michael Bernal said. "Their staff is supposed to be pretty solid and we're looking forward to the challenge."
While McClain has the better stats, it is Houck who is a major prospect for professional baseball. The 6-foot-5, 217-pounder possesses a good slider and a fastball that was clocked at 99 mph last week in his scoreless nine-inning outing vs. Vanderbilt.
Houck struck out 14 and allowed two hits, but took a no-decision against the No. 4 Commodores in the Tigers' 11-inning loss. He is the reigning SEC pitcher of the week.
"You're talking about a first-rounder next year, no doubt, and if he stays healthy and all goes well, he could be the very first player taken in the draft next year," Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said. "He sits pretty much 95-96 and has a power slider. He can pitch."
Houck was a unanimous freshman all-America selection last season and played for the USA Collegiate National Team last summer. Perfect Game USA rates him the No. 1 prospect for the 2017 MLB Draft.
McClain is allowing just less than one hit per inning, but has limited runs by issuing only two walks in 47 innings.
"What stands out is they have great stuff and now they have experience," Van Horn said.
"(McClain) is a guy who I'm surprised is back. I thought he would sign last year....Very rarely do you get back a senior who throws 90 and can throw four pitches for outs."
No. 15 Arkansas (18-7, 3-3 SEC) is expected to counter McClain with junior right-hander Dominic Taccolini (3-1, 4.36 ERA).
After a strong first month, Taccolini has struggled in conference play, allowing a combined 10 runs on 18 hits in eight innings against South Carolina and Auburn.
"He just needs to slow down a little bit; slow down his mind," Van Horn said. "Last weekend, during the first inning he was really good, but he gave up an infield single with two outs and had to start working out of the stretch, and next thing you know he's thrown 25 pitches.
"He's a strike-thrower who can have some quick innings, but he hasn't really been having any quick innings at all."
Taccolini allowed eight runs in the first two innings against the Gamecocks before settling down during a six-inning start. He was pulled after allowing two runs and throwing 65 pitches in a two-inning start against the Tigers.
"Once he got past the second or third inning at South Carolina, he was really good," Van Horn said. "We didn't have time to wait around (against Auburn).
"We just need him to go pitch like he can. There is no magic solution. He's a good pitcher, he has good stuff, he's experienced. I don't feel like he's nervous at all. It's just a matter of executing pitches."
Van Horn said Arkansas will likely throw sophomore right-hander Keaton McKinney (1-0, 4.85 ERA) on Saturday and freshman right-hander Barrett Loseke (1-0, 1.56 ERA) on Sunday.