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FAYETTEVILLE — His name is noticeably absent from preseason All-America lists, but if Cayden Wallace continues to swing the bat like he did this weekend, that won’t be the case after the season.
After missing Arkansas’ first preseason intrasquad scrimmage to attend a funeral, the sophomore has hit the cover off the ball, going 4 for 4 with three extra-base hits and two RBIs over the scrimmages Sunday and Monday afternoon.
Two of Wallace’s hits have been doubles, including a rocket off the wall Monday, but his biggest swing was on a Hagen Smith fastball that he deposited well into the Hog Pen for a solo home run.
“I’m just trying to barrel baseballs and get ready for the first game,” Wallace said of his hot start. “I just did my job (on the home run). He threw it where I was looking and I just got lucky.”
It may not have been as flashy as the long ball, but Wallace’s most impressive at bat came in his final plate appearance of the weekend.
He took back-to-back strikes from Miller Pleimann and quickly found himself in an 0-2 hole with the bases loaded and only one out. The right-hander seemingly tried to throw the same pitch by him again, but this time Wallace got his bat on it and drove it the other way.
The right fielder had plenty of room to make a relatively easy catch for the out, but it was plenty deep enough to bring in a run as a sacrifice fly.
Wallace is also firmly entrenched as the Razorbacks’ starting third baseman, his natural position, after spending the 2021 season in right field and getting some early looks in center during fall ball.
The had to make only one play in Monday’s scrimmage, but he looked good doing it, as he started a 5-4-3 double play that limited the damage in the third inning.
“I feel like I never left,” Wallace said. “I’ve always loved playing there, so I’m comfortable there and I’m just glad I’m back there. … I enjoyed it in center, I felt fine in center, but I felt like third base is home.”
Rotation in Flux
The Razorbacks were dealt a major blow when it was revealed about a week before the start of preseason practices that projected ace Peyton Pallette injured his elbow and needed Tommy John surgery.
In his absence, Arkansas needs someone to step up and fill the No. 1 role and it seems like Connor Noland is set to be that guy. The right-hander was never fully healthy last season, but is now in the best shape of his life and has been pretty consistent this offseason.
Getting the nod in Saturday’s scrimmage, Noland was nearly perfect in two innings of work. He gave up one hit, an infield single to Robert Moore, but struck out five of the seven batters he faced - including four projected starters.
Sources indicated he was up to 92 mph on his fastball and he’s added a cutter that has some late depth to go with his curveball and slider.
Wallace told HawgBeat that he believes Noland is “legit,” but added the No. 2 guy might be freshman Hagen Smith. The left-hander walked a couple and gave up two hard-hit balls to Wallace - a home run and a double - but also struck out four projected contributors in his 1 2/3 innings.
