Arkansas baseball 2023 MLB Draft rundown
The 2023 MLB Draft has come to an end and Arkansas baseball head coach Dave Van Horn and his staff now have a slightly more clear picture of what the team's 2024 roster will look like.
Arkansas had seven players, seven signees and one committed transfer selected in the draft. The seven signees drafted were the most of any other school, according to Baseball America's Teddy Cahill.
Five of the current players and six of the signees — seven if you include incoming Indiana transfer pitcher Craig Yoho, who was committed to the Hogs — were taken in the first 10 rounds of the draft, meaning they are virtual locks to sign with the team that selected them.
Day 3 selections included right-handed pitcher Cody Adcock being drafted in the 13th round by the Cincinnati Reds and third baseman Caleb Cali going in the 16th round to the Seattle Mariners. Both now have the choice to sign or return for another season.
Right-handed pitcher signee Gabe Gaeckle was also selected by the Reds in the 20th round, though he told HawgBeat's Kevin Bohannon that he still intends to make it to campus.
While the Diamond Hogs most certainly got smoked in the draft — just as Van Horn predicted — they did receive a few pleasant surprised from top prospects.
Included in that group were some of MLB Pipeline's top-250 draft prospects. It's understood that pitchers Adam Hachman (No. 101), Hunter Dietz (No. 141) and Gaeckle (No. 159) have the intentions to play for the Razorbacks. Top-250 position players not selected in the draft include catcher Ryder Helfrick (205) and shortstop Nolan Souza (222), who posted via Instagram he intends to make it to campus.
Other top-250 signees not drafted include pitchers Colin Fisher (139) and Tate McGuire (183). Neither has formally announced their intentions to play for the Hogs.
Other incoming Arkansas signees include catcher Ty Waid — ranked No. 90 nationally on Perfect Game — third baseman Cade Smith, catcher Nate Franco and pitchers Jack Smith, Jonah Conradt, Diego Ramos and Jaewoo Cho.
Arkansas also avoided some of its current players getting away, such as utility man Peyton Holt and pitchers Will McEntire and Zack Morris.
As previously mentioned, expect all of the players drafted within the first 10 rounds to sign with the team that drafted them. Only three players drafted in the first 10 rounds of the 2022 MLB Draft elected not to sign. All players have until July 25 to sign with their respective MLB team.
Another date to keep in mind is Thursday, July 13, which is when the transfer portal closes for undergraduate players. Notably, Mercer pitcher Josh Harlow, who visited Arkansas and was in the transfer portal, was drafted by the Cleveland Guardians in the 19th round.
Below is a full rundown of players with ties to Arkansas who were drafted, where they were drafted and what MLB Pipeline approximated the slot value for some players...
DRAFTED PLAYERS
RHP Jaxon Wiggins - Round 2C, Pick 68 to Chicago Cubs
Approximate pick value: $1.10 million
Signing bonus: $1,401,500
LHP Hunter Hollan - Round 3, Pick 74 to Cincinnati Reds
Approximate pick value: $975,100
Signing bonus: $597,500
OF Tavian Josenberger - Round 3, Pick 100 to Baltimore Orioles
Approximate pick value: $671,800
Signing bonus: $630,000
OF Jace Bohrofen - Round 6, Pick 184 to Toronto Blue Jays
Approximate pick value: $304,700
Signing bonus: $302,200
OF Jared Wegner - Round 9, Pick 282 to New York Yankees
Approximate pick value: $173,100
Signing bonus: $72,500
RHP Cody Adcock - Round 13, Pick 378 to Cincinnati Reds
No approximate pick value
Signing bonus: $150,000
3B Caleb Cali - Round 16, Pick 487 to Seattle Mariners
No approximate pick value
Signing bonus: $150,000
DRAFTED SIGNEES/TRANSFERS
3B Aidan Miller - Round 1, Pick 27 to Philadelphia Phillies
Approximate pick value: $2.97 million
Signing bonus: $3,100,000
OF Kendall George - Round 1B, Pick 36 to Los Angeles Dodgers
Approximate pick value: $2.36 million
Signing bonus: $1,847,500
SS Nazzan Zanetello - Round 2, Pick 50 to Boston Red Sox
Approximate pick value: $1.70 million
Signing bonus: $3,000,000
SS Walker Martin - Round 2, Pick 52 to San Francisco Giants
Approximate pick value: $1.62 million
Signing bonus: $2,997,500
RHP Dylan Questad - Round 5, Pick 150 to Minnesota Twins
Approximate pick value: $412,600
Signing bonus: $500,000
RHP Barrett Kent - Round 8, Pick 234 to Los Angeles Angels
Approximate pick value: $206,500
Signing bonus: $1,000,000
RHP Craig Yoho* - Round 8, Pick 242 to Milwaukee Brewers
Approximate pick value: $196,700
Signing bonus: $10,000
RHP Gabe Gaeckle - Round 20, Pick 588 to Cincinnati Reds
No approximate pick value
* - incoming transfer from Indiana