We are 15 days away from Arkansas baseball, and it's time for HawgBeat to begin its annual lineup preview series for the 2024 Diamond Hogs.
With scrimmage coverage, analysis, interviews, previews, the Diamond Hawgs Podcast and more, HawgBeat provides the best Arkansas baseball coverage around.
We begin things with the leadoff spot, which second baseman Peyton Stovall is projected to fill...
#10 - Peyton Stovall - 2B
Jr. | L/R | 5-11 | 200
Haughton, La. / Haughton HS
2023: 38 games, .253/.330/.393, 4 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 31 RBI, 15 BB/27 K, 3 SB
After an electric postseason showing to close out his freshman season in 2022, Stovall had a tough sophomore campaign last year. The Louisiana native suffered a labrum tear in his shoulder, and it was revealed May 17 that he season with the Diamond Hogs was over after he played in just 38 games.
The news of his season being over didn't come until a few weeks after his last action. He played in an 8-7 win over Texas A&M to secure a series sweep on April 29, but then Stovall didn't see the field anymore after that.
"It was tough, because I wanted to keep playing," Stovall said Monday. "I kept playing up until I couldn't anymore. I ended up finally after that A&M series, I was like 'It's too much. Enough is enough.' That's kind of when we found out about my shoulder."
While his defense at second base was excellent in 2023, Stovall was noticeably struggling at the plate, and that could've played a role in his numbers being down.
"I think it impacted it a lot, big-time on offense," head coach Dave Van Horn said of Stovall's injury May 17. "As a matter of fact, we think he hurt it swinging. There were a couple of pitches when he swung and missed that stood out when he grimaced big time. He remembers one of them, and that was a month and a half ago."
Stovall posted to X (formerly Twitter) that he had surgery on June 8, and he finally returned to live action at Baum-Walker Stadium on Sunday and Monday for preseason intrasquad scrimmages.
"You kind of have a different mindset when something’s taken from you for so long that you love to do," Stovall said Monday. "For me, like baseball, I wasn’t really doing anything for eight or nine months. Just really grinding out rehab day in and day out and so it just brings another level of joy and passion to the game for me.
"That’s why I was so excited to be out here, was a little nervous. There was probably 150 people out here yesterday and I was like, ‘That’s a lot.’ And we’ve played in huge crowds before, so yeah it kind of lights more of a fire for me going into the season."
It's not long ago that Stovall slashed a team-leading .429/.451/.571 with two homers and 13 RBIs in 11 postseason games in 2022. Van Horn told reporters Jan. 25 that Stovall is a solid choice to hit in the leadoff spot, and he could really be a weapon if he plays to his potential.
"If we started tomorrow, that's probably who I would hit leadoff," Van Horn said. "He can swing the bat extremely well, he's got a good eye, he's a lot stronger than he was last year at this time. Really seeing improvement of him driving the ball the other way."
Arkansas will host James Madison at Baum-Walker Stadium on Friday, Feb. 16 for Opening Day. The first game of the season is set for a 3 p.m. CT first pitch and it will be streamed on the SEC Network+.
HawgBeat's Lineup Breakdown Series
1. #10 - Peyton Stovall - 2B
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