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This is the third story in our series spotlighting members of Arkansas baseball's highly touted 2020 signing class, which is ranked third nationally by Perfect Game and Baseball America. Links to previous profiles can be found below.
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The coronavirus-induced sports shutdown just surpassed the two-month mark, but it hasn’t felt that long to Cayden Wallace.
An in-state signee from Greenbrier, the talented third baseman has spent a lot of time working out with dumbbells at his house and doing other things to prepare for the next step in his career - whether that’s with the Razorbacks or in the minor leagues.
“I’m just working out, fishing and trying to stay in baseball shape as best I can and playing some basketball in the backyard,” Wallace said. “Just trying to do everything I can to remain in shape for whenever they call and say it’s open, for baseball to be back, so I can be able to go back out there and play.”
It also helps that the pandemic has forced his older brother, Paxton, to return home from college and join Wallace in his workouts.
The No. 230 overall recruit in the Class of 2017, according to Perfect Game, Paxton has played at Wichita State the last three years, where he hit a team-high nine home runs in 2019.
“It’s helped both of us because we bounce ideas off each other and any time we have questions, we can ask each other,” Wallace said. “We go fishing together all the time and hunting together all the time. I couldn’t have asked for a better brother. I’m just lucky to have him.”
All of that work is getting Wallace ready for wherever he suits up next. As mentioned above, he’ll certainly have a major decision to make this summer.
Most experts believe he’s capable of being selected in the MLB Draft, even if it’s significantly shortened. Wallace is 114th and 139th on prospect lists by MLB Pipeline and Baseball America, respectively, both of which would put him firmly in the 160 picks of a five-round draft and come with a signing bonus of $400,000 to $500,000, based on the designated slot values.
