ESPN projects Hagen Smith as first pitcher selected in 2024 MLB Draft
While there are two weekends left in the 2024 college baseball regular season with the entire postseason to played, time is winding down on the opportunities to watch junior Hagen Smith pitch for the Arkansas Razorbacks.
The native of Bullard, Texas, is a virtual lock to go in the first round of July's draft, which will be held in Smith's home state (Arlington). ESPN MLB Insider Kiley McDaniel released his latest 2024 MLB Draft prospect rankings, and he has Smith rated as the No. 4 overall prospect and top pitcher in the draft.
"Smith had Tommy John surgery in high school and pitched out of the bullpen part of last season but has taken a big step forward this year, posting otherworldly numbers due to an elite fastball/slider combo," McDaniel wrote. "He also had one of the most outrageous pitching performances in the history of the sport, striking out 15 hitters in the first five innings (finishing with 17 K's over six innings) against a top-10 team, (Travis) Bazzana's Oregon State Beavers."
Also included in McDaniel's rankings was a 13-pick mini mock draft that had the Chicago White Sox making Smith the first pitcher to come off the board at No. 5 overall. Arkansas already has a strong footprint in the White Sox organization with former players such as Andrew Benintendi, Dominic Fletcher, Michael Turner and Peyton Pallette, to name a few.
Smith is pitching at a historic level so far this year. He owns a 9-0 record with a 1.36 ERA, 125 strikeouts and just 25 walks in 66.0 innings pitched. The 6-foot-3, 225-pounder has allowed just 10 earned runs on 29 hits in 12 starts so far.
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Arkansas' ace currently ranks third nationally in strikeouts, first in strikeouts per nine innings (17.05), second in WHIP (0.82), first in ERA and first in hits allowed per nine innings (3.95).
As for the other Razorbacks included in McDaniel's top-154 prospects for this year's draft, junior second baseman Peyton Stovall checked in at No. 119 and junior right-handed pitcher Brady Tygart was No. 123.
Tygart owns a 3.34 ERA with 66 strikeouts and 30 walks across 56.2 innings pitched. The Hernando, Mississippi, native battled a sprained UCL injury as a sophomore in 2023, when he made 10 appearances and had a 3.20 ERA with 31 strikeouts. Tygart was a Perfect Game First Team Freshman All-American after earning eight saves as Arkansas' bullpen ace in 2022.
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Stovall's season was cut short last year due to a torn labrum and he missed the first 12 games this season due to a broken foot. That hasn't stopped the Haughton, Louisiana, native from going on a tear this year, though. Stovall leads the team with a .362 batting average, 35 runs batted in, 55 hits and a .582 slugging percentage despite playing in 37 of the team's 49 games so far.
Also listed were three of the Razorbacks' high school signees. As has become a yearly tradition for head coach Dave Van Horn and his staff, the Hogs have plenty of highly-touted incoming freshmen who have a solid shot at being drafted and signing.
Shortstop prospect Tyson Lewis out of Yutan, Nebraska, was ranked 47th. Blue Valley West High School (Kansas) product Eli Lovich, younger brother of Arkansas outfielder Ross Lovich, checked in at 99th on the list. Left-handed pitcher Cole Gibler out of Blue Springs, Missouri, was ranked 105th.