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As other college catchers started coming off the board in the back half of the MLB Draft, it started to sink in with A.J. Lewis and Robert Emery that the unthinkable was going to happen.
While fans in Arkansas were celebrating Casey Opitz falling completely out of the shortened draft, the future of the Razorbacks’ two graduate transfers signed to replace him was suddenly up in the air.
Head coach Dave Van Horn told reporters he hoped to keep one of them and now, two weeks later, there is finally clarity on the situation.
Lewis, an All-American from Eastern Kentucky, told HawgBeat that he is still coming to Arkansas and will report to campus next month, while Emery - an all-conference performer at San Francisco - is moving on.
Both catchers admitted they were surprised by the development because, like the Razorbacks’ entire coaching staff, they thought Opitz was a lock to get drafted.
However, when Central Michigan’s Zavier Warren, Arizona’s Matthew Dyer, Oklahoma’s Brady Lindsly and Virginia Tech’s Carson Taylor got drafted in a span of 38 picks across the third and fourth rounds, it became clear to them that Opitz didn’t get the offer he was looking for and told teams he would return to Arkansas.
“It was a foregone conclusion (that he’d get drafted),” Lewis said. “When it didn’t happen, I was not mad at Coach Van Horn at all. I couldn’t be because who would have known that? No one could have known.”
Van Horn said he talked to both players about the possibility of Opitz going undrafted, but Emery said it felt more like a formality because no one really expected it to happen.
“I think everyone around the program was surprised by it,” Emery said. “But it’s hard to be surprised by anything in a year like this.”
Lewis praised the coaching staff for its transparency and said he hasn’t had any second thoughts about his decision to sign with the Razorbacks.
Coming off a shortened season in which he hit .451/.541/.843 with three home runs and 21 RBIs in 13 games and earned first-team All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball, Lewis had plenty of options after entering the transfer portal and ultimately picked Arkansas over SEC West rival LSU.
When Van Horn reached out after the draft, Lewis said the veteran coach joked that he would have to change jersey numbers because he wore No. 12 - same as Opitz - with the Colonels. That didn’t alter his plans, though.
“Arkansas is a very special place,” Lewis said. “I see a lot of opportunity there. I see a possibility to win a national championship. Ultimately, that’s the goal at this point. I’m a fifth-year guy.
“Of course I want to play professionally, but at this point in my career, I’m trying to win. I want to have something behind my name. I want to be a part of something special and I still feel like that was the case at Arkansas.”
Keeping Lewis on board makes the most sense for the Razorbacks because of his versatility. In addition to catching, he has also played first base, third base and both corner outfield spots in college.
Although Opitz will certainly need a backup to provide some rest, particularly for midweek games and doubleheaders, he’ll likely handle the bulk of the catching in 2021, so being able to play multiple positions will help keep Lewis in the lineup.
“I’ll go whenever, wherever,” Lewis said when asked about which secondary position he was most comfortable playing. “As long as I’m able to put my bat in the lineup and help us win, that’s all I care about.”
Much like Lewis with the jersey number, Emery also had a sense of humor when Van Horn called the day after the draft to “talk about this situation.” He quipped back, What situation?
The Razorbacks released him from his agreement with them, which allowed him to pursue other opportunities. He was hitting .381/.451/.540 with two home runs and nine RBIs through 17 games when this season was called off and hit .320 while earning second-team All-WCC honors last season.
Several schools reached out, but Emery couldn’t pass up a chance to fulfill a childhood dream when the San Francisco Giants approached him about signing as an undrafted free agent.
A native of San Francisco, his family used to have season tickets for the Giants and they lived close enough to walk to the stadium. He attended spring training eight straight years and even got to ride in the 2014 World Series parade on Tim Lincecum’s float because his best friend was the team’s bat boy. All things considered, Emery didn’t even want to say it was “bittersweet” the way everything played out.
“Obviously I would have loved to play at Arkansas, but I would just call it a sweet moment,” Emery said. “Just being here back home and having this opportunity is something I’ve dreamed about my whole life, so it’s hard for me to say anything is bittersweet right now.”
Lewis said he plans to be in Fayetteville in time for voluntary workouts, which are scheduled to begin July 6 for baseball and other spring sports in the final part of Arkansas’ four-phase plan for the return of student-athletes, because he feels it’s important to get acclimated to his new home.
Having played together in the Cape Cod League, he and Emery are obviously disappointed they won’t get an opportunity to play together at Arkansas like they had planned. With the minor league season likely not happening this summer, though, Emery said he hopes to still make it out to Fayetteville to support his friend.
“It seems like I’m going to have a pretty long offseason here, so I think I might do more than just follow him at Arkansas,” Emery said. “I think I might like to get down to campus and hang out with him and maybe even get around the program a little bit hopefully.”
A few months ago, Lewis probably expected to be beginning his professional career this summer, as well, but the draft being shortened to five rounds and the NCAA granting an extra year of eligibility changed those plans.
“Obviously there was (some disappointment), but I couldn’t be too mad,” Lewis said. “I still have an opportunity to go to Arkansas and extend my career, so I’m grateful.
“I’m extremely grateful for an opportunity to play another time and I can’t wait to get out there and show what I can do so hopefully I can get to the next level.”
