Hard-throwing in-state RHP selected in 2020 MLB Draft
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One of the most talented pitchers to come through the Natural State in recent years has become the second Arkansas signee taken in the 2020 MLB Draft.
Markevian “Tink” Hence, a right-hander from Watson Chapel, was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the second round and with the 63rd overall pick on Thursday. That pick comes with a slot value of about $1.08 million.
Ranked the No. 60 recruit in the Class of 2020 by Perfect Game, Hence is just the fifth Arkansas high school player drafted in the first five rounds in the past two decades and the highest since Bryant’s Travis Wood went 60th overall in 2005.
He is also the third draft pick out of Watson Chapel in the last three years. Shortstop Gionti Turner and left-hander Kaleb Hill were taken in the 27th and 39th round, respectively, in 2018.
It is easy to see why St. Louis liked Hence enough to use one of its limited draft picks on him this year. Although he won’t turn 18 until August and has always played older competition, Hence has dominated everywhere he’s played.
As a junior in high school, he posted a 0.64 ERA with 61 strikeouts in 43 2/3 innings. He followed that up with an even better summer with the Arkansas Sticks organization, not allowing an earned run while racking up 41 strikeouts and only four walks in 18 innings across four appearances.
Hence did that with a fastball that already touches 96 miles per hour and his 6-foot-1, 172-pound frame projects even more velocity as he gets older and stronger.
He is the Razorbacks’ second signee selected on Day 2 of the draft, following Kingwood, Texas, two-way standout Masyn Winn (Cardinals, 2nd round, 54th pick).
Both players could potentially still make it to campus, but it is unlikely because they’ll each receive a large signing bonus. There are also some other signees who could join them before the day is over. Here are HawgBeat’s predictions for which signees could join them in the draft and which come to school.
The signing deadline for this year’s draft is Aug. 1.