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Jacob Nesbit is hanging up his cleats and calling it a career after four seasons in the Arkansas baseball program.

The full-time third baseman on the Razorbacks’ 2019 College World Series team, Nesbit has announced he will forgo his two remaining years of eligibility and step away from the game.

Instead, the Coppell, Texas, native will return to Arkansas for a role within the athletic department next year, serving as an administrative graduate assistant.

Having started 96 games over the last three seasons, Nesbit struggled at the plate and saw his playing time dwindle this year. By the end of the regular season, he was primarily only used as a late-innings defensive replacement.

However, he was a key cog during the Razorbacks’ run to Omaha. After redshirting his first year on campus, Nesbit became a rare redshirt freshman contributor at Arkansas.

Appearing in all but two games in 2019, he slashed .255/.333/.344 with three home runs and 42 RBIs, while also being successful on 7 of 10 stolen base attempts. His eight sacrifice flies that season are tied for third on the UA single-season list.

During the pandemic-shortened season, Nesbit’s slash line was slightly better at .259/.348/.397 with nine RBIs in 16 games. His lone home run that year came against Oklahoma’s Cade Cavalli, a first-round pick, in the Shriners College Classic at Minute Maid Park.

Despite beginning the 2021 season as Arkansas’ starting third baseman, Nesbit split time with Cullen Smith most of the year. Although he was considered the better defender, he struggled to a .205/.341/.288 slash line that was much worse than Smith’s .263/.395/.519.

While he did hit two home runs, with one being a grand slam against Memphis, Nesbit earned his playing time with his glove. Head coach Dave Van Horn routinely subbed him in late in close games for defensive purposes.

With so many talented players returning to school and making it to campus, though, Nesbit’s role was likely to decrease even more next season.

In addition to All-SEC second baseman Robert Moore, the Razorbacks are also unexpectedly getting first baseman Brady Slavens and shortstop Jalen Battles back for another year, plus they kept heralded incoming freshman infielders Peyton Stovall and Drake Varnado from their 2021 signing class.

Nesbit’s decision brings Arkansas’ projected 2022 roster down to 50 players, assuming all drafted players and signees - excluding Drake Varnado and Braylon Bishop - sign professionally. That must be cut to 40 by next spring.

Position Players (22)

Ethan Bates - INF/OF
Jalen Battles - INF
*Braylon Bishop - OF
*Jace Bohrofen - OF
*Gabe D’Arcy - OF
*Kendall Diggs - INF
Zack Gregory - OF
*Cameron Leach - OF
Dylan Leach - C
*Reece McWilliams - INF
Robert Moore - INF
*Jade Putz - INF
Brady Slavens - INF
*Max Soliz Jr. - C
*Peyton Stovall - INF
*Michael Turner - C/INF
*Drake Varnado - INF
*Zac Vooletich - INF/C
Cayden Wallace - INF/OF
Braydon Webb - OF
Zac White - INF/OF
*Landrey Wilkerson - OF

Pitchers (28)

Mark Adamiak - RHP
Issac Bracken - RHP
Tyler Cacciatori - RHP
*Dylan Carter - RHP
*Jake Faherty - RHP
Evan Gray - RHP
Nick Griffin - LHP
*Austin Ledbetter - RHP (also 3B)
Matthew Magre - LHP
Will McEntire - RHP
*Isaac Mitchell - LHP
Zack Morris - LHP
*Nick Moten - RHP
Connor Noland - RHP
Peyton Pallette - RHP
Miller Pleimann - RHP
Kole Ramage - RHP
Nathan Rintz - RHP
*Hagen Smith - LHP
Corey Spain - LHP
Louis Stallone - RHP
Gabriel Starks - RHP
Evan Taylor - LHP
Heston Tole - RHP
*Vincent Trapani - RHP
*Brady Tygart - RHP
Zebulon Vermillion - RHP
Jaxon Wiggins - RHP