Pro Hogs in Minor League Baseball at start of 2021

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For the first time in more than a year, Minor League Baseball returned Tuesday night.

Most of the 120 teams across the four levels of each MLB team’s farm system opened their seasons, marking the first time they played since 2019 because last year was completely wiped out by the pandemic.

Considering Arkansas’ success on the field and in the draft the last several years, it should be no surprise that there are quite a few former Razorbacks currently on minor league rosters.

Those players - and several others with Arkansas ties - are listed below. One name you won’t see mentioned is Heston Kjerstad, the No. 2 overall pick in last summer’s MLB Draft.

Although he is the No. 59 overall prospect in baseball and No. 3 prospect in the Orioles’ system, according to MLB Pipeline, Kjerstad will not begin the 2021 season with any of Baltimore’s affiliates.

The Orioles are being extra careful with their young, rising star, as Kjerstad is still working his way back into shape after battling myocarditis last summer. He is expected to participate in extended spring training in Sarasota, Fla., next week and Baltimore is in no rush to get him on the field.

Here’s a rundown of everyone else…

Brett Eibner - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (Marlins)

After starring as a two-way player at Arkansas, Eibner was drafted in the second round and actually reached the majors as an outfielder. He hit eight home runs in 87 games with three different teams across two seasons before deciding to switch to pitching. It never materialized beyond High-A ball, though, and he was playing in an independent league last year when the Marlins called during their COVID-19 issues. Eibner actually appeared in three games on the mound in the big leagues. Now he’ll begin the 2021 season in Triple A.

Logan Forsythe - Nashville Sounds (Brewers)

Entering his age 34 season, Forsythe is an experienced veteran who has played in nearly 1,000 big league games over the last 10 years. A versatile player, most of his career has been as a second baseman, but he’s also started at the other three infield positions, both corner outfield spots and designated hitter (he’s even pitched once). The Brewers picked up Forsythe on Tuesday and assigned him to Triple A.

Blake Parker - Columbus Clippers (Indians)

A Fayetteville native who played in the field and caught for the Razorbacks, Parker was converted to a pitcher in the minor leagues and has carved out a career as a journeyman reliever. Since 2012, he’s appeared in 303 games with six different teams - most recently the Phillies - and posted a respectable 3.52 career ERA. Parker signed a minor league deal with the Indians this offseason.

Matt Reynolds - Charlotte Knights (White Sox)

Having already appeared in the majors with the Mets, Nationals and - most recently - Royals, Reynolds will try to make it back with the White Sox. He’s been part of Chicago’s taxi squad and will start the season in Triple A.

Chad Spanberger - Nashville Sounds (Brewers)

The only former Arkansas player in Triple A at the beginning of 2021 who has yet to make his big league debut is Spanberger. Traded to the Brewers following the 2019 season, he has put up solid numbers so far during his minor league career, hitting .274/.340/.501 with 59 home runs and 200 RBIs in 305 games.

Jax Biggers - Frisco RoughRiders (Rangers)

The starting shortstop on Arkansas’ 2018 national runner-up team, Biggers has steadily climbed the Rangers’ system and - after hitting .282 in Single A in 2019 - will begin this season in Double A.

Dominic Fletcher - Amarillo Sod Poodles (Diamondbacks)

A key part of the Razorbacks’ back-to-back College World Series teams, Fletcher is the first member of Arkansas’ 2019 draft class to reach Double A. It’s been a rapid climb, as he’s essentially played just half of a professional season. That was right after he was drafted in the second round, when he hit .318 in 55 games for Single-A Kane County. He is No. 15 on the Diamondbacks’ list of top 30 prospects.

Zach Jackson - Midland Rockhounds (A’s)

Jackson seemed to be on the verge of a possible call up back in 2019, when he was a key reliever for Triple-A Buffalo. He had a stretch of 20-plus innings without allowing an earned run at one point and finished the season with a 3.97 ERA and 1.32 WHIP in 68 innings across 46 appearances. After five years in the Blue Jays’ organization, though, he was selected by the A’s in the Rule 5 Draft in December.

Isaiah Campbell - Everett AquaSox (Mariners)

Checking in at No. 12 on the Mariners’ list of top 30 prospects, Campbell is finally set to make his professional debut this season. He didn’t pitch after getting drafted in the second round of the 2019 MLB Draft because of his heavy workload with Arkansas and then last season was erased by the pandemic.

Eric Cole - Quad Cities River Bandits (Royals)

The starting right fielder on Arkansas’ 2018 national runner-up team, Cole has moved up a level from where he played in 2019. He hit .240/.330/.382 with 11 home runs and 71 RBIs in 127 games with Single-A Lexington two years ago.

Matt Cronin - Wilmington Blue Rocks (Nationals)

After a successful run as the Razorbacks’ closer, Cronin and his high spin rate fastball could make the majors sooner rather than later. The fourth-round pick was dominant at Single-A Hagerstown in 2019, posting a 0.82 ERA with 41 strikeouts in 22 innings. That led to him spending last season at Washington’s Alternate Training Site and landing at No. 10 on the Nationals’ list of top 30 prospects.

Jack Kenley - West Michigan Whitecaps (Tigers)

The starting second baseman on Arkansas’ 2019 College World Series team, Kenley hit .214/.310/.359 with four home runs and 16 RBIs in 43 games across three levels of the minors in his first professional season.

Blaine Knight - Aberdeen IronBirds (Orioles)

After posting a 0.68 ERA over his first five starts of the season with Single-A Delmarva in 2019, Knight was promoted to High-A Frederick and it didn’t go as well. In 23 appearances, including 22 starts, he had a 6.13 ERA and only 56 strikeouts in 83 2/3 innings. He’ll look to rebound in High-A ball this year.

Grant Koch - Greensboro Grasshoppers (Pirates)

Although he’s struggled at the plate, hitting .198/.282/.302 in 134 games across two seasons, Koch has still been solid behind the plate with a .998 fielding percentage.

Evan Lee - Wilmington Blue Rocks (Nationals)

A two-way player for the Razorbacks, Lee was drafted as a pitcher and posted a 2.65 ERA with 44 strikeouts in 34 innings across 12 appearances for Low-A Auburn in 2019. He is No. 24 on the Nationals’ list of top 30 prospects.

Barrett Loseke - Hudson Valley Renegades (Yankees)

A key reliever on the 2018 national runner-up team, Loseke has posted a 3.13 ERA in 37 1/3 innings across 28 appearances in his two professional seasons so far.

Casey Martin - Clearwater Threshers (Phillies)

Much like Kjerstad, the pandemic cut Martin’s collegiate career short. Despite some struggles, he was still taken in the third round of last summer’s MLB Draft and he’ll debut with Single-A Clearwater. He’s No. 7 on the Phillies’ list of top 30 prospects.

Jake Reindl - Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Cubs)

Another key reliever on the 2018 team, Reindl played in two different levels of the minors in 2019 and posted a 1.50 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in 18 innings across 13 relief appearances.

Cody Scroggins - Salem Red Sox (Red Sox)

Scroggins originally signed with Arkansas as an infielder, but eventually converted to pitcher during his time in Fayetteville. It was a good move, as he became a ninth-round pick in 2019. He posted a 7.30 ERA in 12 1/3 innings across nine appearances in his first professional season.

Transfer Razorbacks

Bryce Bonnin - Daytona Tortugas (A, Reds)

Played freshman season at Arkansas in 2018… Transferred to Texas Tech… Third-round pick in 2020 MLB Draft… No. 17 on Reds’ top 30 prospects list

David Masters - Arkansas Travelers (AA, Mariners)

Played freshman season at Arkansas in 2012… Transferred to Central Arizona C.C. … 14th-round pick in 2013 MLB Draft

Jackson Rutledge - Wilmington Blue Rocks (A+, Nationals)

Played freshman season at Arkansas in 2018… Transferred to San Jacinto C.C. … First-round pick in 2019 MLB Draft… 3.13 ERA in 37 1/3 IP across three levels in 2019… No. 2 on Nationals’ top 30 prospects list

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Razorback Signees

Greg Bird - Albuquerque Isotopes (AAA, Rockies)

High school signee in Class of 2011… Fifth-round pick in 2011 MLB Draft… Debuted with Yankees in 2015… Hit .211/.301/.424 with 32 HR and 98 RBIs in 186 games across parts of four MLB seasons

Josh Breaux - Hudson Valley Renegades (A+, Yankees)

Junior college signee in Class of 2018… Second-round pick in 2018 MLB Draft… Hit .271/.324/.518 with 13 HR and 49 RBIs in 51 games with Single-A Charleston in 2019… No. 19 on Yankees’ top 30 prospects list

Robert Emery - San Jose Giants (A, Giants)

Signed with Arkansas as a graduate transfer from San Francisco last summer… Chose to sign with the Giants as an UDFA instead

AJ Lewis - Spokane Indians (A+, Rockies)

Signed with Arkansas as a graduate transfer from Eastern Kentucky last summer… Chose to sign with the Rockies as an UDFA instead

Jacob Schlesener - Peoria Chiefs (A+, Cardinals)

High school signee in Class of 2015… 12th-round pick in 2015 MLB Draft… 5.44 ERA with 260 K in 198 2/3 IP in 71 appearances across five professional seasons

Canaan Smith-Njigba - Altoona Curve (AA, Pirates)

High school signee in Class of 2017… Fourth-round pick in 2017 MLB Draft… Hit .307/.405/.465 with 11 HR and 74 RBIs in 124 games with Single-A Charleston in 2019… No. 26 on Pirates’ top 30 prospects list

Cole Stobbe - Jersey Shore BlueClaws (A+, Phillies)

High school signee in Class of 2016… Third-round pick in 2016 MLB Draft… Hit .213/.299/.412 with 15 HR and 34 RBIs in 108 games with Single-A Lakewood in 2019

Masyn Winn - Palm Beach Cardinals (A, Cardinals)

High school signee in Class of 2020… Second-round pick in 2020 MLB Draft… Two-way player… No. 5 on Cardinals’ top 30 prospects list

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Arkansas Natives

Luke Bandy - Greenville Drive (A+, Red Sox)

Providence Academy (Rogers) product… Played collegiately at Dallas Baptist… 29th-round pick in 2019 MLB Draft… Hit .165/.242/.248 with 8 RBIs in 34 games with Low-A Lowell in 2019

Grant Black - Springfield Cardinals (AA, Cardinals)

Newport product… Played collegiately at Division II UA-Monticello… Undrafted in 2017… Played in multiple independent leagues in 2018 and 2019… 3.49 ERA with 141 K in 113 1/3 IP in those independent leagues… Signed by Cardinals in February of 2020

Logan Gragg - Peoria Chiefs (A+, Cardinals)

Prairie Grove product… Played collegiately at Connors State J.C. and Oklahoma State… Eighth-round pick in 2019 MLB Draft… 3.15 ERA with 50 K in 45 2/3 IP across 17 appearances while playing in two levels in 2019

Gavin Stone - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (A, Dodgers)

Riverside (Lake City) product… Played collegiately at Central Arkansas… Fifth-round pick in 2020 MLB Draft

Hunter Wood - Round Rock Express (AAA, Rangers)

Rogers Heritage product… Committed to Arkansas, but ended up going to Howard C.C. … Debuted with Tampa Bay Rays in 2017… 3.32 ERA in 86 2/3 career innings in the big leagues