College Students, get a year of HawgBeat coverage for just $11.95. Request details via email from your school account (.edu) to nchavanelle@yahoo.com.
Not a subscriber? Subscribe for free for 30 days w/code HAWGS30
NEW USERS | RETURNING USERS
The coronavirus pandemic has led to an unprecedented time for sports around the world, with seasons canceled or halted, games resuming without fans and constant debate on the safest way to return.
Another aspect it has altered at the college level is recruiting, as coaches in all NCAA sports have been in a dead period for several months. Last month, the dead period was extended through July 31.
As a result, travel ball organizations like the Arkansas Sticks have had to get creative. With coaches like Dave Van Horn stuck at home, they sent out livestream links for their event a couple of weeks ago to coaches at 75-plus schools, complete with a rundown of their players.
The Sticks have also bought iPads and are paying someone to shoot video of all their games, with the hope of livestreaming on Facebook. For this summer at least, the pressure has shifted from the players performing to those in charge of getting the players seen by colleges.
“The real pressure has been on us as the Sticks to make sure we get these really good kids taken care of,” Sticks head coach Chase Brewster told HawgBeat.
Despite many of the players still knocking the rust off after being away from the game for an extended period of time, the Sticks’ efforts resulted in five Division I commitments just last week.
One of them was Tripp Landers, a Class of 2023 catcher from Clinton, Ark., committing to TCU, but the other four all chose the Razorbacks. Here are scouting reports on those four players, compiled with Brewster’s help…
Riley Henfling - RHP - Class of 2023
High school: Kennett, Mo.
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 200 | B/T: R/R
Other offers/interest: Missouri, UALR
Growing up, Henfling played the same position as his older brother, Jackson, who has signed with Three Rivers C.C. as a catcher.
He always “dabbled” in pitching, as is the case for a lot of talented kids, but only recently started focusing on the position. With the help of Cory Lambert, a former Arkansas State pitcher who now works at Max Velocity Baseball in Jonesboro, Henfling’s velocity has jumped from 79-81 miles per hour to 87-90 mph.
“Obviously the mechanics of being a catcher and the mechanics of being a pitcher take a little bit of work if either one is going to be your primary position,” Brewster said. “Once he kind of gave up catching and just got on the mound, he turned into more of a pitcher instead of a guy who would do it in an emergency situation.”
Still a relatively unknown prospect heading into the PBR Showdown at LakePoint event in the Atlanta area earlier this month, Henfling pitched on a Saturday, had three DI offers by Sunday morning and announced his commitment to Arkansas on Monday. He wasn’t even ranked among the top 20 prospects in Missouri before the event, but now pitching coach Matt Hobbs has said he could contribute immediately at Arkansas and he’s a guy who could appear on several draft boards.
Brewster believes Henfling will eventually throw in the 92-95 mph range, while mixing in a great slider, especially once he starts throwing out of the windup, as he’s currently just working out of the stretch.
