It has been a very intriguing, competitive six weeks of fall baseball in Fayetteville.
A lot of us had our thoughts and predictions, and while some turned out to be correct, there were some surprises as well.
Here are my thoughts and who I see going into preseason practice as the favorites to get the nod on opening day:
Biggest Surprise - Pitching Staff
Even though I expected it, not many people thought Jaxon Wiggins would be as good as he was this fall.
The breaking stuff is better and the overall command has taken a step up. He tweaked the mechanics in the off-season and is reaping the benefits of the hard work.
Another surprise on the mound would have to be Jake Faherty. The hard throwing late addition to the 2021 class has transformed into a solid pitcher. He’s added good weight and looks to be an option for head coach Dave Van Horn going into the spring.
Biggest Surprise - Position Players
Shortstop John Bolton came from Austin Peay as a late portal addition. He’s an older guy that just got a new energetic coach at Austin Peay, but he wanted to play in the SEC.
He is a lot better than I thought, and has a chance to be a great contributor. Nobody will mistake him for Jalen Battles, but the drop off may not be as big as once thought. He and Harold Coll will continue to battle for the starting shortstop job, but Van Horn said Bolton has the advantage after fall ball.
