Another crushing blow that the Diamond Hog faithful have become accustomed to ended the 2025 baseball season at the College World Series in Omaha, Neb., on Wednesday with a 6-5 walk-off loss to SEC foe LSU.
The national championship drought will continue for the Razorbacks with the next step to begin reloading for next season and some players to move on whether via the transfer portal, workforce, or to play at the next level.
ESPN MLB Insider Kiley McDaniel released his latest MLB mock draft 2.0 this week, projecting the first 40 picks in next month's draft and three Razorbacks made the cut.
Fresh off of his life-changing no-hitter against Murray State, right-hander Gage Wood pencils in at No. 16 to the Minnesota Twins. His record-setting performance expectedly moved him up the boards.
"After his historic MCWS performance, I think the consensus is he belongs in this general area, maybe as high as Nos. 12 or 13, but probably gone by 20 or 24," McDaniel said in the mock draft article. "Wood, for the right team, could be rushed to the upper level of the minors for a potential big league look in relief as a way to limit his innings but also develop his pitchability against better hitters."
Wood struck out a school-record 19 batters in his no-hit performance against Murray and finished the season with 69 strikeouts to only seven walks and a 3.82 ERA across 37 2/3 innings in 10 appearances.
McDaniel also projected the Twins to select Canadian outfielder Charles Davalan as a competitive balance pick at No. 36. In 65 games, Davalan slashed .346/.433/.561 with 93 hits, 12 doubles, 2 triples, 14 home runs and 60 runs batted in.
Right after Wood, McDaniel thinks SEC Player of the Year Wehiwa Aloy could go to the Chicago Cubs at No. 17. Arkansas has become somewhat of a factory for the Cubs, as former Hogs Christian Franklin, Connor Noland, Jaxon Wiggins, Casey Opitz and Evan Taylor are currently with the organization.
"Aloy could go a half-dozen picks higher or even a bit lower than this, as the college bats in this tier are seemingly in a different order for every team," McDaniel said of the Hawaii native.
Aloy concluded the 2025 season with a slash line of .350/.434/.673 in 65 games with 19 doubles and 21 home runs to lead the team in both categories, plus 2 triples and 68 RBI. Along with being selected to multiple All-American teams and SEC Player of the Year, Aloy was also named a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy.
The MLB Draft will take place in Atlanta, Ga., on July 13-14 as part of the MLB's All-Star Week festivities.
