Transfer No. 5 for Diamond Hogs enters portal
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The transfer counter for Arkansas baseball has reached five.
Right-hander Kevin Heinrich, who was a true freshman during the coronavirus-shortened 2020 season, is leaving the Razorbacks without ever appearing in a game, as he entered the NCAA transfer portal Tuesday.
A top-500 prospect according to Perfect Game, Heinrich came to Fayetteville from Florida, where he pitched at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
He was actually the second Arkansas player to appear in the portal Tuesday and the fourth in the past week after only one had entered it in the first couple of months since the season ended.
The recent mass exodus is the result of an imminent roster crunch created by the MLB Draft being shortened to five rounds and the NCAA granting eligibility relief across the board - which created a ripple effect that HawgBeat wrote about in detail here.
Here is a look at the previous transfer portal entrants for the Arkansas baseball team...
A fan favorite known for his enthusiasm, Washington was a key reserve for the Razorbacks each of the last two seasons. The West Memphis native made a total of seven starts during his career and even hit .353 (12 for 34) as a true freshman last year. Although primarily a corner outfielder, Washington was also capable of playing third base and coming off the bench as a pinch hitter or pinch runner.
Much like Heinrich, Pierce was a member of the 2019 signing class who didn't appear in a game as a true freshman. However, he was the No. 336 overall prospect in the country coming out of Arbor View High in Las Vegas and was among the last few players Arkansas decided to redshirt this season.
Collin Taylor
Although he didn't appear in any games this season, Taylor threw 6 2/3 innings across seven outings in 2019. He allowed three earned runs for a 4.05 ERA and had three strikeouts with six walks. The older brother of Arkansas left-hander Evan Taylor, Collin began his collegiate career at Walters State C.C.
Travis Hester
Despite being at Arkansas for two years, Hester never saw any game action with the Razorbacks. Before coming to Fayetteville, though, the right-hander had a standout career at College Station, Texas, even earning All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball as a senior in 2018.