Pro Diamond Hogs Report: 2022 First Half
The 2022 professional baseball season has entered the second half, and everywhere from the big leagues all the way to the MLB Partner Leagues are littered with former Arkansas players.
Eleven alumni of head coach Dave Van Horn's program have made major league appearances this season, and, by HawgBeat's count, Arkansas has 23 other former players who are on minor and partner league rosters. Here is a rundown on all those players.
Major League Baseball
Andrew Benintendi, Kansas City Royals
A seven-year MLB veteran, Benintendi is on pace to have the best season of his professional career from an average standpoint. Although he only swatted three home runs in the first half of 2022, the 2015 Golden Spikes Award winner slashed .317/.386/.401, earning himself a spot on the American League All-Star team for the first time in his career.
He is rumored to be on the trade block, potentially giving him the chance to win a second World Series ring, as the Aug. 2 deadline nears.
Brian Anderson, Miami Marlins
Anderson's MLB journey trudges on with the Marlins, with whom he has put together a decent career — if winning is not the most important thing.
The former Arkansas third baseman is hitting .262 this season, just about on par with his big league average. Miami has improved since he debuted in 2017 but still sits below .500 in a division with three playoff contenders.
Matt Reynolds, Cincinnati Reds
Reynolds began the 2022 season with the Mets, the team he entered the big leagues with six years ago. After just one game, New York opted to part with the utility man, prompting the Reds to claim him off waivers. In 60 games with Cincinnati, he has slashed .252/.330/.365.
James McCann, New York Mets
After the Mets signed right-handed pitcher Max Scherzer, McCann was poised to be the backstop for perhaps the most ferocious 1-2 punch in MLB. Things have not exactly gone to plan, however, with the three-time Cy Young winner hitting the injured list with a left oblique strain in May, and the ex-Razorback catcher suffering the same injury four days after Scherzer was activated. In 30 games, McCann slashed .183/.250/.293.
Dallas Keuchel, free agent
With a Cy Young award, a World Series ring and two All-Star nods to his name, Keuchel had been making eight figures since 2018, but after a disastrous start to 2022 with the Chicago White Sox, he was designated for assignment.
The former Hog signed a league-minimum deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks, losing both of his starts in rookie ball before reappearing in the bigs. He posted a 9.64 ERA in four starts before the D-Backs DFA'd him again.
Drew Smyly, Chicago Cubs
Now with his seventh team in nine MLB seasons, Smyly is a veteran presence as the Cubs attempt to rebuild. He racked up 11 wins and a championship with the Atlanta Braves last year, but 2022 has been less kind to the southpaw.
His 4.22 ERA and 1.35 WHIP are both lower than 2021's marks, but he is 2-5 as Chicago dwells near the bottom of the National League.
Jalen Beeks, Tampa Bay Rays
Beeks made 24 appearances, including five starts, for the 2020 AL champions in the first half of 2022, racking up 49 punchouts in 40 innings pitched. He has yet to prove himself at the back end of the Rays' bullpen, blowing two of three save opportunities, but his 2.48 ERA and 1.18 WHIP make him a valuable asset in relief. Both marks are on pace to be the lowest of his four-year career.
Zach Jackson, Oakland Athletics
After a five-year journey through the minor league ranks, Jackson became the 57th former Razorback to make his MLB debut in April.
Although he plays for the worst team in the AL, he has put together a nice rookie season. In 39 appearances, he has tossed 36 2/3 innings, racked up 18 holds and he can boast a sub-3.00 ERA.
Trevor Stephan, Cleveland Guardians
With one year of MLB experience under his belt, Stephan has made 35 relief appearances for the Guardians this season. His 1.10 WHIP is 30 points lower than his 2021 mark, and he has shrunk his career ERA from 4.41 to 3.83 with a sub-3.00 showing this season.
He will continue to be an important bullpen piece as Cleveland chases a playoff spot.
Ryne Stanek, Houston Astros
Of all the aforementioned relievers, Stanek has the fewest innings — 32 1/3 — to his name through the first half of 2022. However, his 0.57 ERA is the lowest. With just two earned runs allowed, the former first-round draft choice is helping to lead Houston to its fifth AL West title in six years.
Evan Lee, Washington Nationals
The second of two former Hogs to debut this season, Lee made four appearances for Washington before hitting the injured list with a left flexor strain.
The Bryant native allowed two earned runs in 3 2/3 innings against the Mets in his debut — his only start — and has picked up five innings since then. He is the first and only member of the 2018 draft class, which boasted 11 picks, to reach the majors.
Triple-A
Dominic Fletcher, Reno Aces (Arizona)
After just 32 games in his second season at Double-A Amarillo, the Diamondbacks had seen enough to bump Fletcher up to AAA. The outfielder hit .347 and posted a .999 OPS with seven homers and 34 RBIs, making the decision a no-brainer. He racked up 185 at-bats in Reno to finish off the first half, slashing .286/.372/.476 to keep his 2022 minor league average and OPS above .300 and .900, respectively
Blaine Knight, Norfolk Tides (Baltimore)
Knight's second season at AAA likely has not gone the way he wanted it to. In 16 appearances and seven starts in the first half, the former Arkansas ace has an ERA just under 7.00 and a WHIP dangerously close to 2.00. Knight will surely look to rechannel whatever he had going last year, when he earned two promotions within the Orioles system.
Blake Parker, Memphis Redbirds (St. Louis)
The oldest active former Diamond Hog entering the year, Parker is likely the newest former Pro Hog. His big league career came to an end in 2021, but the right-hander signed a minor league deal with the Cardinals in an effort to prolong it. Parker recorded a 6.59 ERA in 26 games at Triple-A Memphis, and he was released earlier this month.
Matt Cronin, Rochester Red Wings (Washington)
As the Nationals attempt to rebuild from their epic fire sale last season, they saw a 0.00 ERA in 16 1/3 innings in AA from Cronin to begin 2022. Since his arrival in Rochester, the former Arkansas closer has not been sailing quite as smoothly, posting a near-5.00 ERA in 12 2/3 innings. At 5.13, Washington owns the second-worst first-half ERA in the NL, so Cronin need not be discouraged, because he could join his former teammate Lee sooner than later.
Double-A
Jax Biggers, Frisco RoughRiders (Texas)
It would be a stretch to say Biggers thrived at AA last season, slashing .224/.287/.321, but he got the call to Triple-A Round Rock before year's end nonetheless. Back in Frisco this season, he has noticeably improved. In 138 at-bats, the shortstop is hitting .290 and has an OPS nearly 120 points higher than his 2021 mark.
Barrett Loseke, Somerset Patriots (NY Yankees)
A 17th-round selection in 2018, Loseke may be headed for the best season of his minor league career with his first half numbers. The right-hander has racked up 37 innings in 24 appearances, posting a 6-2 record with his 3.16 ERA. If the Yankees are willing to part ways with top prospects at the trade deadline, AAA might become more likely for Loseke this season.
Zack Plunkett, Midland RockHounds (Oakland)
The Los Angeles Dodgers selected Plunkett in the 20th round of the 2019 draft, but they released him after parts of two seasons at Double-A Tulsa. The Athletics took a chance on him after six appearances and a near-15.00 ERA in 2022, and three weeks later, he was back in Texas League action. The former Arkansas catcher has settled down in his new home, posting a 3.57 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP in 22 2/3 innings with the RockHounds.
Kevin Kopps, San Antonio Missions (San Diego)
A year removed from his unforgettable Golden Spikes campaign, Kopps does not appear bound for The Show in 2022, as a Padres scout who attended last season's Fall World Series predicted. In 14 2/3 innings across three levels of minor league ball last year, Kopps posted a 0.61 ERA, but that figure is much closer to 5.00 in 36 appearances with San Antonio this season.
High-A
Casey Martin, Jersey Shore BlueClaws (Philadelphia)
It has been a tough ride for Martin since his freshman season with the Hogs, in which he hit .345. Once projected as a first-rounder, the infielder from Lonoke went in the third round of the 2020 draft to the Phillies, who have yet to call him up past High-A. After 297 at-bats in the first half, his OPS sits at just .586.
Charlie Welch, Everett AquaSox (Seattle)
The batter during one of the most legendary moments in the history of Baum-Walker Stadium, Welch was chosen late in last season's draft by the Mariners. His minor league career got off to a strong start with a 1.053 OPS in 20 games in rookie ball, but High-A has not been as kind to Welch. His average sits below the Mendoza Line in 108 at-bats.
Casey Opitz, South Bend Cubs (Chi Cubs)
After climbing to AAA just a couple months into his professional career, Opitz has slowed down significantly. His 2022 ledger is only 48 at-bats long, and it contains a .188 average and a .545 OPS. Opitz did not make his season debut until May 31, but it is unclear why.
Heston Kjerstad, Aberdeen IronBirds (Baltimore)
The highest-drafted Razorback in program history, Kjerstad is off to a strong start in his professional career. The outfielder debuted June 10 after missing a lengthy period of time with myocarditis. After slashing .463/.551/.650 in 80 at-bats with Single-A Delmarva, Kjerstad is just three stops away from the big leauges.
Lael Lockhart, Great Lakes Loons (LA Dodgers)
A "rental player" from Houston, Lockhart never quite found his groove as an Arkansas starting pitcher, but his professional career has gone much smoother so far. In 17 games and 11 starts this season, the lefty has an ERA of 3.12, compared to the 4.47 mark he set in his one year with the Razorbacks. He has punched out 76 hitters in almost 70 innings at High-A.
Ryan Costeiu, Tri-City Dust Devils (LA Angels)
A key piece of the Razorbacks' 2021 bullpen, Costeiu is having a decent season in the Northwest League. He has pitched 68 1/3 innings in 16 games, 10 of which were starts. His 3.42 ERA and 1.16 WHIP tell a much better story than his 3-5 record.
Caden Monke, Quad Cities River Bandits (Kansas City)
Another 2021 Arkansas reliever, Monke has not had the easiest of 2022 seasons. After the first half, his ERA hovers near 6.00 with an 0-5 record in 17 games and 48 2/3 innings pitched. Those numbers indicate it might not be soon, but Monke's next step in the organization is Double-A Northwest Arkansas.
Patrick Wicklander, Bowling Green Hot Rods (Tampa Bay)
The 2021 Razorback ace dazzled at Single-A Charleston to begin 2022, notching a sub-3.00 ERA and a sub 1.00 WHIP in 27 1/3 innings to earn the promotion to High-A. Wicklander has struggled since his call-up, starting six of the 10 games he has pitched in to the tune of an ERA north of 7.00. The left-hander does have one save in his four relief appearances.
Cody Scroggins, Greenville Drive (Boston)
Year three of minor league ball is underway for Scroggins, who was a member of two College World Series teams at Arkansas. After being promoted to High-A Greenville last season, the right-handed reliever has tossed 33 1/3 innings in 28 games in 2022. He owns no decisions to go along with his 4.32 ERA and 1.56 WHIP.
Isaiah Campbell, Everett AquaSox (Mariners)
Once an ace for the Hogs, Campbell spent four games in 2022 as a starter for the AquaSox before transitioning to a relief role. His 12 subsequent appearances have each lasted one inning, bringing his season total to 30 frames, with an ERA of 0.90 and a WHIP of 0.80. At this rate, Campbell could be throwing at Dickey-Stephens Park for Double-A Arkansas by season's end.
Jake Reindl, South Bend Cubs (Chi Cubs)
Starting the season at Single-A Myrtle Beach, Reindl earned two saves in 10 innings while allowing just a single run. He got the call to High-A in mid-May, but he threw all of two innings before landing on the injured list, where he has been ever since. Former Arkansas center fielder Christian Franklin is in the same situation, hence his exclusion from this list.
Single-A
Grant Koch - Bradenton Marauders (Pittsburgh)
Koch spent a good chunk of 2021 at High-A Greensboro, where he failed to amass a .200 average. The catcher was called up to Double-A Altoona, where he still could not find a groove at the plate. In 81 at-bats a level below where he started last year, Koch is slashing .235/.351/.296.
MLB Partner Leagues
Jack Kenley, York Revolution (Atlantic League)
After three fruitless years within the Detroit Tigers organization, Kenley has found a home in York, Pennsylvania, with the Revolution of the Atlantic League. The former Arkansas second baseman logged nearly 100 games there in 2021, and he is on pace to do so again this season. Kenley slashed .262/.343/.321 through the first half of the season, which ended July 5.
Matt Goodheart, Lincoln Saltdogs (American Association)
Despite hitting over .300 with a .910 OPS in three years with the Razorbacks, all 30 MLB teams passed on Goodheart in the 2021 draft. The Phillies signed him after its conclusion, and he hit .381 in eight games of rookie ball, but the sides parted ways.
Earlier this season, the native of southern Arkansas signed in the American Association with the Lincoln Saltdogs, with whom he slashed .250/.358/.375 during the first half, which ended July 10.
Michael Gunn, Charleston Dirty Birds (Atlantic League)
A 2014 selection of the Boston Red Sox, Gunn is no stranger to independent league baseball. He spent more time in Fayetteville than he did in the minors, beginning his indy league career in 2016. This season is his first in the Atlantic League, where he recorded 27 1/3 innings in 12 appearances with the Gastonia Honey Hunters and the Charleston Dirty Birds.