After just one season with Arkansas baseball, Harold Coll has entered the transfer portal and will continue his career elsewhere, a UA spokesperson confirmed Monday.
The move comes after the JUCO product made 19 starts at multiple infield positions in his lone season with the Razorbacks.
Coll is the second Arkansas baseball player to hit the transfer portal this cycle, but the first who actually played in 2023. Isaac Webb, another junior college transfer, entered before the end of the season, but he redshirted and never appeared in a game.
The 45-day transfer portal window for college baseball opened up May 30, the day after the NCAA Tournament selection show, and will close July 13. The fall window for baseball is Dec. 1-15.
Harold Coll with the Razorbacks
Originally from Boston, Harold Coll finished his high school career at Georgia Premier Academy in Statesboro, Ga., and evolved into a top-100 recruit in the Class of 2020.
Ranked No. 94 overall, he signed with North Carolina, but ultimately ended up taking the JUCO route. Coll landed at junior college powerhouse San Jacinto J.C., where he put up solid numbers for two years and became a legitimate MLB Draft risk for Arkansas’ 2022 signing class.
It was widely considered a major win for the Razorbacks when he went undrafted and made it to campus, with many penciling him in as the starting shortstop.
However, an up-and-down fall and the surprising emergence of Austin Peay transfer John Bolton led to him entering the season as the backup. Arkansas baseball coach Dave Van Horn mentioned several times that Coll was the better offensive option, but Bolton was better in the field and they play a premium defensive position.
Even as Bolton struggled to stay above the Mendoza Line, Coll never could overtake him for the starting job. He also got an opportunity at third base early in the season when Caleb Cali got off to a slow start and then again at second base late in the year because of an injury to Peyton Stovall, but he didn’t stick at either spot.
Coll made 19 total starts — 10 at shortstop, six at third and three at second — and appeared in 32 total games, going 19 for 82 with seven doubles and four home runs. That resulted in a .232/.301/.463 slash line, plus he had a knack for driving in runs, with his 22 RBIs actually being more than Bolton (19) despite having 59 more at bats.
What it Means for Arkansas Baseball
John Bolton was a super senior who exhausted his eligibility in 2023, meaning shortstop was going to be up for grabs again, but Harold Coll decided not to stick around and compete for it.
Considering his status as a heralded prospect, both out of high school and junior college, it’s not a surprising move on his part.
His departure creates a significant need at shortstop for Arkansas, but it should have several options at the important position.
The Razorbacks have signed the No. 1 overall recruiting class in 2023 and there are at least a couple of prospects capable of starting from Day 1 — if they make it to campus.
Walker Martin (No. 28) and Nazzan Zanetello (No. 52) are among the top 200 overall prospects in the 2023 MLB Draft, according to MLB Pipeline, which means they’d likely have to turn down six- or seven-figure signing bonuses to play at Arkansas.
That is asking a lot, but it’s not unheard of. Just a couple years ago, Peyton Stovall was a projected first-round pick who probably could have received a signing bonus around $2 million had he chosen to go pro straight out of high school.
If neither of them make it to school, or even if they do, the Razorbacks can scour the junior college ranks and the transfer portal for shortstops. One such option in the latter group is Cooper Weiss, the 2023 MAC Defensive Player of the Year at Miami (Ohio), who is set to visit Fayetteville later this week, according to HawgBeat.
Those are the top options for Arkansas baseball because it doesn’t currently have a true shortstop on the roster. Peyton Stovall, Peyton Holt and Jayson Jones each played the position in high school, but are better suited for other positions in college. Stovall and Holt are second basemen, while Van Horn has said Jones is more of a corner infielder.
From a big-picture standpoint, Coll’s departure is another step toward finalizing the 2024 Arkansas baseball roster. Even with Coll moving on, the Razorbacks would have 55 players on the team if everyone with remaining eligibility return and all signees make it to campus.
The MLB Draft and transfer portal will play huge roles in Van Horn whittling that down to the 40-man limit — expanded from the previous 35-man limit — by the start of next season.
2024 Arkansas Baseball Roster Tracker
Exhausted Eligibility (3)
- John Bolton
- Brady Slavens
- Jared Wegner
Can Return, but Eligible for MLB Draft (16)
- Cody Adcock – senior
- Jace Bohrofen – senior
- Caleb Cali – fifth-year senior
- Dylan Carter – fifth-year senior
- Koty Frank – sixth-year super senior
- Nick Griffin – redshirt junior
- Hunter Grimes – sixth-year super senior
- Hunter Hollan – senior
- Peyton Holt – super senior
- Tavian Josenberger – senior
- Will McEntire – fifth-year senior
- Ben McLaughlin – senior
- Zack Morris – super senior
- Hudson Polk – senior
- Parker Rowland – senior
- Jaxon Wiggins – senior
Can Return, but Not Draft Eligible (18)
- Ben Bybee – sophomore
- Parker Coil – sophomore
- Kendall Diggs – junior
- Cooper Dossett – sophomore
- Jake Faherty – redshirt sophomore
- Sean Fitzpatrick – sophomore
- Christian Foutch – sophomore
- Jordan Huskey – redshirt freshman
- Josh Hyneman – redshirt freshman
- Jayson Jones – sophomore
- Cal Kilgore – redshirt sophomore
- Austin Ledbetter – junior
- Mason Neville – sophomore
- Reese Robinett – sophomore
- Hagen Smith – junior
- Peyton Stovall – junior
- Brady Tygart – junior
- Gage Wood – sophomore
Incoming Freshmen (20)
- RHP Jaewoo Choo
- RHP Jonah Conradt
- LHP Colin Fisher
- C/UTL Nate Franco
- RHP Gabe Gaeckle
- OF Kendall George
- LHP Adam Hachman
- C Ryder Helfrick
- LHP Tucker Holland
- RHP Barrett Kent
- INF Walker Martin
- RHP Tate McGuire
- INF Aidan Miller
- RHP Dylan Questad
- INF/RHP Diego Ramos
- LHP Jack Smith
- INF/RHP Kade Smith
- INF Nolan Souza
- C/INF Ty Waid
- INF Nazzan Zanetello
Incoming Transfers (1)
- Will Edmunson (Hutchinson C.C.)
Outgoing Transfers (2)
- Isaac Webb
- Harold Coll
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