Over the next three days, more than 600 baseball players will have their dreams come true by hearing their name called during the 2022 MLB Draft.
Among them are sure to be many with ties to Arkansas baseball — both current players and those set to play for the Razorbacks next season as high school signees, junior college transfers and transfer portal additions.
For a complete breakdown of where players like Cayden Wallace and Robert Moore might get selected, as well as how they’re ranked, what experts are saying about them and what our sources are telling us, be sure to check out our ultimate 2022 MLB Draft primer.
Best of Arkansas Sports has also identified the six incoming Razorbacks who have the best chance of getting drafted and skipping school, complete with what we’re hearing from our sources about them, in this piece.
As those players get drafted, we’ll be updating this piece with all of the information you need to know — team, pick number, slot value and additional context behind the selection. Follow along with us!
How to Watch the 2022 MLB Draft
Day 1 — Sunday, July 17 — 6 p.m. CT (ESPN, MLB Network)
Day 2 — Monday, July 18 — 1 p.m. CT (MLB.com)
Day 3 — Tuesday, July 19 — 1 p.m. CT (MLB.com)
Arkansas Baseball on Day 1 of 2022 MLB Draft
The first day of the MLB Draft will include Rounds 1 and 2, as well as all of the so-called “sandwich” picks in the compensatory and competitive balance rounds. In total, 80 players will be drafted Sunday night who will have future chances at playing MLB games today.
Cayden Wallace — 3B — Kansas City Royals
School: Arkansas
Pick: 2nd round, 49th overall
Slot value: $1,584,900
The first Arkansas player off the board is Cayden Wallace, who gives the Razorbacks a player taken in the first three rounds for the 13th straight year — extending the longest active streak in college baseball. They’ve had a player drafted every year since 1975, as well.
Wallace is certainly deserving of the pick, as he smacked 30 home runs during his two-year career in Fayetteville. That includes 14 long balls in 2021, tying Kjerstad’s UA freshman record, and a team-high 16 long balls in 2022. He also led the Razorbacks with 60 RBIs this season.
While he’s known for his bat — understandably so, considering his .289/.379/.528 slash line over two seasons in college — Wallace is a gifted defensive player who played third base as a sophomore and right field as a freshman. He could play either position in the pros.
He now joins the organization where Dayton Moore, the father of teammate Robert Moore, is the general manager. The pick makes sense because Kansas City was heavily interested in him coming out of Greenbrier High School.
Cole Phillips — RHP signee — Atlanta Braves
School: Boerne (Texas) High School
Pick: 2nd round, 57th pick
Slot value: $1,307,300
Signing bonus: $1,497,500
Originally committed to Baylor, Phillips flipped his pledge to Arkansas last fall. He is one of three top-100 recruits in Arkansas’ 2022 signing class, according to Perfect Game, as he’s ranked No. 38 overall and as the ninth-best right-handed pitcher in the country.
Phillips was in the midst of a big senior season when he tore his UCL and needed Tommy John surgery. He had added about eight miles per hour to his fastball over the previous year and touched triple digits earlier this spring.
If he made it to campus, he’d be a draft-eligible sophomore because of his age and he probably wouldn’t pitch as a freshman because he’ll still be rehabbing. However, that likely won’t be a concern now because Phillips will almost certainly skip college. Over the last three years, 99 percent of players taken in the top 10 rounds ultimately signed professional contracts.
UPDATE: Phillips has officially signed with the Braves. He received a signing bonus of nearly $1.5 million, which is 14.5 percent above slot value.
Peyton Pallette — RHP — Chicago White Sox
School: Arkansas
Pick: 2nd round, 62nd pick
Slot value: $1,159,200
Signing bonus: $1,500,000
Had it not been for Tommy John surgery that kept him out the entire 2022 season, Peyton Pallette likely would have been picked much earlier. Armed with what some consider the best curveball in the draft, he was considered a potential top-10 pick before the injury.
It was a rapid ascent for the Benton native who wasn’t particularly highly regarded coming out of high school, as evidenced by Perfect Game ranking him as just the 368th-best right-handed pitcher in the 2019 class.
Pallette threw just 5 2/3 innings before the pandemic cut his freshman season short and then emerged as a key arm on the best team in college baseball as a sophomore. Starting and coming out of the bullpen, he posted a 4.02 ERA with 67 strikeouts in 56 innings and held opponents to a .237 batting average, landing on the SEC’s All-Newcomer Team.
Unfortunately, he suffered and injury on the final weekend of the regular season and missed the postseason. Taking the rehab route over surgery, Pallette was healthy and figured to be the ace of this year’s staff before a setback just before the season led to Tommy John.
UPDATE: Pallette has signed with the White Sox for a $1.5 million signing bonus. That is 29.4% above the slot value for his pick.
Robert Moore — SS — Milwaukee Brewers
School: Arkansas
Pick: 2nd round, 72nd pick
Slot value: $915,300
Signing bonus: $800,000
Another player viewed as a lock to be a first-round pick this summer, Robert Moore’s draft stock tumbled drastically because of his severe struggles at the plate.
After flashing his potential during the shortened 2020 season, when he should have been a senior in high school but instead enrolled early, Moore hit .283/.384/.558 with a team-high 16 home runs and 53 RBIs.
Unfortunately, the son of Royals GM Dayton Moore couldn’t follow it up with a better junior campaign. His batting average fell by 51 points and he hit half as many homers, plus he was even worse in SEC play with a .213/.358/.389 slash line. Moore did, however, continue playing an excellent second base and actually won the national Gold Glove Award for the position. That was where he played in college, but Milwaukee drafted him as a shortstop.
Although he could technically return to school and still have a good amount of leverage in the 2023 draft, it’s widely expected — including by Van Horn — that Moore will sign and begin his professional career.
His pick gives Arkansas three draftees in the first two rounds for the first time since 2010, when Zack Cox went in the first round and Brett Eibner and Drew Smyly went in the second round.
UPDATE: Moore has officially signed with the Brewers. He received a signing bonus of $800,000, which is 87.4% of the slot value for his pick.
Arkansas Baseball on Day 2 of 2022 MLB Draft
The second day of the MLB Draft will include Rounds 3-10, which consists of another 236 selections.
Jordan Sprinkle — SS transfer — Chicago White Sox
School: UC-Santa Barbara
Pick: 4th round, 131st pick
Slot value: $452,900
Signing bonus: $452,900
Jordan Sprinkle burst onto the scene with a huge redshirt freshman season in which he shared Co-Freshman Field Player of the Year honors in the Big West with No. 8 overall pick Brooks Lee from Cal Poly. He hit .353/.402/.536 with seven home runs and 32 RBIs that season.
That thrust him into the conversation as a potential first-round pick this summer, but he wasn’t quite as productive at the plate this year. Although he more than doubled his number of walks (14 to 31), Sprinkle’s slash fell to .285/.381/.416.
Even with the question about his bat, Sprinkle was still valued by pro scouts because of his incredible glove at shortstop and speed that helped him swipe 51 bags on 65 attempts over the last two seasons with the Gauchos.
With two years of eligibility remaining, he could technically come to Arkansas and still have leverage in next year’s MLB Draft, but that is highly unlikely now that he’s been drafted. Over the last three years, 99 percent of players taken in the top 10 rounds ultimately signed professional contracts.
UPDATE: Sprinkle officially won’t play for the Razorbacks, as he ha signed with the White Sox. He’s receiving a signing bonus equal to full slot value, which is $452,900.
Jalen Battles — SS — Tampa Bay Rays
School: Arkansas
Pick: 5th round, 164th pick
Slot value: $328,400
Signing bonus: $247,500
Following a solid first season at Arkansas as a junior college transfer, Jalen Battles figured to be a top-10 round draft pick last summer before surprisingly announcing he would return for a second season with the Razorbacks.
The extra year resulted in a much-improved performance at the plate. Battles hit .269/.371/.407 with six home runs in 2021 and then hit .289/.364/.480 with 10 home runs this season. He also increased his OPS in SEC play by more than 200 points — all while playing an excellent shortstop.
Although he could technically return as a super senior in 2023, Battles is expected to sign a professional contract because he would lose all leverage by returning to school. Plus, over the last three years, 99 percent of players taken in the top 10 rounds ultimately signed professional contracts.
UPDATE: Battles has officially signed with the Rays, agreeing to an under-slot signing bonus of $247,500 – which is 75.4% of the slot value for his pick.
Caleb Bolden — RHP — Boston Red Sox
School: TCU
Pick: 7th round, 219th pick
Slot value: $208,800
Signing bonus: $7,500
Hailing from the Texas side of Texarkana, Caleb Bolden was a late addition to Arkansas’ 2017 class and showed potential as a true freshman when he made a handful of midweek starts on the Razorbacks’ national runner-up team in 2018.
Unfortunately, his production dipped down the stretch and it was eventually revealed that he needed Tommy John surgery, which forced him to redshirt in 2019. He returned the following year and had an impressive 1.12 ERA in 16 innings before the pandemic.
Although he got off to a hot start in 2021, Bolden finished that year with a 4.50 ERA. He started three regular-season SEC games and also had 44 strikeouts with 24 walks before he was left off super regional roster with what Dave Van Horn described as arm soreness.
The next fans heard of Bolden was after the season when he entered the transfer portal. He landed at TCU and made 23 appearances with one start this season. Although he struggled to a 6.23 ERA, Bolden did rack up 46 strikeouts in 39 innings.
Update: Bolden has signed with the Red Sox and received a $7,500 signing bonus. That is just 3.6% of the slot value for his pick, but that’s not surprising considering his age.
Evan Taylor — LHP — Miami Marlins
School: Arkansas
Pick: 9th round, 262nd pick
Slot value: $165,300
Signing bonus: $140,000
After not having much success his first three years at Arkansas, Evan Taylor emerged as a weapon out of the bullpen as a senior. He was the Razorbacks’ set-up man for much of the season and finished the year with a 3.65 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 44 1/3 innings.
He was tough to hit for all hitters this year, as evidenced by his .179 opponent batting average, but Taylor was particularly hard on left-handed hitters. In fact, lefties hit just .095 against him and of the 70 he faced, 33 struck out.
Although he has another year of eligibility, he will likely sign because he’d lose any leverage he has now if he chose to return to school. Plus, over the last three years, 99 percent of players taken in the top 10 rounds ultimately signed professional contracts.
UPDATE: Taylor has signed with the Marlins and will get a $140,000 signing bonus. That is nearly 85% of the slot value for his pick, which is impressive considering he was a fourth-year college player. However, he did have the leverage of an additional “super senior” season, which likely helped.
Connor Noland — RHP — Chicago Cubs
School: Arkansas
Pick: 9th round, 263rd pick
Slot value: $164,600
Signing bonus: $200,000
A former two-sport athlete who even started a game at quarterback for the Razorbacks as a freshman, Connor Noland finally — after the pandemic 2020 season and an injury-plagued 2021 season — lived up to his potential as the team’s ace this year.
The Greenwood native finished the year with a 3.65 ERA, 113 strikeouts and only 34 walks in 116 innings. He was even better than that for large stretches of the season, too, including the postseason. In five starts in the NCAA Tournament, Noland had a 1.53 ERA in 29 1/3 innings.
Because of his love for the Razorbacks, there was a legitimate thought that he might return to school as a super senior in 2023. Both he and Dave Van Horn openly discussed it as a possibility, but that now appears unlikely. Over the last three years, 99 percent of players taken in the top 10 rounds ultimately signed professional contracts.
UPDATE: Noland has signed with the Cubs and will receive a $200,000 signing bonus. That is a big number – 21.5% over slot – for a fourth-year college player, but he did have the leverage of the super senior year he was strongly considering using at Arkansas.
Michael Turner — C — Chicago White Sox
School: Arkansas
Pick: 9th round, 281st pick
Slot value: $157,700
Signing bonus: $35,000
He put up good numbers over four years at Kent State, but Michael Turner battled injuries throughout his entire career. Wanting a fresh start, he entered the portal and landed at Arkansas as a replacement for Casey Opitz.
Those were big shoes to fill, but he did exceptionally well. Turner was arguably the Razorbacks’ most consistent and clutch hitter, slashing .323/.388/.502 with nine home runs and 53 RBIs. He was at his best in the postseason, earning MVP honors at the Stillwater Regional.
As a super senior, Turner has no leverage and will almost certainly receive a signing bonus that is a fraction of the designated slot value for this pick. He’ll likely join Arkansas teammate Peyton Pallette, as well as would-be Arkansas transfer Jordan Sprinkle, in the White Sox’s organization.
Turner was the Razorbacks’ seventh draft pick in the first 10 rounds, breaking a school record. It had previously had six players taken in the top 10 rounds four times – 2021, 2019, 1999 and 1985.
UPDATE: Turner has officially signed with the White Sox and will receive a signing bonus of $35,000. That is significantly less than the slot, as it’s just 22.2% of the designated slot value, but it’s to be expected because he is out of collegiate eligibility and has no leverage.
Zebulon Vermillion — RHP — New York Mets
School: Arkansas
Pick: 10th round, 299th pick
Slot value: $152,500
Signing bonus: $20,000
A heralded recruit coming out of high school back in the class of 2017, Vermillion was a rare five-year contributor for the Razorbacks. He threw a total of 105 2/3 innings across 71 appearances.
That includes a solid final season at Arkansas, in which Vermillion posted a 2.39 ERA and made 24 appearances, which was tied for third on the team. He also had 28 strikeouts and limited opponents to a .220 batting average in 26 1/3 innings.
Because he was a super senior and is out of eligibility, Vermillion has no leverage and will almost certainly receive a signing bonus that is a fraction of the designated slot value for this pick.
UPDATE: Vermillion has signed with the Mets for a $20,000 signing bonus. That is just 13.1% of the slot value for his pick, but is still a good number considering he has no remaining eligibility for leverage.
Arkansas Baseball on Day 3 of 2022 MLB Draft
The last 10 rounds will take place on the final day of the MLB Draft, with yet another 300 players set to hear their names called. These picks are not assigned slot values like the first 10 rounds. Instead, teams are allowed to give signing bonuses up to $125,000 with no penalty. Anything above that counts toward the team’s bonus pool.
Blake Adams — RHP — Colorado Rockies
School: Kansas State
Pick: 13th round, 386th pick
Signing bonus: $125,000
A talented in-state product, Blake Adams was a two-way player coming out of Springdale Har-Ber in the Class of 2019. In fact, he was the No. 101 overall recruit in the country that year.
He was expected to make an immediate impact and did earn a spot in the opening weekend rotation, but struggled before the 2020 season was cut short by the pandemic. The next year as a sophomore, he took the brunt of Arkansas’ 16-1 SEC-opening loss to Alabama and posted an 11.81 ERA in 5 1/3 innings across four appearances.
Following that season, Adams entered the portal and landed at Kansas State. With the Wildcats, he started 13 games and came out of the bullpen four times, posting a 5.07 ERA with 90 strikeouts in 87 innings.
UPDATE: Adams has signed with the Rockies, receiving a full $125,000.
Julian Bosnic — LHP transfer — Pittsburgh Pirates
School: South Carolina
Pick: 14th round, 410th pick
Before he was sidelined by a flexor strain in his elbow that eventually required season-ending surgery, Julian Bosnic was set to be one of the Gamecocks’ top two weekend starters this year.
The left-hander was coming off a dominant redshirt sophomore campaign in which he posted a 2.78 ERA with 78 strikeouts in 50 1/3 innings and held opponents to a .133 batting average across 22 appearances. That led to him being a 16th-round pick last year, but it was also his only full season of college baseball, so he returned to South Carolina with the goal of proving he can be a starter.
Unfortunately, the injury prevented that from happening. He also missed his true freshman season because of Tommy John. The Razorbacks were hopeful that injury history would scare off pro teams so he could prove his worth in a season with them. They’ll now have to wait until the Aug. 1 signing deadline for draftees to find out if he’ll make it to campus.
Mark Adamiak — RHP — Oakland Athletics
School: Arkansas (transferring to Missouri)
Pick: 15th round, 454th pick
Signing bonus: $125,000
Originally committed to Wichita State, Mark Adamiak flipped to Arkansas late in the process. He made a couple of relieve appearances as a true freshman in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season before redshirting in 2021.
After a solid summer in the Cape Cod League, where he flashed upper-90s mph velocity, Adamiak was a candidate to earn a spot in Arkansas’ rotation this year, but a line drive off the leg before the season ended his chances. He was still thought to be a key arm, but that never materialized and he threw just 13 2/3 innings across nine appearances, posting a 3.95 ERA with 18 strikeouts.
Not surprisingly, Adamiak entered the portal following the regular season. He had since committed to Missouri, but now has a pro option to consider.
UPDATE: Adamiak has officially signed with the Athletics, receiving a full $125,000.
Mason Neville — OF signee — Cincinnati Reds
School: Las Vegas (Nev.) Basic High School
Pick: 18th round, 543rd pick
Originally committed to Arizona, Mason Neville flipped his pledge to Arkansas last fall. Ranked as the No. 86 overall recruit and No. 21 outfielder in the country, he gave the Razorbacks three top-100 recruits in the 2022 class, according to Perfect Game.
Neville ended his high school career with a bang, hitting .467 with three doubles, seven home runs and 17 RBIs in the playoffs while leading his team to a state championship.
Listed at 6-foot-3, 176 pounds, he has premium athleticism and enough speed to steal bases and stick in center field, drawing comparisons to a young Cody Bellinger. Neville would likely compete to be a Day 1 starter for the Razorbacks if he makes it to campus.
Whether or not that happens won’t be known until Aug. 1, which is the signing deadline for draftees. Neville could also announce his decision before that date, with sources indicating he’s likely to make it to campus.
**UPDATE**
Neville has announced he’ll skip the pros for now and play for the Razorbacks.
Curtis Washington Jr. — OF — Seattle Mariners
School: Purdue
Pick: 19th round, 576th pick
An in-state product out of West Memphis, Curtis Washington Jr. signed with the Razorbacks in the 2018 class and spent his first two years of college ball in Fayetteville.
That includes a freshman season in which he was a spark plug off the bench, hitting .353 (12 for 34) with one home run and three RBIs. He started six games, but appeared in another 24, as Arkansas reached the College World Series. The next year, Washington struggled to crack the lineup and made just one start in six total appearances, going 1 for 5 in the limited action before the pandemic hit.
With no clear path to playing time at Arkansas, the fan favorite made the difficult decision to enter the transfer portal. Washington ultimately landed at a junior college and eventually transferred to Purdue, where he hit .314 and had 31 stolen bases this season.
UPDATE: The terms of the deal have not yet been released, but Washington has signed with the Mariners.
Notable Undrafted Razorbacks
- 1B/DH Brady Slavens
- LHP Zack Morris
- INF signee Jayson Jones
- JUCO INF signee Harold Coll
- OF Braydon Webb (out of eligibility)
- OF Chris Lanzilli (out of eligibility)
- RHP Kole Ramage (out of eligibility)
Other SEC Baseball Players, Signees Taken in 2022 MLB Draft
This running list will be updated with every SEC player and signee selected to give you an idea of how other teams in the league are impacted by the MLB Draft compared to Arkansas.
First Round
- No. 2, Diamondbacks – Druw Jones (Vanderbilt signee)
- No. 3, Rangers – Kumar Rocker (former Vanderbilt player)
- No. 6, Marlins – Jacob Berry (LSU)
- No. 14, Mets – Jett Williams (Mississippi State signee)
- No. 15, Padres – Dylan Lesko (Vanderbilt signee)
- No. 17, Phillips – Justin Crawford (LSU signee)
- No. 23, Blue Jays – Brandon Barriera (Vanderbilt signee)
- No. 24, Red Sox – Mikey Romero (LSU signee)
- No. 25, Yankees – Spencer Jones (Vanderbilt)
- No. 26, White Sox – Noah Schultz (Vanderbilt signee)
- No. 28, Astros – Drew Gilbert (Tennessee)
- No. 29, Rays – Xavier Isaac (Florida signee)
- No. 30, Giants – Reggie Crawford (Tennessee transfer commit)
- No. 31, Rockies – Sterlin Thompson (Florida)
- No. 32, Reds – Sal Stewart (Vanderbilt signee)
- No. 34, Diamondbacks – Landon Sims (Mississippi State)
- No. 38, Rockies – Jordan Beck (Tennessee)
- No. 39, Padres – Robby Snelling (LSU signee)
Second Round
- No. 44, Pirates – Hunter Barco (Florida)
- No. 47, Cubs – Jackson Ferris (Ole Miss signee)
- No. 48, Twins – Connor Prielipp (Alabama)
- No. 49, Royals – Cayden Wallace (Arkansas)
- No. 52, Mets – Blade Tidwell (Tennessee)
- No. 55, Reds – Logan Tanner (Mississippi State)
- No. 57, Braves – Cole Phillips (Arkansas signee)
- No. 62, White Sox – Peyton Pallette (Arkansas)
- No. 63, Brewers – Jacob Misiorowski (LSU signee)
- No. 67, Orioles – Jud Fabian (Florida)
- No. 72, Brewers – Robert Moore (Arkansas)
- No. 74, Mariners – Walter Ford (Alabama signee)
- No. 76, Braves – Blake Burkhalter (Auburn)
- No. 77, Blue Jays – Tucker Toman (LSU signee)
- No. 78, Blue Jays – Cade Doughty (LSU)
- No. 79, Red Sox – Roman Anthony (Ole Miss signee)
Third Round
- No. 84, Nationals – Trey Lipscomb (Tennessee)
- No. 85, Marlins – Karson Milbrandt (Vanderbilt signee)
- No. 87, Royals – Mason Barnett (Auburn)
- No. 89, Angels – Ben Joyce (Tennessee)
- No. 90, Mets – Brandon Sproat (Florida)
- No. 101, White Sox – Jonathan Cannon (Georgia)
Fourth Round
- No. 108, Diamondbacks – Dylan Ray (Alabama)
- No. 110, Pirates – Michael Kennedy (LSU signee)
- No. 116, Rockies – Ryan Ritter (Kentucky)
- No. 118, Angels – Jake Madden (Alabama signee)
- No. 131, White Sox – Jordan Sprinkle (Arkansas transfer commit)
- No. 134, Rays – Dominic Keegan (Vanderbilt)
- No. 136, Giants – Spencer Miles (Missouri)
Fifth Round
- No. 137, Orioles – Trace Bright (Auburn)
- No. 148, Angels – Sonny DiChiara (Auburn)
- No. 160, Yankees – Eric Reyzelman (LSU)
- No. 164, Rays – Jalen Battles (Arkansas)
Sixth Round
- No. 168, Diamondbacks – Will Mabrey (Tennessee)
- No. 169, Rangers – Tommy Specht (Kentucky signee)
- No. 170, Pirates – Derek Diamond (Ole Miss)
- No. 174, Twins – Jorel Ortega (Tennessee)
- No. 175, Royals – Hayden Dunhurst (Ole Miss)
- No. 181, Guardians – Dylan DeLucia (Ole Miss)
- No. 184, Athletics – Brennan Milone (South Carolina)
Seventh Round
- No. 197, Orioles – Preston Johnson (Mississippi State)
- No. 207, Tigers – Seth Stephenson (Tennessee)
- No. 221, White Sox – Mark McLaughlin (Tennessee)
Eighth Round
- No. 243, Reds – Chris McElvain (Vanderbilt)
- No. 244, Athletics – Micah Dallas (Texas A&M)
- No. 248, Blue Jays – Dylan Rock (Texas A&M)
- No. 249, Red Sox – Jonathan Brand (Auburn transfer commit)
- No. 253, Astros – Tyler Guilfoil (Kentucky)
- No. 254, Rays – Sean Harney (Kentucky)
Ninth Round
- No. 262, Marlins – Evan Taylor (Arkansas)
- No. 263, Cubs – Connor Noland (Arkansas)
- No. 265, Royals – Brandon Johnson (Ole Miss)
- No. 266, Rockies – Brad Numbest (Mississippi State)
- No. 269, Mets – Chase Estep (Kentucky)
- No. 275, Braves – Cory Acton (Georgia)
- No. 281, White Sox – Michael Turner (Arkansas)
10th Round
- No. 299, Mets – Zebulon Vermillion (Arkansas)
- No. 301, Guardians – Jacob Zibin (Kentucky signee)
- No. 311, White Sox – Tim Elko (Ole Miss)
11th Round
- No. 326, Rockies – Carson Skipper (Auburn)
- No. 328, Angels – Caden Dana (Kentucky signee)
- No. 331, Guardians – Magnus Ellerts (Florida signee)
- No. 343, Astros – Ryan Clifford (Vanderbilt signee)
12th Round
- No. 350, Pirates – K.C. Hunt (Mississippi State)
- No. 355, Royals – Jack Pineda (LSU transfer commit)
- No. 357, Tigers – Cole Stupp (Kentucky)
- No. 359, Mets – Paul Gervase (LSU)
- No. 369, Red Sox – Hayden Mullins (Auburn)
- No. 370, Yankees – Jackson Fristoe (Mississippi State)
13th Round
- No. 379, Rangers – Caden Marcum (Tennessee signee)
- No. 389, Mets – Dylan Ross (Georgia)
14th Round
- No. 408, Diamondbacks – Kevin Graham (Ole Miss)
- No. 410, Pirates – Julian Bosnic (South Carolina / Arkansas transfer commit)
- No. 411, Nationals – Cortland Lawson (Tennessee)
- No. 412, Marlins – Torin Montgomery (Missouri)
- No. 413, Cubs – Shane Marshall (Georgia)
15th Round
- No. 437, Orioles – James Hicks (South Carolina)
- No. 438, Diamondbacks – Joshua Day (Missouri)
- No. 440, Pirates – Josiah Sightler (South Carolina)
- No. 445, Royals – Javier Vaz (Vanderbilt)
- No. 453, Reds – Adam Serwinowski (South Carolina signee)
- No. 454, Athletics – Mark Adamiak (Arkansas / Missouri transfer commit)
- No. 456, Mariners – Blake Rambusch (Auburn)
- No. 459, Red Sox – Nathan Landry (Missouri)
16th Round
- No. 486, Mariners – Jacob McNairy (Alabama)
- No. 492, Brewers – Ethan Lege (Ole Miss signee)
- No. 494, Rays – Kamren James (Mississippi State)
17th Round
- No. 497, Orioles – Carter Young (Vanderbilt / LSU transfer commit)
- No. 512, Phillies – Daniel Harper (Kentucky)
- No. 517, Cardinals – Brody Moore (Auburn)
- No. 522, Brewers – Brady Neal (LSU signee)
- No. 526, Giants – Justin Bench (Ole Miss)
18th Round
- No. 533, Cubs – Garrett Brown (Georgia)
- No. 542, Phillies – Braylen Wimmer (South Carolina)
- No. 543, Reds – Mason Neville (Arkansas signee)
- No. 552, Brewers – Jurrangelo Cijntje (Mississippi State signee)
19th Round
- No. 559, Rangers – Grayson Saunier (Ole Miss signee)
- No. 560, Pirates – Yoel Tejeda (Florida signee)
- No. 563, Cubs – Brock Blatter (Alabama signee)
- No. 564, Twins – Garrett McMillan (Alabama)
- No. 569, Mets – Jackson Lovich (Missouri signee)
- No. 572, Phillies – Drew Garrett (Missouri)
- No. 581, White Sox – Drake Logan (Alabama signee)
- No. 582, Brewers – Jaden Noot (LSU signee)
20th Round
- No. 592, Marlins – Jack Gowen (Georgia)
- No. 603, Reds – Joseph Menefee (Texas A&M)
- No. 612, Brewers – Noah Hall (South Carolina)
What to Know About the MLB Draft
Traditionally a 40-round event, the MLB Draft has been permanently shortened to 20 rounds, the same length as last year.
The MLB Draft is not as straightforward as its counterparts in the NFL and NBA. In addition to making selections based on merit, teams have to consider each player’s “signability” – how likely he is to sign a professional contract.
High school and junior college prospects can choose to honor their commitments and college players, assuming they have remaining eligibility, can return to school if they don’t receive their desired signing bonus.
In 2012, a new wrinkle was introduced to the draft: slot values and bonus pools. Each pick in the top 10 rounds is assigned a recommended signing bonus amount – or slot value – with teams being allowed to spend up to the combined value of their top-10 round picks’ slot values – or bonus pool.
Players selected in the 11th round and beyond can receive signing bonuses up to $125,000 before it factors into the equation, with the excess counting toward the bonus pool. The signing deadline is Aug. 1.
If a team does not sign a player taken in the first 10 rounds, it loses that pick’s slot value from its bonus pool. That is why it’s rare for teams not to sign their early draftees, especially those with seven-figure slot values.
Last year, only three of 312 players taken in the top 10 rounds did not sign. Two years ago, all 160 players in the five-round draft ultimately signed. The year before that, just two of 317 chose not to sign.
***
The MLB Draft is just one aspect of constructing the Razorbacks’ 2023 baseball roster. Check out our three-part series detailing the challenges Dave Van Horn faces in doing just that:
More coverage of Arkansas baseball from BoAS…
