FAYETTEVILLE — For the first time in a long time, Arkansas coaches believe they know what to expect when the MLB Draft kicks off tonight with the first two rounds.
The 2013 draft has been sure to affect the Razorbacks for a few years, in particular the team's stellar pitching staff which recorded the NCAA's lowest team earned run average in 37 years. Four juniors - Ryne Stanek, Colby Suggs, Barrett Astin and Brandon Moore - are likely to be selected high and sign pro contracts, while four-year starter Randall Fant is also a top 500 prospect, according to services. Catcher Jake Wise and infielder Dominic Ficociello could also potentially forgo their final season of eligibility.
Stanek is projected to be selected in the first round of the draft, while Suggs and Astin could potentially go off the board before the end of the night.
"I hope a couple of our guys go tonight," Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said. "I think Saturday is going to be a day where there are going to be a lot of guys taken. The guys in our program, if they get taken I hope they have the opportunity to sign and then after that we'll kind of get an idea of where people are and what guys are thinking. We'll move on and adjust, and piece this thing together to make sure we've got it right. We want to be strong at every position and make sure we have another good year."
Lost to the Draft
Arkansas has lost 11 signees to pro contracts since 2010. Here is a look where those players were taken.
C Justin O'Conner, 2010 1st Round, Tampa Bay Rays
RHP Ben Wells, 2010 5th Round, Chicago Cubs
LHP Robbie Ray, 2010 12th Round, Washington Nationals
OF Jared Lakind, 2010 23rd Round, Pittsburgh Pirates
OF Brandon Nimmo, 2011 1st Round, New York Mets
RHP Michael Fulmer, 2011 1st Round, New York Mets
RHP Dillon Howard, 2011 2nd Round, Cleveland Indians
C Greg Bird, 2011 5th Round, New York Yankees
RHP Ty Buttrey, 2012 4th Round, Boston Red Sox
OF D'Vone McClure, 2012 4th Round, Cleveland Indians
OF Shilo McCall, 2012 9th Round, San Francisco Giants
What Arkansas hopes to avoid this year is the slew of surprises that have decimated the program's prized recruiting classes in recent years. The Razorbacks have lost 11 signees in the draft since 2010, including only three of which have been taken in the first round.
A new collective bargaining agreement put in place by Major League Baseball last year helped to curtail over-slot signing bonuses in the last draft. With more restrictions put on how much franchises could pay draftees, several college standouts returned to school and high school prospects turned down initial minor league offers in hopes of improving their prospects during the course of a three-year college career.
Yukon, Okla. catcher Jon Denney, a projected first round pick tonight, and pitcher Teddy Stankiewicz are the only of the Arkansas signees in this class likely to go pro. Stankiewicz, who signed with the Razorbacks out of high school in 2012, was drafted by the New York Mets last year, but turned down the organization to attend Seminole Junior College.
"I'm not really expecting him to show up," Van Horn said. "He didn't show up last time."
Van Horn will be sure to keep a close eye on pitcher Dominic Taccolini and outfielder Andrew Benintendi. Taccolini is rated the No. 156 overall prospect in the draft by Baseball America, while Benintendi is rated No. 486 by the publication.
"It's going to be an interesting next couple of weeks, all the way until July 12 to see if they sign," Van Horn said. "Hopefully we don't have to wait that long. It's a lot better than it used to be when we had to wait until the middle of August."
Taccolini is a hard-throwing right-hander from Sugar Land, Texas who will command a high asking price, Van Horn said. Benintendi, who set Ohio state career records for hits and runs scored as a prep star just outside Cincinnati, is likely to attend school, but could be swayed with first or second round money.
"There have been a ton of pro teams looking at him and they come every day to watch him take batting practice," said Benintendi's high school coach, Jack Kuzniczci. "If the money doesn't fit, they might not draft him at all because he's really excited about going to Arkansas. It would take a huge offer to get him not to go to Arkansas. He'll want big money to pass up playing for the Razorbacks."