FAYETTEVILLE -- Despite losing his top offensive performers from last season, Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said he thinks the Razorbacks can be just as efficient at the plate in 2016.
Van Horn said his team displayed balance on offense during fall practices that ended this week. Among the notables were outfielder Luke Bonfield, who batted. 500 in the four-game fall scrimmage series, and outfielder Chad Spanberger, who hit two home runs.
Position candidates
A look at players competing for each position in Arkansas’ lineup”
CATCHER - *Tucker Pennell, Alex Gosser, Grant Koch
FIRST BASE Clark Eagan*, Cullen Gassaway, Chad Spanberger
SECOND BASE Rick Nomura*, Cody Scroggins
THIRD BASE Carson Shaddy, Clark Eagan, Cody Scroggins, Drew Tyler
SHORTSTOP Michael Bernal*, Cody Scroggins, Drew Tyler
LEFT FIELD Luke Bonfield, Eric Cole
CENTER FIELD Jack Benninghoff, Jake Arledge
RIGHT FIELD Chad Spanberger, Clark Eagan, Eric Cole
*Indicates the player who started most games at the position last season.
"Our goal with this team is to be a better lineup one through nine," Van Horn said. "I do feel like we have a chance to be more balanced, and we should have a good mix of right- and left-hand hitters. We'll have some guys who can come off the bench when guys get hurt; we didn't have a lot of depth offensively last year.
"I think the competition alone will make these guys better because they want to get in the lineup."
Arkansas' offense was top-heavy last season, with the Nos. 1-4 hitters in the lineup -- Bobby Wernes, Joe Serrano, Andrew Benintendi and Tyler Spoon -- accounting for 47 percent of the team's hits and 51 percent of its runs scored. Benintendi, who hit 20 home runs, was a consensus national player of the year and drafted seventh overall by the Boston Red Sox.
"I feel we are a lot deeper than we have been the last two years," junior pitcher Zach Jackson said. "It will be interesting. I don't feel we have lost a whole lot even though the top of the lineup isn't back.
"I think this fall is the best one we have had since I have been here."
Van Horn said replacing those four players on defense is his biggest concern ahead of preseason practice, which begins in January. Serrano, Benintendi and Spoon were everyday outfielders, while Van Horn described Wernes as "maybe the best third baseman I've ever coached."
"When you lose three outfielders, that's always the unknown for coaches," Van Horn said. "I think the outfield play has got to continue to get better."
Bonfield and Spanberger are likely candidates to fill the void in the corner outfield positions. Freshman Jack Benninghoff and junior college transfer Jake Arledge are competing for the starting center field spot.
Arledge made a leaping catch to rob a would-be home run during one of the Razorbacks' fall scrimmages. Benninghoff traveled with the team last season despite redshirting.
"I liked his attitude and his make-up," Van Horn said. "He actually took the 27th spot on that roster knowing he wasn't going to play, and I knew he wasn't going to play. We left an eligible player home to put him on that roster because I just wanted him to see it and I liked him in the dugout."
Carson Shaddy, a backup catcher last season, is one of several candidates at third base. Shaddy is coming off Tommy John surgery to repair a 90 percent tear in his elbow ligament, Van Horn said.
"I really like what I saw with him fielding the baseball," Van Horn said. "He still needs to learn where to position himself on relays to home from left field, talking as far as lining outfielders up.
"If the arm is accurate, I think that he'll have a real good shot to play there because he hit the ball extremely well."
Arkansas returns its starting middle infield of second baseman Rick Nomura and shortstop Michael Bernal. Returning first baseman Clark Eagan could play that position, third base or in the outfield after off-season shoulder surgery, Van Horn said.
The Razorbacks will likely platoon catching responsibilities between senior Tucker Pennell and junior Alex Gosser, who combined to start 55 games behind the plate last season. Van Horn said freshman Grant Kock may also catch some.
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Sports on 10/17/2015