Diamond Hogs land 3 commits, including 2 from Arkansas

Horatio pitcher Wade Beasley throws during a 2016 game.

— Arkansas baseball picked up three more verbal commitments this week, including two from in-state players in the class of 2018.

Horatio right-handed pitcher Wade Beasley and Searcy catcher Andrew Stanley committed, as did senior first baseman Derek Ripp of St. James Academy in Lenexa, Kansas.

In-State Baseball Commits

2017

Evan Hooper, OF, Cabot

Austin Kelly, RHP, Benton

Casey Martin, SS, Lonoke

Hunter Milligan, LHP, Greenbrier

2018

Wade Beasley, RHP, Horatio

Evan Hiatt, LHP, Little Rock Catholic

Tyler Johnson, 1B, Bentonville

Connor Noland, RHP, Greenwood

Andrew Stanley, C, Searcy

2019

Blake Adams, RHP, Springdale Har-Ber

Cason Tollett, C, Little Rock Christian

Beasley (6-3, 220 pounds) did not play as a sophomore after breaking his wrist playing football. He transferred to Horatio from Foreman this summer.

He had a good outing during a tournament in Lubbock, Texas, earlier this summer, which caused multiple schools to show more interest. Beasley committed to Arkansas on Tuesday after pitching at a prospect camp in Fayetteville.

"I've always wanted to be a Razorback," Beasley said. "My dad had already signed me up for an Arkansas camp, so I went and threw in that camp and they hit me pretty hard and heavy then."

Beasley said he has a fastball that has been recorded at 93 mph. He also throws a curveball, changeup and cutter. PrepBaseballReport.com rates him the No. 7 prospect in the state for his class.

Stanley (5-8, 165) committed Friday. He said the Razorbacks were the first team to offer him, although he has also been recruited by Alabama and Arkansas State.

"Arkansas has been on me for a while," Stanley said. "Last Sunday at the prospect camp, that's when they really got into me because (head coach Dave) Van Horn saw me play.

"I've always been a Hog fan being born in Arkansas. That's where my heart is, where I want to play."

As a sophomore, Stanley had a .383 batting average with 12 extra-base hits and 22 RBI in 20 games. He also had a .980 fielding percentage.

Ripp (6-6, 215) is a left-handed hitter who had a .413 batting average with 20 RBI as a junior. He will be able to sign a national letter of intent in November.

Verbal commitments are non-binding.