FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas picked up a commitment this week from a right-handed pitcher in Tennessee.
Carter Sells (6-foot-1, 197 lbs.) of Ravenwood High School chose the Razorbacks over offers from Louisville and Oregon State. He committed after visiting Arkansas for the first time Tuesday.
Sells, who graduates in 2018, was being recruited by new Arkansas pitching coach Wes Johnson when Johnson was at Mississippi State.
"He's a power guy and like all his guys to be the biggest, fastest, strongest guys on the mound, and throw as hard as they can with the most strikeouts," Sells said of Johnson. "That's really what I love to do. I want to throw hard and strikeout as many people as I can.
"I knew Wes and knew what he was about, and that fired me up more than anything else. Going and looking at their facilities and meeting Coach (Dave) Van Horn, I was really excited and wanted to go to their school."
As a sophomore, Sells went 4-1 with a 2.75 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 33 innings.
Sells' four-seam fastball has been clocked at 92 mph. He also throws a curveball and a split-finger changeup.
He is working as a closer this summer with the Knights 16-and-under Platinum travel team. He is 8-for-8 in save situations with a 1.40 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 20 innings.
"I've been throwing a little harder and doing a little better this summer," Sells said. "I've really enjoyed closing more than anything, so going back into next year I'm going to look to fill that role."
Sells said he has played this summer against Dylan Bonds, a left-handed pitcher from Mt. Joliet, Tenn., who committed to Arkansas last month.
"He's really an outstanding guy and I look forward to playing with him in the future," Sells said.