Razorbacks baseball report

Report: Missouri looking at Vitello for head coach

Arkansas assistant coach Tony Vitello speaks to an umpire against Mississippi Saturday, March 28, 2015, at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville.

— Arkansas hitting coach Tony Vitello is likely to interview for the head coaching position at Missouri, according to a report in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Vitello played at Missouri, was an assistant coach for the Tigers in 2003-2010 and his father is a well-known high school coach in St. Louis. Vitello played and coached for Tim Jamieson, who announced his retirement last week after 22 seasons as Missouri's head coach.

The Post-Dispatch reported Vitello has the backing of influential alumni, including major league All-Stars Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals and Ian Kinsler of the Detroit Tigers, and Texas Rangers assistant coach Jayce Tingler.

Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said he has not been contacted by Missouri for permission to speak to Vitello, who just completed his third season with the Razorbacks. Vitello is considered a top recruiter nationally and helped assemble rosters for College World Series teams at Arkansas and TCU.

Taccolini's return

Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said he wasn't surprised pitcher Dominic Taccolini was drafted in the 16th round by the Toronto Blue Jays in last week's major league first-year players draft, but said he thinks the junior could go higher next year.

Van Horn said Taccolini plans to return to the Razorbacks next year after a disappointing season. Taccolini was the team's usual Friday starter, but finished SEC play with a 7.49 ERA in nine starts and a relief appearance.

It was a contrast to his sophomore season, when he won six games and recorded two saves. Taccolini missed the postseason in 2015 after he developed blood clots, and he underwent surgery last summer to remove a portion of a rib.

"I think Dominic can be one of the guys that can come back and just really have a good season," Van Horn said. "I think [new pitching coach] Wes [Johnson] will be good for Dom, a change of pace and I think as of right now that is his plan -- to come back."

Taccolini was a preseason all-American as a senior at Kempner High School in Sugar Land, Texas, but he went undrafted and made it to Arkansas as part of a heralded signing class that included Zach Jackson and Andrew Benintendi.

"I think if you asked me three years ago if Dom was going to go in the 15th or 16th round, I would have said, 'No, he will go a lot higher than that,' " Van Horn said. "But next year I think he will hopefully go in the top five rounds because I think he is going to have that good a year."

Taccolini is the only Arkansas underclassman who was drafted this year and has not signed a professional contract. He has until July 15 to sign a professional contract or return to college.

Signing likely

One of Arkansas' top pitching prospects isn't likely to make it to campus, Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said.

Van Horn indicated right-handed pitcher Tyler Benninghoff of Overland Park, Kan., is close to reaching an agreement with the Minnesota Twins. Benninghoff was drafted in the 11th round of the last week's major league first-year players draft. MLB.com does not list slot values for 11th round picks, but it is believed to be around $150,000.

"That 11th round is a spooky round," Van Horn said. "The 11th, 12th round, they can pay you any thing they want and they are going pay him pretty good."

Benninghoff was ranked the No. 201 prospect prior to the draft by Baseball America. He missed most of his senior season after suffering an injury playing football last fall.

"He only pitched two or three innings all spring because he has had some problems," Van Horn said. "...We kind of felt he would sign. He wanted to sign."

Arkansas had seven signees drafted. Catcher Ben Rortvedt (Twins, second round) and infielder Cole Stobbe (Philadelphia Phillies, third round) have signed. Outfielder Jordan McFarland (Washington Nationals, 36th round) said he will come to school.

Other drafted signees include right-handed pitcher Trevor Stephan (Boston Red Sox, 18th round), left-handed pitchers Blake Lillis (Milwaukee Brewers, 25th round) and right-handed pitcher Brenden Heiss (Chicago Cubs, 31st round).

Sports on 06/17/2016