FAYETTEVILLE — Dave Van Horn expects the follow-up to a 50-win season and a year of covid-19-affected roster management to be just as challenging at the University of Arkansas.
The Razorbacks dealt with increased roster sizes and scheduling issues as well as anybody in the nation. Van Horn’s Hogs won the SEC regular-season and tournament championships in dominating fashion and were a unanimous No. 1 team for the majority of the season before dropping two in a row to North Carolina State in the NCAA Fayetteville Super Regional.
Arkansas did not cap its 50-13 season with what many anticipated — a third consecutive trip to the College World Series — but Van Horn and his coaching staff are planning on a quick reload.
Sorting through the roster will be made much harder by another shortened Major League Baseball Draft, this time to 20 rounds behind last year’s five-round draft. The draft also will take place July 11-13, several weeks later than normal.
“The rosters, I think across the country, are still in the same predicament as last summer,” Van Horn said on a lengthy video chat Wednesday. “Big rosters, there’s a lot of kids in the transfer portal, kids here that are in it … and then you throw the draft on top of it. They moved it back into July so they could have it around the All-Star Game. They didn’t really think about Division I coaches too much, because it’s put us in a bind.”
Because coaches can’t be sure who might be drafted and who might sign pro contracts otherwise, it’s hard to get a complete grasp of personnel makeup.
“We’re going to be put in a — it’s going to be a rush after the draft, put it that way,” Van Horn said. “So just trying to investigate, talking to kids to find out what they’re really thinking, as far as signing or coming to school. But we’re working on it. The numbers are still up everywhere.”
The Razorbacks feel pretty certain on having a core of returners in second baseman Robert Moore, infielder-outfielder Cayden Wallace, designated hitter Charlie Welch, outfielders Zack Gregory and Ethan Bates, and catcher Dylan Leach. Those will be bolstered by the incoming crop of freshmen and transfers, such as versatile Michael Turner, a graduate of Kent State who announced Tuesday that he would attend Arkansas.
Veteran position players such as Brady Slavens, Matt Goodheart and Braydon Webb could be back, depending on the draft and their signing prospects.
Returning pitching could be just as tricky, though veterans such as Connor Noland, Zebulon Vermillion and Peyton Pallette could all be back along with a younger group spearheaded by Jaxon Wiggins. The latest news on Pallette, Van Horn said, was that doctors have not been able to detect a tear in his right elbow and he might begin rehab in a couple of weeks if he remains pain free.
Van Horn fielded a question about the prospects for Slavens, Goodheart, Noland, Vermillion, Webb and Gregory.
“I’d say all the guys you mentioned, if they don’t sign a professional contract will try to come back,” he said. “We’d like to get them back.
“An example, like Slavens, he’s only 20 years old. He’s very young. He’s got two years of eligibility left. I’d say Goodheart, he’s got one year. And I could go on and on and on.”
Van Horn thinks catcher Casey Opitz, center fielder Christian Franklin and shortstop Jalen Battles among last year’s regulars, as well as pitchers Kevin Kopps and Patrick Wicklander are almost certain to be drafted or signed to the pros.
The pitching roster will be an ongoing discussion throughout the summer.
“You … mentioned Vermillion,” Van Horn said. “I mean, as of right now, the plan is for him to come back. Noland, too.”
Van Horn sounded hopeful his top assistants — hitting coach Nate Thompson and pitching coach Matt Hobbs — would be back for the 2022 season.
“With Coach Thompson and Coach Hobbs, there’s always an inquiry here or there, but they want to stay here,” he said. “These guys are really good at what they do. Really good at recruiting. Players like and respect them and get that they have the players’ best interest at heart.
“I see us sticking together, hopefully, for a while. I always say this, too: If there was a great job for one of these coaches at a big-time Division I school to be a head coach, I don’t want to hold them back. I expect that because that’s the kind of coaches I want in here. When I do lose one down the road, I’m going to go get the best guy in the country to replace him.”
Van Horn said he’s still energized about recruiting, coaching, roster management and all the other myriad things that crop up for a Division I head coach.
“I get up every day and get excited about recruiting,” he said. “If I ever lose that I think is when … I won’t do it.”
Van Horn said he had to come to grips with missing out on some events for daughters Hollan and Mariel in years past.
“With me and the girls, whether it was soccer or cheerleading or whatever, I missed a lot of things,” he said. “Now, my kids are older. One is married, 27 years old. The other one is 23 and just got engaged, but they’re out of the house. So, I don’t feel the guilt that I used to. So for me it’s good to go.
“My wife [Karen] loves it, loves that I’m coaching. She wants me to coach. She knows I really like the competition.
“Ten years ago, I thought maybe I’d work another 10 years. Now that I’m here where I’m at with my family, I don’t see the end in sight. I really enjoy it. I love the coaches. I like what’s going on here.”