Davis becomes Hogs' 3rd Jonesboro pitching pledge

An Arkansas baseball hat and glove sit in the dugout prior to a game between the Razorbacks and Kentucky on Saturday, March 17, 2018, in Fayetteville.

Jonesboro sophomore pitcher Lance Davis came to an Arkansas camp this past weekend and left with a nice parting gift: a scholarship offer from the Razorbacks.

It didn’t take Davis (6-3, 185) long to process the offer from Arkansas pitching coach Matt Hobbs. He committed to the Razorbacks on Monday.

The right hander becomes the third member of Jonesboro’s pitching staff to pledge to Arkansas.

“I was up there this weekend in Fayetteville for the Razorback Camp and I ended up having a really good experience, having a good outing and Coach Hobbs offered me on the spot up there,” Davis said.

“I really like Coach Hobbs. He is a great guy and he told me that he really liked the pitch-ability that I have and that I could command the strike zone. I chose Arkansas because I thought that is the best program in the state and really best around (nationally) right now and there is nothing better than Arkansas baseball.”

Davis is thrilled he is a future part of Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn’s program, which won the SEC regular season and tournament titles last season and spent most of the season as the top-ranked team in the nation.

“Coach Van Horn is a really great guy and always puts together a really good baseball team up there,” Davis said. “The SEC is not an easy league to compete in, so to to be No. 1 is quite an accomplishment.”

Davis sized up his pitches.

“I throw a four-seam fastball, a slider and a changeup,” Davis said. “My fastball really took a (velocity) jump this year and I got into the upper 80s where I could sit there.

“My slider, I really worked on developing that and it has become a really good pitch for me. My changeup is probably the weakest of my pitches right now, but I am still working on that and it’s getting better.”

Davis joins Jonesboro senior Josh Hyneman (6-4, 235) and Hurricane junior Riley Henfling (6-4, 215), a transfer from Kennett, Mo., as Razorbacks commits.

“We have three big Arkansas commits coming up there now and it is going to be an exciting year at Jonesboro and our rotation is looking really good,” Davis said.

“Riley Henfling is going to be a big addition to our rotation and obviously Josh Hyneman is returning and was our No. 1 starter last year. I don’t think you can even number us. I think we can all be interchangeable.”

Davis also becomes the third Arkansas Sticks 2024 prospect to commit to the Razorbacks along with Springdale Har-Ber pitcher Ross Felder (6-0, 165) and Texarkana (Texas) Pleasant Grove outfielder Brenton Clark (6-0, 165).

“Ross Felder is our big-time pitcher and Brenton Clark is a real good hitter and outfielder that is going to provide a lot at the SEC level, I think,” Davis said. “He hits everywhere he goes and Ross is a really good pitcher that commands the strike zone, has good off-speed and is a really good pitcher and I think has a chance to be a really good pitcher up there.”

Arkansas Sticks head coach Chase Brewster believes Davis is a top-flight prospect.

“He is a really good right-handed pitcher,” Brewster said. “He was up there this weekend and was up to 89 (mph) with his fastball and also had a good slider and change up.

“He projects as a starter along with Josh Hyneman and Riley Henfling at Jonesboro High School and has them there to help show him the ropes. I think he will be one of the better starters in the 2024 class when all is said and done.”

The Sticks also have two other 2024 players with Arkansas offers in Bryant left-handed pitcher Gideon Motes (6-2, 195) and Pulaski Academy right-handed pitcher Kel Busby (6-2, 185).

“What Coach Hobbs and (Arkansas hitting) Coach (Nate) Thompson are doing recruiting is incredible,” Brewster said. “The state has had an influx of talent, especially with the starting pitching market.

“We are obviously biased, but I am not sure that Coach Hobbs isn’t the hardest-working recruiter in the country. Every big event, he is always there. They are really working hard and the state of is providing the pieces and talent along the way.”