It should be another eventful day for Arkansas in the MLB Draft, which resumes Monday afternoon with rounds 3 through 10.
The Razorbacks were tied with four other programs for the most picks in the first two rounds of the draft. Three Arkansas players and one signee were drafted Sunday.
Names to watch today include shortstop Jalen Battles, first baseman/outfielder Brady Slavens and pitchers Connor Noland and Zack Morris. Among the signees to watch include infielder Jayson Jones, outfielder Mason Neville and pitcher Parker Coil.
Transfers who have committed to Arkansas are also worth watching, chief among them infielder Jordan Sprinkle of UC-Santa Barbara. And seniors who have no eligibility remaining are always a potential for teams that are looking for bargain picks to save money on higher-profile draft picks in the first 10 rounds.
Due to the lower number of rounds in the draft, any player who is selected today is likely to sign professionally.
Sprinkle drafted by White Sox
Perhaps the biggest transfer this offseason for Arkansas was Jordan Sprinkle, a strong candidate to replace Jalen Battles at shortstop in 2023.
That might not happen now that Sprinkle, who has played three seasons at UC-Santa Barbara, was drafted 131st overall by the Chicago White Sox in the fourth round. The slot value for that pick is $452,700.
In 2022, Sprinkle finished with a .285 batting average and .797 OPS, hit 3 home runs and drove in 35 runs in 56 games. He led the Gauchos with 25 stolen bases in 34 attempts and was second with 4 triples.
Sprinkle recorded a fielding percentage of .930 and had a hand in 24 double plays.
Rays select Battles
Arkansas shortstop Jalen Battles has been drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the fifth round, 164th overall. That pick has a value of $328,200.
Battles has been a terrific defensive player for the Razorbacks the past two seasons, and his bat began to come on toward the end of the 2022 season. He finished with a .289 batting average, .844 OPS, 10 home runs, 15 doubles and 45 RBI.
Battles was previously drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 34th round of the 2019 draft.
Red Sox take Bolden
Former Arkansas pitcher Caleb Bolden was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the seventh round. Bolden spent four seasons with the Razorbacks before transferring to TCU this season.
Bolden came to Arkansas despite being a 16th-round pick of the Tampa Bay Rays in 2017.
Taylor, Noland drafted in 9th round
Arkansas pitchers Evan Taylor and Connor Noland were drafted in back-to-back picks in the ninth round — Taylor by the Miami Marlins with the 262nd pick overall and Noland by the Chicago Cubs with the 263rd pick.
The slot values for those picks are $165,200 for Taylor and $164,500 for Noland.
Noland, a right hander, was the Razorbacks' No. 1 starter this season and Taylor, a left hander, was arguably the team's best reliever. Both rely on strong off-speed pitches.
Noland was especially great in the postseason when he started three games the Razorbacks won. His best start might have been the game he lost, an eight-inning gem against Ole Miss in Arkansas' season-ending loss in a national semifinal.
Noland finished the year with a 3.65 ERA in a team-high 116 innings. He had 113 strikeouts to 34 walks, and displayed an improved curveball that produced a lot of swings and misses.
Taylor had a 3.65 ERA in 44 1/3 innings after changing to a lower arm slot. He had a .179 batting average against, which was the best on the team among pitchers with qualifying innings. He was especially good against left handers, allowing single-digit hits to batters on that side of the plate.
Unlike Noland, who was a Freshman All-American in 2019, Taylor's strong season came out of nowhere. He had rarely pitched meaningful innings for the Razorbacks prior to this season, but looked un-hittable at times with an improved sinking slider.
White Sox draft Turner
Arkansas catcher Michael Turner was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the ninth round, 281st overall. That has a slot value of $157,700, but Turner will almost certainly be signed for much less because he has no leverage as a senior with expired eligibility.
Turner established himself as a good college catcher at Arkansas, primarily in his ability to call pitches. He was also one of the Razorbacks' top hitters and finished with a .323 batting average, .890 OPS, 9 home runs, 17 doubles and 53 RBI.
He was the most outstanding player of the NCAA Stillwater Regional and made the All-NCAA Tournament team as catcher.
Turner played his first four seasons at Kent State, where he struggled some with injuries.
Vermillion to Mets
Arkansas right-handed pitcher Zebulon Vermillion was drafted by the New York Mets in the 10th round, 299th overall.
The slot value for that pick is $152,400, but like Michael Turner, Vermillion is likely to sign for much less because he has no eligibility remaining.
Vermillion spent six seasons at Arkansas and pitched primarily as a reliever, although he had a brief run as a solid starter during the 2021 season. He finished his final season with a 2.39 ERA in 26 1/3 innings.