FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas pitcher Koty Frank will miss the remainder of the 2023 season with a torn lat muscle.
Frank was injured on the first pitch of the seventh inning during the Razorbacks’ 6-2 victory over Wright State last Sunday. He was evaluated by Arkansas trainer Corey Wood on the field, then doubled over in pain after throwing a warm-up pitch.
Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said Frank is expected to undergo a procedure for the injury Monday.
"We'll try to get him ready for next year," Van Horn said following the Razorbacks' 7-5 victory over Army on Tuesday.
Frank, a fifth-year graduate student, transferred from Nebraska.
"Definitely not how I was expecting the season to go but I know that God has a plan for me and my future," Frank wrote on Twitter. "Thank you everyone who has kept me in their thoughts and prayers, I greatly appreciate it."
Frank added the Bible verse Jeremiah 29:11 and said, "I’ll be back Razorback Nation."
Frank is the second Arkansas pitcher to suffer a season-ending injury in the past month. Right-hander Jaxon Wiggins underwent Tommy John surgery in late February after tearing his ulnar collateral ligament during the preseason.
Wiggins was expected to be a starter and Frank was in line to be one of Arkansas’ top bullpen arms. The outing against Wright State was Frank’s sixth this season. He had a 3.09 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 9 strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings.
"I think there is a responsibility for everybody to step up," Arkansas pitcher Dylan Carter said Tuesday after pitching three innings and earning the win during a 7-5 victory over Army. "We hate it for Koty because we got a look and he's really, really good. He has logged probably most of our innings...out of the bullpen. He goes out there and he competes, he has a feel for every pitch, he gets outs.
"Losing him hurts, but we've got guys that can step up and we've got guys that can keep this season rolling."
In more positive news for the banged-up Arkansas pitching staff, Van Horn said Tuesday that right-hander Brady Tygart remains on track for a return in five to six weeks after suffering a sprain to his UCL against Illinois State last week. Tygart met with a specialist Monday to confirm the prognosis from the week before.
Tygart was off to a great start to his sophomore season. Prior to the injury he had allowed 1 run and struck out 8 in 4 2/3 innings. He allowed 4 runs — 3 earned — during 1 2/3 innings of relief before exiting the Illinois State game.