( Andy Shupe)
Arkansas pitcher Hagen Smith throws during a game against Illinois State on Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022, in Fayetteville.
FAYETTEVILLE — Throughout the preseason, Arkansas’ players raved about the pitching of freshman left hander Hagen Smith.
Third baseman Cayden Wallace called him one of the Razorbacks’ two best pitchers. First baseman Peyton Stovall said he would not be surprised if Smith is a top-10 overall pick in the MLB Draft once he’s eligible in 2024.
On Saturday, Smith showed what all the talk was about in his Baum-Walker Stadium debut. The Texas native threw six scoreless innings to help lead Arkansas to its first win of the season, 5-1 over Illinois State.