Razorbacks crack top 20 in preseason poll

FAYETTEVILLE -- The Arkansas Razorbacks are ranked No. 16 in the D1Baseball.com preseason poll released this week.

It is the team's second top-20 ranking of the three preseason polls so far released. Arkansas was No. 13 in the Perfect Game preseason poll and the Razorbacks were ranked No. 25 by Collegiate Baseball.

Arkansas conducted its first team meeting of 2019 over the weekend. The team was scheduled to begin individual workouts this week.

The Razorbacks advanced to the championship series of the College World Series last season in Omaha, Neb. They earned the program's first runner-up finish since 1979.

Arkansas will meet six teams ranked in D1Baseball.com's preseason poll this season with three scheduled for Baum Stadium in Fayetteville, including No. 2 LSU May 9-11, No. 10 Ole Miss March 29-31 and No. 14 Mississippi State April 18-20.

Eight teams in the Southeastern Conference were ranked in the D1Baseball.com preseason poll. Joining the top two teams in Vanderbilt and LSU, as well as Ole Miss and Mississippi State, Florida checked in at No. 6, followd by Georgia at No. 9 and Auburn at No. 22.

Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn returns 14 letterwinners from a year ago to start his 17th season at the helm. It was the ninth time in school history Arkansas made the College world Series.

All nine Razorbacks taken in the first 17 rounds of the Major League Baseball Draft, including five in the first 10 reounds, signed pro contracts in the summer. The team's top returners include sophomore shortstop Casey Martin, sophomore right field Heston Kjerstad, junior center fielder Dominic Fletcher, junior relief pitcher Matt Cronin and redshirt junior starting pitcher Isaiah Campbell, who was a 24th-round selecion by the Los Angeles Angels.

Campbell and redshirt senior catcher Zack Plunkett turned down professional offers to return to Fayetteville. Plunkett, a transfer from TCU, was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 37th round.

Arkansas is scheduled to open the 2019 season on Feb. 15 against Eastern Illinois at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.

Sports on 01/16/2019

Upcoming Events