The 2020 Arkansas Razorbacks baseball team has been ranked seventh in the D1 Baseball’s (d1baseball.com) preseason rankings, making it three top-10 rankings so far as the Hogs prepare for their season-opener against Eastern Illinois. It marks the second time in three years the Razorbacks have received a top-10 ranking from the outlet, beginning the 2018 season in fourth, and in the 2019 season ranked 16th.
The Razorbacks are coming off of a 46-20 season that produced an SEC West division title and the program’s 10th trip to the College World Series. Hogs head coach, Dave Van Horn, is entering his 18th season at the helm of the Razorbacks and has more appearances in the College World Series than any other active coach in the nation with eight.
Arkansas has a number of veteran pitchers with experience, including two-thirds of last year’s rotation with sophomores Connor Noland and Patrick Wicklander. Noland and Wicklander were among the top freshmen arms in the conference in 2019 as the duo combined for a 4.16 ERA and nine wins. Noland was named a Perfect Game Freshman All-American while both garnered SEC All-Freshmen honors.
Offensively, the Razorbacks have plenty of returning firepower, including pre-season All-Americans Heston Kjerstad and Casey Martin. Kjerstad hit .325 or higher in each of his first two season with the Hogs. Martin hit more home runs (15) and more RBIs (57) than his freshman season, finishing with 81 hits overall last season.
Arkansas is set to host 32 games at Baum-Walker Stadium this spring, including SEC series against Alabama, Florida, Texas A&M, Auburn, and Georgia. During the 2019 season, Arkansas drew 93,868 fans to the stadium, the most of any ballpark in the country. The Razorbacks wrapped up the 2019 season with a 33-7 home record, the second-straight year Arkansas has totaled 30 or more wins at home.
The 2020 slate kicks off with Eastern Illinois for the second-straight season, beginning on Friday, February 14 at 3 p.m. at Baum-Walker Stadium.
