2015 ROSTER (Quick View)

[A_R_K_A_N_S_A_S]

2015 Razorback Roster (subject to change) (unofficial) as of 1/19/15

*Bold indicates 2014 Razorback participants in games.

INFIELDERS:(11)
        Name               Ht     Wt       Class      Home town           Prior school           
#1  Rick Nomura      5'9", 175 lbs, Junior   Waipahu, Hawaii,  Alvin Community College
#3  Michael Bernal  5'11", 190     Jr (RS)  El Paso, Texas,     New Mexico JC
#5 Brett McAfee     6'0",  195      Jr (RS)  Longview, Texas,   Panola JC
#6  Blake Wiggins   6'1",  205 lbs,  Fresh     Little Rock, Ar.,     Pulaski Academy
#7  Bobby Wernes   6'3",  200      Junior   Overland Park, Ks.  Neosho CC
#9  Clark Eagan       6'1", 190       Soph     Appleton, Wis.,      Appleton North HS
#12 Max Hogan      5'11"  195       Junior   Belton, Texas,       McLennan Com College
#13 Josh Alberius   5'11   180      Soph(RS) Little Rock, Ark.    LR Christian Acad
#14 Matt Campbell  6'0"   180      Junior    Chesapeake, Va.     McLennan Com Col
#29 Cullen Gassaway 6'2" 215      Junior    Bedford, Texas       Blinn Junior College
#40 Kevin Silky        6'5", 205      Fresh     Dublin, Calif.          Dublin H.S.

OUTFIELDERS:(7)
        Name                  Ht      Wt       Class      Home town           Prior school
# 8  Tyler Spoon          5'11"  190      Jr (RS)  Van Buren, Ark.    Van Buren HS
#10 Joe Serrano          6'0"    195      Senior   Tucson, Ariz.        Salpointe Catholic HS
#16 Andrew Benintendi 5'10" 180      Soph     Cincinnati, Ohio     Madeira HS
#17 Luke Bonfield        6'2"    190     Fresh     Skillman, N.J.        IMG Academy
#26 Jack Benninghoff   5'11"  190     Fresh     Overland Park, Ks.  Rockhurst HS
#33 Krisjon Wilkerson  6'2"    220     Senior   Bay St. Louis, Miss. Pearl River CC
#41 Darien Simms       5'7"    155     Fresh     Spring, Texas        Northland Christian HS

CATCHERS(4)
        Name                  Ht      Wt      Class       Home town           Prior school
#20 Carson Shaddy     5'10"  180    Fresh(RS) Fayetteville, Ark.  Fayetteville HS
#24 Chad Spanberger  6'2"    225    Fresh       Granite City, Ill.   Granite City HS
#27 Tucker Pennell      6'2"    200    Junior     Georgetown, Tx.   Temple Junior College
#44 Alex Gosser          6'0"    215    Soph      N Little Rock, Ar.    N Little Rock HS

PITCHERS:(13)
         Name                       Ht      Wt  Class     Home town           Prior school
#11 Keaton McKinney-RHP  6'5"  220  Fresh    Ankeny, Iowa        Centennial HS
#21 Trey Killian        -RHP   6'3" 200  Junior    Mountain Home,Ar Mountain Home HS
#25 Dominic Taccolini-RHP  6'3" 215  Soph     Sugar Land, Tx.     Kempner HS
#28 James Teague    -RHP  6'0" 190  Soph      Bartlesville, Ok.     Bartlesville HS
#30 Jacob Stone       -RHP  6'1" 195  Senior    Ft Worth, Tx.        Weatherford JC
#32 Zach  Jackson    -RHP  6'4" 215  Soph      Berryhill, Ok          Berryhill HS
#34 Parker Sanburn    -RHP  6'1" 195  Fresh     Kokomo, Ind.         Kokomo HS
#35 Jackson Lowery -RHP  6'0" 180  Senior    Little Rock, Ar        Meridian CC
#36 Cannon Chadwick-RHP 6'0" 200  Soph      Paris Tx.                Paris Jr College
#38 Lance Phillips    -RHP 6'4" 190  Senior    Nacogdoches, Tx    Bossier Parish CC
#39 Kyle Pate            -LHP 6'1" 185  Fresh      Fayetteville, Ar.     Fayetteville HS
#48 Jonah Patten       -RHP 6'3" 195 Fresh      Indianapolis, Ind.   Norwell HS
#49 Ryan Fant           -LHP 6'5" 210  Fresh     Texarkana, Tx.       Texas HS

[A_R_K_A_N_S_A_S]

Returning offense:

Player         avg   gp-gs   ab    r    h   2b  3b  hr   rbi   slg%  bb  hp  so   ob%  sb-att 
Gosser       .320     8-7    25   4    8    1   0    0     3   .360    6    0    6  .452    0-0
Eagan        .301  46-31  123  26  37   4   1    2   12   .398   16    7  18  .411    4-5
Serrano     .289   61-60 228  35  66  14   0   0    22   .351   29    2  38  .366    8-8
McAfee      .277   15-14   47   3   13    4   0   0     9   .362     4     2   7  .339     0-0
Benintendi .276   61-60 225  45   62   8   1   1    27   .333   24   10  20 .368  17-21
Wilkerson  .257   37-29 101  17   26   3   1   2    14   .366     8    7   34 .347    1-1
Spoon       .256   64-64 234  39   60  12  2   3    37   .363    29    7  37  .350    5-7
Bernal       .250   60-58 180  30  45   4    1   2    18   .317   12   18  41  .357    1-2
Wernes     .217   56-55 175   18  38   1   0   0    18   .223    20   6   36  .317    1-4
Alberius    .125    12-1    16    1    2   0    0  0      3   .125      0    0   1   .125    0-0
Returning  .264           1354 218 357 57  6  10  163           140   59  238        37-48
2014 totals.263           2101 323 552 92  9  28  294           219   85  397        56-72

[A_R_K_A_N_S_A_S]

Returning Pitching:

Player           era    w-l   app  gs  cg  sho  sv   ip      h   r   er   bb   so  2b  3b  hr  b/avg
J Stone         0.94  4-0    24    0   0   0/1  4   38.1  16  8    4  13   31    3   0   1   .132
T Killian        2.30  4-9    14  14   4   0/1  0   94.0  74 31  24  18   62  10   0   4   .222
Z Jackson      2.53  2-3    24    2   0  0/4  2   42.2  28 17  12  21   42    6   0   3   .184
J Lowery       4.04  1-1    20    0   0   0/4  1  35.2   29 18  16  13   35    2   2   1   .216
J Teague       4.86  1-0     8     1   0   0/0  0  16.2   14  9    9    5   11    1   0   0   .230
D Taccolini    4.94  2-0    17    3    0   0/1 0   31.0   29 19  17 12   20    4   0   1   .240
L Phillips       6.00  0-0      3    0   0   0/0  0    3.0     3   3    2   1    3     3   0   0   .231
J Alberius      0.00  0-0      1    0   0   0/0  0    0.2     0   0    0   0    0     0   0   0   .000

[A_R_K_A_N_S_A_S]

If the returning outfielders have continued to progress, as DVH has mentioned and Bonfield produces as advertised, our outfield has a chance to be better offensively, considering the extra pop in the new ball.

[SPAL]

Outstanding work.

[flippinhogmana]

This post will be long enough without quoting Arkansas but I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge and compliment his outstanding work opening the thread.  ty

There is a reason why we are ranked so low by the rating agencies.  Our returning players on the offensive side have a record, but not a record that is particularly desirable statistically.  Looking at UCA's tables just brings to my remembrance afresh that we don't have much hitting returning.  A lot of mediocre hitting average wise, and not much pop either.  However, as I view it there is hope.  As I stated before, I can envision Spoon (the hitter with the most rbis returning) improving if he is fully healthy to start the year and stays that way.  We know he has some pop in his bat.

If Benentendi improves in both average and pop (he was a freshman last year, its not like he was a flop, its a big step up in competition from hs to sec play), it will help set the table for our middle of the order hitters for better rbis opportunities.  Our new hitters like Luke Bonfield can have an impact as well.

On the pitching side, our two best pitchers in ERA and 'stuff', Killian and Jackson, have negative won/loss records.  Not a good sign, but as we all know Killian was major league gyped last year by lack of run support oft times.  Jackson has more control issues.  Sometimes pitchers with electric arms and super 'stuff' have a hard time finding the strike zone.  Some times they never do.  Sometimes they struggle for awhile. 

Nolan Ryan for example had issues with finding the zone and arm troubles when with the Mets.  Seaver and Koozman came up with him.  They were good for the Mets but Ryan had the better velocity and stuff.  Mets finally gave up on him but he eventually found it with the Angels.  He turned out okay.  Hopefully Jackson will find it sooner rather than later or not at all.  Several of the young freshmen like McKinney, Pate and Fant (partially because the latter two are lefties) could have impact as well.

If our catching (which is unproven to start) can handle the pitchers, prove at least adequate blocking the rocket pitches in the dirt and can do a decent job cutting down base-runners, I think our defense will be adequate.  Wernes and Bernal could improve offensively but both have proven themselves defensively, and if McAfee is healthy he could help both offensively and defensively.  First base is not proven but I don't think it will be a liability.  Eagan presumably could do an adequate job there if no one else emerges.

If Bonfield can hold his own in left, initially Spoon and Benintendi will do a superior job in center and right. 

I would anticipate Wilkerson would open at DH and remain there unless undesired performanes/non-performances surface that require adjustments.  All in all a decent base from which to build.  If our freshmen/redshirts can bring some pizzazz and sizzle, we could emerge by mid-season as a force that must be reckoned with.

[dotnet]

Did you botch the name or are you referencing a different post?

[flippinhogmana]

Did you botch the name or are you referencing a different post?

not sure how, but botched the accreditation bigtime.  Fixed it, ty dotnet.

[A_R_K_A_N_S_A_S]

Comparison of returning offense to 2014 team totals:

                    avg     ab      r      h   2b  3b  hr   rbi    bb    hp    so     sb-att
2014 totals  .263   2101  323  552  92   9  28  294   219   85  397    56-72
Returning    .264   1354  218  357  57   6  10  163   140   59  238    37-48             
     

[A_R_K_A_N_S_A_S]

Comparison of returning pitching vs 2014 team totals:


Player          era   w - l   app  gs  cg   sv    ip        h     er    bb   so    2b  3b  hr  b/avg
2014 totals 2.63  40-25  215  65   6  14  575.1  440  168  210  435  65   3   22  .214
Returning   2.89  14-13  111  20   4    7  262.0  193    84    88  204  29   2   10

(29.1 games pitched-returning)   

[A_R_K_A_N_S_A_S]

2015 NEWCOMERS:

INFIELD/OUTFIELD

Jack Benninghoff  #26
Ht: 5'11" Wt: 190 lbs Freshman Outfielder,
Overland Park, Ks., Rockhurst High School (KS),
Named to the 2014 Central All-Region first team.
Hit .388 with two home runs and 22 RBI as a sophomore.

Luke Bonfield #17
6'2", 190 lbs Freshman, Outfielder
Skillman, N.J.  High School: IMG Academy
Ranked as a top five college summer league player and ranked No. 2 top prospect in 2014 by FCBL.
Hit .379 with three home runs and 19 RBI in 2014 in 24 games played.

Matt Campbell #14
6'0", 180 lbs, Junior, Infielder
McLennan Community College
Recorded a .333 batting average with 27 RBI ... Went 15-of-16 in stolen bases.
Played for University of North Carolina in 2013.

Cullen Gassaway #29
6'2", 215 lbs, Junior Infielder
Blinn Junior College
Played in the JUCO World Series in 2014.
Batted .312 with 17 RBI and six doubles in 38 games during the 2013 season.

Max Hogan #12
5'11", 195 lbs, Junior Infielder
McLennan Community College
2014: Recorded a .361 batting average with 45 RBI ... Went 22-for-25 in stolen bases.
Played for Dallas Baptist University in 2013.
Central Texas MVP after hitting .380 with eight home runs and 50 RBI in HS.

Rick Nomura #1
5'9", 175 lbs, Junior Infielder
Waipahu, Hawaii, Alvin Community College
Batted .388 in 54 games, 71 hits, 13 doubles, 10 triples, 1 home run, 43 RBI, 9 SB.
Selected to the California Collegiate League All-Star Team

Tucker Pennell #27
6'2", 200 lbs, Junior, Catcher
Temple Junior College
Won the TCL Championship and batted .256 with 17 RBI in 34 games.
High School: All-District first team after hitting .327 with 17 RBI and one home run.

Carson Shaddy #20
5'10", 180 lbs, Freshman (Red Shirt), Catcher
Fayetteville HS, Ark.
2013 Arkansas Gatorade Player of the Year
2013 Rawlings High School Gold Glove winner at catcher
Hit .426 with three home runs and 18 RBI as a senior in HS.

Kevin Silky #40
6'5", 205 lbs, Freshman, Infielder
Dublin, Calif., Dublin HS
Named All-Diablo Foothill Athletic League first team in 2014.
Batted .283 during his senior season. Pitched in 6 games with an ERA of 3.23.

Darien Simms #41
5'7", 155 lbs, Freshman, Outfielder
Spring, Texas, Northland Christian HS
Named 4A All-State second team in 2013
Hit .424 in 2013 with 48 runs scored and 33 stolen bases in 31 games played.
Holds Northland High School record for single season and career stolen bases.

Chad Spanberger #24
6'2", 225 lbs, Freshman Catcher
Granite City, Ill. High School
Ranked 10th-best recruit in the state of Illinois according to Perfect Game.
All-Southwestern League first team in 2014 after hitting .417 with 37 walks, eight doubles, four triples, four home runs and 27 RBI.

Blake Wiggins #6
6'1", 205 lbs, Freshman Infielder
Little Rock, Ark., Pulaski Academy
No. 1 recruit in the state of Arkansas according to Perfect Game.
Named MaxPreps 2014 Preseason Mr. Baseball in Arkansas.
Batted .476, 37 runs, 9 doubles, 6 triples, 11 homeruns and 37 RBI.

PITCHERS:

[Polecat]

Do you have an expected depth chart at this point? Thanks

[A_R_K_A_N_S_A_S]

Do you have an expected depth chart at this point? Thanks

Anybody ready to take a shot at this yet?


2015: As of 2/19
Player              avg   gp-gs  ab  r  h  2b  3b  hr  rbi   slg%  bb  hbp  so    ob%   sb-att   
Clark Eagan     .571    3-3   14  5  8   2    1   0    7   .857    1     0    2    .600      0-1
Tyler Spoon     .462    3-3   13  3  6   1    1   0    4   .692    0     2    1    .533      0-1
Rick Nomura    .455   3-3    11  4  5   1    0   1    2   .818    2     1    1    .533      0-0
Brett McAfee    .385   3-3    13  5  5   0    0   1    1   .615    2     0    1    .467      1-1
Joe Serrano     .364   2-2    11  1  4   1    0   0    3   .455    0     0    1    .364      0-1
Bobby Wernes .364    3-2   11  5  4   1     2   0   2   .818     0     0    2    .364      0-0
Luke Bonfield   .250   3-2     8  2  2   0     0   0   0    .250    1     0    1    .333      0-0
A. Benintendi   .222   3-3     9  2  2   0     0   1   3    .556    4     1    1    .467      1-1
C. Gassaway    .750   1-1    4   2  3   1     0   0   1   1.000   1     0    1    .800      0-0
Carson Shaddy .667  3-0     3   4  2   0     0   1   2   1.667   1     0    1    .750      1-1
C. Spanberger  .500  2-1     6   0  3   0     1   0   4    .833    0     0    1    .500      0-0
Michael Bernal  .500  2-1     2   1  1   1     0   0   1   1.000   0     0    0    .500      0-0
Alex Gosser      .500  1-0     2   1  1   0     0   0   0    .500    0     0    1    .500      0-0
Tucker Pennell  .400  3-3     5   1  2   1     0   0   1    .600    2     0    0    .500     0-0
Blake Wiggins   .000  2-0      2  0  0   0     0   0   0    .000   0     0     0    .000     0-0 
Totals              .421  3-3  114 36 48  9    5    4  31   .693   14    4   14    .489     3-6
Opponents       .207  3-3    92  7  19  2     0   1  7    .261   10    4    39   .308      1-1

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INNING:

GAME TIME: 2:00pm