Razorbacks pitcher selected 5th by White Sox in 2024 MLB Draft

FORT WORTH, Texas — Arkansas ace Hagen Smith was selected fifth overall by the Chicago White Sox in the 2024 Major League Baseball Draft, becoming the 10th Razorback to be chosen in the first round and the highest-drafted pitcher in program history.

Smith, the second pitcher and first left-handed pitcher taken in this year’s draft, is the first Arkansas player to be selected in the first round since outfielder Heston Kjerstad was picked second overall by the Baltimore Orioles in 2020, as well as the first Razorback pitcher to be drafted in the first round since right-hander Ryne Stanek went 29th overall to the Tampa Bay Rays in 2013. Smith is Arkansas’ third topfive overall draft selection and fifth top-10 overall draft pick in history, joining infielder Jeff King (first overall, Pittsburgh Pirates, 1986), Kjerstad (2020), infielder Kevin McReynolds (sixth overall, San Diego Padres, 1981) and outfielder Andrew Benintendi (seventh overall, Boston Red Sox, 2015).

With his fifth overall selection, Smith surpassed left-hander Nick Schmidt, taken 23rd overall by the Padres in 2007, to become the highest-drafted pitcher in Arkansas history. Smith is the fourth Razorback pitcher to be selected in the first round, joining right-hander David Walling (27th overall, New York Yankees, 1999), Schmidt (2007) and Stanek (2013).

Smith, the 260th overall MLB draft selection in Arkansas history and the 137th overall MLB draft pick in the Dave Van Horn era, is the 20th overall Razorback pitcher selected and the 15th Razorback pitcher taken in the first 10 rounds of the draft since 2019, Matt Hobbs’ first season as pitching coach. In that span, Arkansas has had more pitchers selected in the MLB draft (20) than any program in the country, including a nation-leading 15 pitchers taken in the first 10 rounds.

The junior hurler will depart Arkansas as the most accomplished pitcher in program history. A unanimous first-team All-American and the sixth two-time All-American in school history, Smith was crowned the National Pitcher of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association/ Rawlings, College Baseball Foundation and Perfect Game in addition to finishing as a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy following his record-setting 2024 campaign.

Smith was unquestionably the best pitcher in college baseball this past year, concluding the season with a 9-2 record, 2.04 earned-run average and 161 strikeouts in 84 innings over 16 starts. Named the Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Year after going 7-0 with a 1.35 ERA and 110 strikeouts in 60 innings over 10 SEC starts on the mound, Smith led the country with an NCAA-record 17.25 strikeouts per nine innings and finished ranked first nationally in batting average against (.144) and hits allowed per nine innings (4.39), second in strikeouts (161), fourth in ERA (2.04) and seventh in WHIP (0.89).

The Bullard, Texas, native posted a team-leading 11 quality starts and logged a program-record 11 doubledigit strikeout games on the year, becoming the program’s all-time career strikeout king and single-season strikeout leader during his historic 2024 season. Smith, who increased his career strikeout total to 360, overtook Schmidt (345) for sole possession of Arkansas’ career strikeout mark in addition to surpassing Walling’s singleseason strikeout record of 155 set in 1999 to move atop the program’s single-season strikeout leaderboard (161).

In one of the greatest pitching performances in program history, Smith tied Arkansas’ single-game record with his 17-strikeout gem on 78 pitches over six shutout innings against Oregon State on Feb. 23 in the Kubota College Baseball Series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Smith matched Razorback great Jess Todd’s single-game strikeout record (17), doing so in 40 fewer pitches than Todd threw against South Carolina on May 24, 2007, in the SEC Tournament.

Five Hogs, including infielder Peyton Stovall, pitcher Mason Molina, infielder Jared Sprague-Lott, catcher Hudson White and infielder Ben McLaughlin, were selected during the second day.

Through the first 10 rounds and 315 picks, six Arkansas standouts heard their names called in this year’s draft. Excluding 2020’s COVIDshortened draft, six or more Razorbacks have been selected in each of the last eight drafts since 2016, including a program-record 11 in 2018.

Stovall was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the fourth round with the No. 117 overall pick. The 261st draft selection in Arkansas history and 138th draft pick in the Dave Van Horn era, the Haughton, La., native became the program’s 34th All-American following a strong junior campaign in which he served as a team captain for the second season in a row.

The Razorback second baseman started all 48 games he played in after suffering a broken foot in a preseason scrimmage and missing the first 12 games of the year, slashing a team-leading .340/.409/.535 with nine homers and 38 runs batted in to earn All-America praise from the American Baseball Coaches Association/ Rawlings. Stovall, who finished as the team leader in hits (68), doubles (12), batting average (.340), slugging percentage (.535) and on-base plus slugging (.944), recorded a team-leading 19 multi-hit games and logged 10 multi-RBI games during his breakout campaign.

Molina, meanwhile, was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the seventh round with the No. 215 overall pick. The 262nd draft selection in Arkansas history and 139th draft pick in the Van Horn era, the Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., native made 15 appearances with 13 starts in 2024, going 4-2 with a 4.47 ERA and 81 strikeouts over 58.1 innings.

The Texas Tech transfer, who limited opposing hitters to a .193 batting average on the year, logged three double-digit strikeouts games in his one season as a Razorback. In SEC play, Molina went 2-2 with a 4.50 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 36 innings over nine appearances with eight starts, helping Arkansas clinch the Western Division title after making his first relief appearance of the year at No. 5 Texas A&M on May 17 and spinning three shutout frames with two strikeouts.

Sprague-Lott, the first of three Razorbacks chosen in the ninth round, was selected by the Oakland Athletics with the No. 256 overall pick. The 263rd draft selection in Arkansas history and 140th draft pick in the Van Horn era, the Philadelphia native made the most of his one season as a Hog, slashing .290/.425/.491 with nine homers and 28 RBI on the year.

Defensively, the Richmond transfer played a stellar third base to earn SEC All-Defensive Team honors. Sprague-Lott committed seven errors in 106 total chances (.934 fielding percentage) on the year, including only one error in 56 total chances (.982 fielding percentage) in conference play, and assisted in turning 10 double plays during the season.

White, the second of three Razorbacks chosen in the ninth round, was selected by the Boston Red Sox with the No. 267 overall pick. The 264th draft selection in Arkansas history and 141st draft pick in the Van Horn era, the Keller, Texas, native turned in a strong junior season, slashing .297/.396/.525 with eight homers and 33 RBIs.

The Texas Tech transfer had a blazing hot finish to his 2024 campaign, which culminated in him earning a spot on the NCAA Fayetteville Regional All-Tournament Team. Seven of White’s eight home runs came during the final month of the season, as he finished the year on a 16-game hitting streak, including seven multi-hit games and six multi-RBI efforts.

McLaughlin, the third and final Razorback chosen in the ninth round, was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the No. 284 overall pick. The 265th draft selection in Arkansas history and 142nd draft pick in the Van Horn era, the Golden, Colo., native slashed .302/.447/.490 with nine home runs and 42 RBI in his final season with the Razorbacks.

A transfer from Hutchinson Community College, McLaughlin was one of two Hogs to play in all 60 games in 2024. The Razorbacks’ primary first baseman drew 50 walks on the year, which tied for sixth most in a season in program history.

The 2024 MLB Draft was slated to conclude Tuesday with rounds 11 through 20. One Arkansas signee — infielder Tyson Lewis (2nd round, No. 51 overall, Cincinnati Reds) — has been selected so far.