Baseball
Razorbacks’ Hagen Smith goes quickly in MLB Draft
More Hogs expected to be taken with the second round starting Monday, but a high-ranking selection for pitching ace.
ARLINGTON, Texas — In the end, Arkansas pitcher Hagen Smith ended up being picked lower than some Hogs’ fans were projecting, but it still was solid at No. 5. Smith was the second pitcher selected in the 2024 MLB Draft on Sunday, going to the Chicago White Sox.
The pick has a projected slot value of $7,763,700. The only pitcher higher behind Chase Burns of Wake Forest, who was taken with the second pick by the Cincinnati Reds.
Smith ended his Razorback career with a career-record 360 strikeouts across three seasons as a Hog. He finished with a 24-6 record with a 3.40 ERA across 233 innings. He becomes the first Razorback to be drafted in the first round since Heston Kjerstad was selected second overall in the five-round, COVID-shortened 2020 draft by the Baltimore Orioles.
He also becomes the first Razorback pitcher to be selected in the opening round since Ryne Stanek was selected 29th overall by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2013.
The lefty ace has long been regarded as one the best pitching prospects of the 2024 draft class with a potential fast-track to the majors, with a potential to make his debut this year.
“If he throws it over the plate they may start him somewhere,” coach Dave Van Horn said. “They may just say, ‘Put him in the bullpen up there in September, what the heck.”
Day 2 of the MLB Draft continues 1 p.m. Monday on MLB.com and other Razorbacks are expected to be chosen.
| Thu, Aug 29 |  | vs UAPB (Little Rock) | W, 70-0 |
| Sat, Sep 7 |  | @ Oklahoma State | L, 31-39 2OT |
| Sat, Sep 14 |  | vs UAB | W, 37-27 |
| Sat, Sep 21 |  | @ Auburn | W, 24-14 |
| Sat, Sep 28 |  | vs Texas A&M (Arl) | L, 21-17 |
| Sat, Oct 5 |  | vs Tennessee | 6:00 or 6:30 PM ABC or ESPN |
| Sat, Oct 19 |  | vs LSU | TBD |
| Sat, Oct 26 |  | @ Mississippi State | TBD |
| Sat, Nov 2 |  | vs Ole Miss | TBD |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Texas | 11:00 AM |
| Sat, Nov 23 |  | vs Louisiana Tech | TBD |
| Sat, Nov 30 |  | @ Missouri | TBD |
| Following is the Arkansas Sports Media High School Football Poll including the Overall Top 10, the top five in Classes 7A, 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A and 2A, plus the top three in the 8-man division, as voted by a panel of sports media from around the state for the week ending August 24. Ranking is given with first-place votes received, records, total points and ranking from last week's poll: | ||||
| OVERALL | Record | Pts | Prv | |
| 1. | Bryant (18) | 4-0 | 242 | 1 |
| 2. | Conway (6) | 4-0 | 212 | 2 |
| 3. | Greenwood (1) | 4-0 | 196 | 3 |
| 4. | Fayetteville | 3-1 | 176 | 4 |
| 5. | Little Rock Parkview | 3-1 | 149 | 5 |
| 6. | Pulaski Academy | 4-0 | 124 | 6 |
| 7. | Benton | 3-1 | 103 | 7 |
| 8. | Rogers | 3-1 | 54 | 9 |
| 9. | Bentonville | 1-3 | 38 | 10 |
| 10. | Shiloh Christian | 2-2 | 25 | 8 |
| Others receiving votes: Little Rock Christian 19, Marion 13, Mountain Home 7, Cabot 5, Joe T Robinson 5, Springdale 4, Valley View 2, Elkins 1. | ||||
| CLASS 7A | ||||
| 1. | Bryant (19) | 4-0 | 119 | 1 |
| 2. | Conway (5) | 4-0 | 100 | 2 |
| 3. | Fayetteville (1) | 3-1 | 80 | 3 |
| 4. | Pulaski Academy | 4-0 | 49 | 4 |
| 5. | Rogers | 3-1 | 15 | 5 |
| Others receiving votes: Bentonville 9, LR Christian 3. | ||||
| CLASS 6A | ||||
| 1. | Greenwood (25) | 4-0 | 125 | 1 |
| 2. | Benton | 3-1 | 100 | 2 |
| 3. | Shiloh Christian | 2-2 | 47 | 3 |
| 4. | Marion | 3-1 | 45 | 4 |
| Mountain Home | 4-0 | 45 | 5 | |
| Others receiving votes: Lake Hamilton 8, Russellville 3, FS Southside 2. | ||||
| CLASS 5A | ||||
| 1. | Little Rock Parkview (25) | 3-1 | 125 | 1 |
| 2. | Joe T Robinson | 3-1 | 96 | 2 |
| 3. | Valley View | 4-0 | 62 | 3 |
| 4. | Hot Springs Lakeside | 3-1 | 48 | 5 |
| 5. | Morrilton | 4-0 | 17 | — |
| Others receiving votes: Harding Academy 16, Camden Fairview 4, Greenbrier 3, Alma 2, Beebe 1, Wynne 1 | ||||
| CLASS 4A | ||||
| 1. | Elkins (21) | 4-0 | 117 | 1 |
| 3. | Little Rock Mills (1) | 4-0 | 69 | 3 |
| 2. | Arkadelphia (2) | 2-2 | 43 | 2 |
| 4. | Warren | 2-2 | 43 | 4 |
| 5. | Malvern (1) | 4-0 | 34 | 5 |
| Others receiving votes: Southside Batesville 13, Clinton 10, Highland 9, Bauxite 7, Mena 4, Gravette1. | ||||
| CLASS 3A | ||||
| 1. | Booneville (15) | 4-0 | 109 | 1 |
| 2. | Prescott (8) | 4-0 | 102 | 2 |
| 3. | Newport (1) | 4-0 | 61 | 3 |
| 4. | Rivercrest (1) | 4-0 | 52 | 4 |
| 5. | Walnut Ridge | 4-0 | 24 | 5 |
| Others receiving votes: Melbourne 13, Fordyce 10, Bismarck 8, Charleston 4. | ||||
| CLASS 2A | ||||
| 1. | Carlisle (17) | 4-0 | 112 | 1 |
| 2. | Conway Christian (6) | 4-0 | 105 | 2 |
| 3. | Marked Tree (1) | 3-1 | 58 | 3 |
| 4. | Des Arc | 3-1 | 40 | 5 |
| 5. | Junction City | 2-2 | 34 | 4 |
| Others receiving votes: Bigelow (1) 9, McCrory 9, Mineral Springs 8. | ||||
| 8-MAN SANCTIONED | ||||
| 1. | Strong-Huttig (20) | 1-0 | 70 | 2 |
| 2. | Cedar Ridge (4) | 4-0 | 41 | 3 |
| 3. | Rector (1) | 1-1 | 20 | 1 |
| Others receiving votes: Woodlawn 11, Midland 8. | ||||