Tamaz enters transfer portal, but Hogs still have crowd at catcher

In what was becoming a crowded position at Arkansas with new players coming in, freshman Dominic Tamez has decided to explore his options going somewhere else.

From San Antonio, he appeared in eight games in 2020.

In the past couple of months, the Razorbacks have added two grad transfers, including Collegiate Baseball first-team All-American AJ Lewis and former San Francisco catcher Robert Emery.

Little Rock Christian Academy catcher Cason Tollett is also on the roster, and he made one appearance last season as as a freshman.

Tamaz’s strength was at the plate and coach Dave Van Horn was frustrated at times with his defensive efforts. In a midweek game against Illinois State, when he allowed three passed balls in six innings before being replaced by Opitz.

Tamez’s defensive struggles were so severe that just a few days before the season was canceled, Van Horn told the Swatters Club that Opitz would likely be carrying a heavier load moving forward because he couldn’t trust Tamez behind the plate.

It was likely, though, that Tamez would have still been a key reserve on this year’s team as a pinch hitter or even as a backup outfielder, a position at which he worked some in practice.