Arkansas Razorbacks Set for Historic MLB Draft

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas baseball players are poised to mark a historic moment as the MLB Draft begins Sunday night. For the first time, the Razorbacks could have multiple first-round picks in a single draft, a feat they have never accomplished before.

This year, four Razorbacks are in contention for first-round selections: shortstop Wehiwa Aloy, left-handed pitcher Zach Root, right-handed pitcher Gage Wood, and outfielder Charles Davalan. The potential for this milestone is high, especially considering that no college has seen four players chosen in the first round in the same year.

If at least one Razorback is selected, it would be a follow-up to Hagen Smith‘s fifth overall selection by the Chicago White Sox in 2024. The program has not had back-to-back first-round picks, with the last pair coming from Ryne Stanek in 2013 and Andrew Benintendi in 2015.

Many players’ draft positions may fluctuate based on their signing bonus requests. Teams have flexibility in offering bonuses, as the slot values set by the league are not binding. For instance, Smith negotiated a deal worth about $300,000 above his slot value last year.

Current mock drafts indicate Aloy and Wood are likely to be selected in the first round, expected to go in the late teens to early twenties. Some forecasts suggest Root may land in the competitive balance portion of the first round.

The draft will kick off at 5 p.m. Sunday on ESPN and will feature the first 43 picks, followed by coverage on MLB Network. Rounds 4-20 will be available via live stream on MLB.com starting at 10:30 a.m. Monday.