All Options on Table for Razorbacks' SEC Transfer in Logjam

Van Horn still looking for permanent home for second baseman for Hogs, but there is stiff competition

Arkansas Razorbacks coach Dave Van Horn walks the lineup to home plate before the fourth game of the opening series against Washington State. | Andy Hodges-Hogs on SI Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -— Arkansas has an infield logjam. Wehiwa Aloy has started 64 straight games at shortstop for Arkansas and his own Ripken streak isn't ending anytime soon. Brent Iredale is the everyday third baseman. There are two players fighting it out for the second base spot, Cam Kozeal and Nolan Souza.

Souza spent almost the entire fall and spring with the starters. Kozeal struggled for most of the fall to get going offensively, but is beginning to peak at the right time. The Omaha, Neb. has carried over his form from the spring into the first week of the season.

He finished the spring with the highest batting average on the team (.435) and went 3-for-8 with two doubles in his two starts against Washington State. Still, Souza started with the rest of the starters in the first game of the doubleheader Friday.

Coach Dave Van Horn still wants a spot for Kozeal's bat and glove and is willing to test him at just about every position on the field.

"He can play a lot of positions,” Van Horn said. “Right now, I would say our third baseman is doing really well, but if there was an injury or needed a day off, he could go to third.
"We could put him at first and we’ve worked him out there a little bit. You start talking outfield, probably do that and I have talked to Cam a couple of times - and I think the latest was last week - you could think about catching."

Vanderbilt designated hitter Cam Kozeal (28) watches his sacrifice fly that brought in a run against Lipscomb during the fifth inning at Dugan Field in Nashville, Tenn., Tuesday, April 16, 2024. Vanderbilt won 15-4 in seven innings. | Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

Kozeal played all 12 games at Vanderbilt at second base and played all but four games in the Cape Cod League at second base (three at third base, one at short), but Van Horn believes that Kozeal has the makeup to work behind the plate behind catchers Ryder Helfrick and Zane Becker.

Bourne second baseman Cam Kozeal throws over to catcher Caleb Stelly of Chatham. | Ron Schloerb/Cape Cod Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

"Just looking at body styles and attitudes and their make up [with] toughness," Van Horn said. "You can see a little bit of traits as a catcher. He is a good ballplayer and he cares about team  and wants the team to win."

Defensively, Kozeal's instincts were on full display in the first inning of Monday's game. On a bunt attempt with a runner of first base and held his ground in the baseline and ran into the runner heading to second to get an interference call and cut down the lead runner.

"That is your baseline and you just go attack the ball," Van Horn said. "The runner has to get around you. He just stuck his nose right in there and kept going for the ball and it worked out for us. I thought it was a really, really headsy baseball play."

Had Kozeal waited on the ball to arrive, there likely would have been runners on first and second with no outs in the first.

Arkansas now faces Kansas State in Arlington, Texas 7 p.m. Friday at Globe Life Field. The game will be streamed on FloCollege.

HOGS FEED:

• Hogs' 1990 Final Four team to be honored at Saturday's game

• Who Hogs will host for official visits this summer?

• Does Calipari still have what it takes to steal away elite recruit from Duke, Kentucky?

• Hogs' linebacker expected to land with new team in free agency

• SEC's most dominant player poses biggest challenge for Hogs

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