Razorbacks have outside chance at MLB Draft history Sunday evening

Razorbacks could become first school in history to have four first round picks

Arkansas Razorbacks pitcher Gage Wood reacts after a strikeout against the Creighton Bluejays in a win in the Fayetteville Regional of the NCAA Tournament at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. | Nilsen Roman-Hogs on SI Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The day has finally come for Arkansas players to find out the next step in their baseball journeys, leaving college and entering professional baseball. The MLB Draft begins Sunday night.

The Razorbacks have never had more than one first round pick in the same year in school history, so Razorback history will almost certainly be made.

The Razorbacks have four potential first round prospects in shortstop Wehiwa Aloy, left-handed pitcher Zach Root, right-handed pitcher Gage Wood and outfielder Charles Davalan.

Arkansas Razorbacks pitcher Zach Root winds to throw a pitch against the Tennessee Volunteers in the Super Regional at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. | Andy Hodges-Hogs on SI Images

Arkansas has also never had back-to-back seasons with an first round pick. If a Hog is selected in the first round, he would follow Hagen Smith, who was selected fifth overall by the Chicago White Sox in 2024.

The Razorbacks had first round picks seperated by a year in 2013 and 2015 with Ryne Stanek and Andrew Benintendi.

It would be quite a feat for the Razorbacks to get all four drafted in the first round given that the Razorbacks have only had four first round picks since 2013, a rather low number for a program the caliber of Arkansas. Stanek was the last right-handed pitcher selected in the first-round.

If the entire quartet hears their name called by commissioner Rob Manfred Friday, it would be the first time in the 60-year history of the MLB Draft that four players from the same school who have heard their name called in the first round in the same year.

Wake Forest Demon Deacons first baseman Nick Kurtz (8) celebrates after defeating the LSU Tigers at Charles Schwab Field Omaha | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Three players from the same school is fairly common. Three players from Wake Forest were selected in the first round in 2024 (Chase Burns, Nick Kurtz and Seaver King). LSU accomplished the feat in 2023 with Paul Skenes, Dylan Crews, and Ty Floyd, but no school has ever had four.

Many things could affect a player's ultimate draft position, including what their ultimate signing bonus ask is. The slot value assigned by the league is merely a suggestion, not a guaranteed check for the player.

Teams are free to go over or under as much as they wish. For example, Smith signed for roughly $300,000 over his slot value last year.

Shortstop Wehiwa Aloy after hitting a homer in the Fayetteville Regional against the Creighton Bluejays in a winner's bracket game. The Razorbacks won 12-1 | Nilsen Roman-Hogs on SI Images

Most mock drafts have Aloy and Wood firmly entrenched in the first round anywhere from the late teens to the early twenties. The Athletic, MLB.com and ESPN all have the duo selected in the first round, making school history.

ESPN has Root going in the competitive balance portoon of the first round, 35th overall to the Seattle Mariners. Davalan falls to the second round.

Arkansas Razorbacks Charles Davalan against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. | Andy Hodges-Hogs on SI Images

The Athletic is the only mock draft that has all four Hogs in the first round, including three straight Razorback picks from No. 25-27 with Root going first to the San Diego Padres followed by Gage Wood to the Philadelphia Phillies and Charles Davalan to the Cleveland Guardians.

The MLB Draft gets underway 5 p.m. Sunday on ESPN. ESPN will air the first 43 picks before the coverage shifts over to MLB Network. Rounds 4-20 will be streamed live on MLB.com 10:30 a.m. Monday.