Razorback Baseball: Need to Know Jared Wegner
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – When Jared Wegner's name popped up in the pregame research heading into the College Baseball Showdown there were a few thoughts about the newcomer from Creighton.
He appears to be a serviceable hitter, but that .343 batting average isn't against a continuous diet of Top 25 pitching.
It looks like he has decent power, but nothing overwhelming.
Wow! Why does he get hit by so many pitches? Yes, the Bluejays played 49 games, but 13 still feels like a lot.
Those 30 walks are a decent amount, but, again, who's pitching to him?
The .969 fielding percentage is good. That translates no matter the quality of your schedule.
Boy did the numbers coming in fall short on creating the full picture of Wegner. But that's his whole thing.
Everything about Wegner is unassuming. When our photographer first brought up photos of him, I could have swore I was looking at a picture of my brother-in-law.
In other words, he's got that small town Arkansas dad with a few kids who might have a good time taking in a fish fry followed by a little church league softball action look.
He's not super muscled. He has no bleached hair with a mullet.
Wegner's not even rocking the '70s mustache.
He's just a random guy with a quality full beard situation who might be standing next to you renting "Gladiator" if Blockbuster were still around.
(Arkansas Communications)
That is, until he steps to the plate. Then he stands out like he's The Rock in John Cena jorts with pink hair and a "My Hero Academia" gold chain standing on a street corner in Fordyce.
If the man Arkansas saw at the plate in Arlington is going to be the man, and we do mean man, Wegner graduated back in 2018, that the Razorbacks get all season, this is going to be one special year.
The Razorbacks' Jared Wegner blasts a shot to deep left center for a home run in the first inning against TCU at Globe Life Field. It cleared the 410 sign and then carried to the back wall of bullpen and high off the Lockheed Martin sign. (Addison Faith / AH Media)
If there are business out there smart enough to wait to see what a player brings to the table before making an NIL deal with a Razorback athlete, then here's a huge opportunity.
Against the likes of No. 8 TCU, No. 15 Oklahoma State and the Texas Longhorns, Wegner batted .545 with 6 hits, 2 home runs, 8 RBI and scored 4 runs.
Against TCU, which was definitely the toughest team in the field, Wegner was 3-for-4 with three RBI and a monster home run. We're talking over the 410 marker, over the bullpen, off the upper portion of the Lockheed Martin advertisement behind it.
That was in the bad game for Arkansas.
He drove in five runs against Oklahoma State in the finale where he hit a triple and a home run to complete a weekend cycle at the plate.
For Van Horn, Wegner was expected to a complementary hitter to first baseman Brady Slavens.
"We knew at the end of the season last year that we needed another big hitter in the midde of our order," Van Horn said. "When we got Brady back, bringing Jared in, and we started thinking OK these guys can be in the middle, whether it’s 3-4, 4-5, however we want to do it, and so far that’s what we’ve got. Two veteran guys who have really used both sides of the field."
But it didn't take long for Hogs skipper to realize he has so much more.
"His backside triple with two outs and the bases loaded, that was a thing of beauty," Van Horn said. "I would have loved a grand slam, but other than that, that was what I wanted to see going the other way.
Arkansas outfield Jared Wegner gets excited during the College Baseball Showdown in Arlington, Texas following a triple against Oklahoma State to complete the series cycle at the plate. (Dustin Safranek – USA TODAY Sports)
"They tried to get him out all weekend, the pitchers. They were were going away, they were coming in. I think he got hit twice I think at least this weekend. He just kept taking good at-bats and taking good swings. and he saw a lot of pitches."
Based on the large crowds in Arlington, Texas over the weekend, it stands to reason that a lot of Razorback fans have already seen what Wegner can do. However, those who haven't, it would definitely be worth it to catch him at the opener in Fayetteville this afternoon or over the weekend.
He and this entire team are definitely worth the price of admission.
HOGS FEED:
ARKANSAS SUDDENLY LOOKS MORE IN LINE WITH WHAT ARKANSAS FANS THOUGHT THEY WOULD SEE
HOGS SURVIVE SHOCKING CHALLENGE FROM SWAC'S GRAMBLING ST. TUESDAY
NEW BASEBALL CLOCK RULE NEEDS TO BE TRASHED ALREADY
TURNS OUT ARKANSAS QB RECRUIT HAD VERY UNFORTUNATE REASON TO TRANSFER
THROWING NICK SMITH INTO THE FIRST AGAIN MIGHT BE HOGS' BEST OPTION
OFF-COURT FACTORS COULD TIP 50-50 CHANCES AT NCAA TOURNAMENT IN THEIR FAVOR
RAZORBACKS WOULDN'T ACTUALLY HAVE A SIX-FOOT, 196-POUND DEFENSE LINEMAN WOULD THEY?
TURNS OUT ARKANSAS QB RECRUIT HAD VERY UNFORTUNATE REASON TO TRANSFER
THROWING NICK SMITH INTO THE FIRST AGAIN MIGHT BE HOGS' BEST OPTION
OFF-COURT FACTORS COULD TIP 50-50 CHANCES AT NCAA TOURNAMENT IN THEIR FAVOR
THE RAZORBACKS DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE A SIX-FOOT, 196-POUND DEFENSE LINEMAN DO THEY?
HUNTER HOLLAN COULD FILL HUGE ROLE FOR RAZORBACKS THIS SEASON THAT PAYS OFF IN MAY
MAYBE THE HOGS DEVELOPING SENSE OF URGENCY WITH WIN OVER FLORIDA
RAZORBACKS FINALLY COMPLETE A GAME TO GET A WIN
SMITH SETS IT UP, TYGART CLOSES IT DOWN AGAINST TEXAS FRIDAY NIGHT
FANS ASKED TO RED OUT "MUST-WIN" BASKETBALL GAME AGAINST FLORIDA
MARIO BROTHERS COMMERCIAL DURING SUPER BOWL LEADS TO HUGE RABBIT HOLE
IS NICK SMITH STILL A VALUABLE ASSET FOR RAZORBACKS AT THIS POINT?
A REALISTIC LOOK AT RAZORBACKS' FOOTBALL SCHEDULE THIS SEASON
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