Speedster Ready to Contribute to Hogs Winning Culture
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — One never knows what impact a mundane baseball game can have. After all, Arkansas plays over 60 a year. Some stand the test of time and are replayed and talked about for years to come. Most are forgotten as life moves on. Others take a little extra time before the impact is felt.
Ty Wilmsmeyer takes over starting center field duties for the Razorbacks in less than a week after spending four seasons at Missouri. A three-game series in March of 2022 gave Wilmsmeyer an outsider's perspective into the Hog culture.
"Arkansas was a very sound team," Wilmsmeyer said in the fall. "They didn't make many mistakes. They didn't have a ton of superstars, guys that were flashy. Pitchers didn't make mistakes over the plate and when our [Mizzou's] pitchers made mistakes, they hit them. Just a solid all-around ball club. The culture has been fantastic since I've arrived here."
Wilmsmeyer broke out in 2023, primarily hitting lead-off for Mizzou and slashing .311/.380/.482 with 21 stolen bases in 24 attempts, a figure that would have led the Razorbacks in 2023. However, Wilmsmeyer struggled in the fall, hitting under .200 in 38 at-bats in the fall, according to unofficial stats kept by media. Van Horn chalks that up to being an older guy transferring in from another school in the conference.
"He didn’t hit much in the fall," Van Horn said. "I just think a new program, maybe a lot of self-inflicted pressure going from one SEC school to another. But he’s swinging the bat well now for us."
Van Horn has also lauded the Springfield, Missouri native's defense in center field and sees him as an asset on the defensive side regardless of the production at the plate. Although hitting occasionally in the lead-off spot, Van Horn has often opted to use Wimsmeyer in the No. 9 position as the perfect table setter to flip the line-up over.
"Ty Wilmsmeyer in center is our best defender [in the outfield]," Van Horn said. "If it comes down to just defense, it’ll be Wilmsmeyer [in center]."
Once playing the Hogs as an opponent, Wilmsmeyer now has the chance to contribute to the culture that he transferred to Fayetteville for, and if Van Horn's word is any indication, he'll fit right in.
Wilmsmeyer and the rest of the Hogs open their 2024 campaign against James Madison 3 p.m. Feb. 16. inside Baum-Walker Stadium. The game will be streamed on SEC Network+.
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