Chris Lemonis: Arkansas has possibly 'the best pitcher in the country' in Hagen Smith

On Friday, Arkansas and Mississippi State will begin a three-game series with serious SEC Tournament implications. Bulldogs head coach Chris Lemonis knows it won’t be easy. On Monday, Lemonis broke down Arkansas’ talent and particularly praised Razorbacks pitcher Hagen Smith.

“They can really pitch. They arguably have maybe the best pitcher in the country with Hagen Smith,” Lemonis said. “All three of their starters are really good and they pitch good at the back end. I’m sure they’re very comfortable pitching at home. It’s a veteran offensive group that has won a lot of games. They know how to play winning baseball.

“They can move the ball. They got some guys that can hit it out the park. They play really good defense. They play winning baseball.”

Smith is 9-0 on the mound this season, boasting a 1.36 ERA, the best in the nation. In 66 innings pitched, Smith has amassed 125 strikeouts while only throwing one wild pitch.

Most recently, Smith was devastating in Arkansas’ win over Kentucky on Friday. In the triumph, Smith pitched for six innings and collected 14 strikeouts while only allowing three hits. For reference, Kentucky tallied 18 combined runs in the following two games against Arkansas with Smith off the mound.

Friday was the ninth time this season that Smith recorded double-digit strikeouts, which is a new program record for Arkansas. Opposing coaches aren’t the only ones taking note of Smith’s pitching prowess.

MLB.com lists the left-handed junior as the No. 6 overall prospect in the 2024 MLB draft class.

“He has improved his control and performance in 2024, highlighted by striking out 17 over six innings on just 78 pitches against Oregon State, with some evaluators calling it the most dominant game they ever had seen,” the outlet wrote. “He has a strong 6-foot-3, 225-pound frame built for durability and could become a frontline starter if he continues to harness his stuff.

“He has better stuff than any southpaw in this Draft and could be the first pitcher selected after finding more consistency this spring.”

Before Hagen Smith can focus on the next level, he must address the task in front of him. Mississippi State doesn’t plan on making it easy for the All-American. The Bulldogs are two games behind Texas A&M for the No. 2 spot in the SEC West standings.

Mississippi State and Arkansas will go head-to-head at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.