Dave Van Horn breaks down various options at closer

Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn has a solid Razorbacks team this year. But like most college baseball teams, there’s plenty of questions about the teams bullpen heading into the season.

When asked during a preseason press conference who might take over the important closer role, Van Horn said the team has options.

There’s options there. A couple of them are young options. We just feel good about what we’ve seen for the most part. Closing, long relief, Brady Tygart has the experience. His season dating back into the fall till now has been a little bit up and down but really shown some pitch ability as far as more than just a breaking ball. His fastball is is good and it’s got movement. He’s learned how to pitch more with three pitches instead of maybe two.”

Tygard led the team with eight saves last season in 24 appearances with a 3.82 ERA and 51 strikeouts.

“You could use [Zack] Morris in that role. We like Gage Wood a little bit towards the end of the game.I think even Cooper Dossett has done really well. He didn’t pitch all fall. He’s been hurt a lot through high school, off and on, and now it looks like he’s healthy and he’s got really good stuff. Those are some of the guys that kind of jump out at me a little bit. But you got Cody Adcock, who’s got a lot of experience and middle relievers, long relievers., You could go with Austin Ledbetter and any of the guys I just mentioned. We even like freshman Parker Coil. Got a good breaking ball, throws the ball right around 90 miles an hour and he throws a lot of strikes. Again, their freshmen but we’re gonna put some of these guys out in the fire early and just see what they can do

With closer still a work in progress, Dave Van Horn has initial starting rotation figured out

Dave Van Horn’s starting rotations for the opening weekend of the season will be Hagen Smith, Will McEntire and Hunter Hollan.

“Oh, yeah. We’ll go with Hagen Smith right out of the gate. And then we’ll go Will McEntire, and then we’ll go Hunter Hollan on Sunday,” Van Horn said.

Smith was the team’s No. 2 starter last year when he made the All-SEC freshman team, finishing with a 7-2 record. McEntire is a redshirt junior who made eight starts and four appearances out of the bullpen last season. Hollan is a left-handed junior college transfer from San Jacinto College, where he had a 3.59 ERA in 18 starts last season.