Van Horn hires Missouri State aide

FAYETTEVILLE - Direct from the staff of the NCAA Fayetteville Regional champion Missouri State Bears, Nate Thompson has been hired as Arkansas’ new hitting coach and recruiting coordinator.

Thompson replaces Tony Vitello, recently named the head coach at Tennessee.

Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn announced Thompson’s hiring Friday evening via a UA press release.

“I am very excited to add Nate Thompson to our coaching staff,” Van Horn was quoted. “He brings a lot of energy and experience in recruiting for this region, as well as Texas. Nate has done a tremendous job working with the offense at top-notch programs like Nebraska, Dallas Baptist and Missouri State. I thought he would be a great fit for our program. I’ve been watching Nate for the last few years and he’s worked extremely hard to get where he is. I’m looking forward to him leading our recruiting efforts and working with our offense.”

For coach Keith Guttin’s Missouri State Bears, Thompson coached and recruited three-time All-American third baseman Jake Burger, drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the first round as the 11th overall choice, and All-American shortstop Jeremy Eierman, whose two-run home run ultimately defeated Arkansas 3-2 in the winner-take-all championship game of the Fayetteville Regional at Baum Stadium.

Thompson and the Bears have seen both sides of it at Baum, where the Razorbacks defeated Missouri State in the 2015 super regional to advance to the College World Series.

“Arkansas is a premier place,” Thompson was quoted in Friday’s press release. “Coach Van Horn is a legend and a proven winner everywhere he has gone. To get the opportunity to coach at a place like Arkansas, to recruit with the resources and have the fan support that is here is tremendous. Getting the chance to work with Dave Van Horn and the caliber of players they have, it’s a dream and the opportunity of a lifetime. I couldn’t be more excited and I am blessed beyond measure to be a Hog. I can’t wait to get started and working toward championships.”

Yanks sign Stephan: For

$800,000, mlb.com reported, Arkansas Razorback junior right-hander and third-round New York draft choice Trevor Stephan signed a professional contract Friday with the Yankees.

At Arkansas, Stephan, 6-5 , 225 of Magnolia, Texas, via Hill (Texas) Junior College, went 6-3 with a 2.87 ERA and

120 strikeouts vs. 20 walks in 91 innings while clocking fast balls exceeding 95 miles per hour.

As a draft-eligible sophomore at Hill Junior College, Stephan turned down an 18thround draft-choice offer from the Boston Red Sox.