Van Horn to shuffle Hogs lineup for 2019

FAYETTEVILLE — Heston Kjerstad and Casey Martin will return to Arkansas as sophomore stalwarts for the 2019 baseball season, but they do appear to be on the move.

Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn said at his Tuesday preseason press conference he does not have either player at the same positions as they played during their standout freshman campaign. Kjerstad played left field and was named the Southeastern Conference’s Freshman of the Year. Martin mainly played third base as he was named to the All-SEC Second Team and the Freshman All-SEC Team.

Van Horn is thinking Kjerstad, of Amarillo, Texas, and Martin, of Lonoke, can fill two holes left by players who departed this summer after they were selected in the 2018 Major League Baseball Draft. Arkansas’ draft selections included 2018 redshirt senior second baseman Carson Shaddy, junior shortstop Jax Biggers and junior right fielder Eric Cole.

Martin played some second base when Shaddy was briefly sidelined with injuries this season. Rising junior Jack Kenley, who can also play second or third base, filled in at shortstop when Biggers was out with a broken finger. Kenley is a frontrunner to play in the infield wherever Martin does not.

“We already know (Martin) can play third,” Van Horn said. “He played shortstop in high school. We’re going to give him an opportunity to play short this fall and some second. Down the road in professional baseball, I see him as a second baseman. I think at this level, if he can show he can be consistent, I think he’d be a great shortstop, as will Kenley. I’m going to let those two guys battle it out.”

Van Horn threw a new name Tuesday in the second base hopper.

Bryant native Trevor Ezell will work on his masters with 2019 baseball eligibility as a graduate transfer to Arkansas. He was a three-year letterman at Southeast Missouri State, hitting .377 with six home runs and 50 RBIs in 2018.

“He was their top hitter every year he played pretty much,” Van Horn said. “He had one year he got hurt and got a redshirt year, so he’s got another year left. He’s coming off surgery on his throwing shoulder, so he might not even get to hit until late fall. But he’s very experienced and hopefully get him rolling to help us early. If he’s not ready to throw yet full go, he could DH for us. He’s a switch-hitter and a very polished hitter.”

If Ezell reports well for his arm by February, “he’ll be more than in the mix,” Van Horn predicts.

Kenley will be in the thick of it, too.

“He really got better in the little playing time he had this last season,” Van Horn said. “He’s probably the hardest worker as far as pregame and practice that we have on the team. We feel like he’ll be ready. He needs more at-bats, so he’ll play every day this fall. He’ll probably get 70 or 80 at-bats.”

Kjerstad presently moves left to right.

“To me, he’s more of a right fielder,” Van Horn said. “He actually throws really well. He’s actually a good outfielder. Yeah, he dropped a couple balls late in the season, but running and getting the ball, he’s been good.”

Kjerstad, Martin and Kenley all are eschewing summer ball to lift weights and work on their conditioning in Fayetteville.

Rising juniors, center fielder Dominic Fletcher and relief pitcher Matt Cronin, were advised by Van Horn to turn down opportunities continuing their baseball summer in the Cape Cod League after finishing their stint with Team USA.

“We felt it was best for them to go home and rest and that the chances of them getting hurt were probably greater than them improving their game,” Van Horn said. “Really, probably less guys are playing summer ball than we’ve had in the past due to such a long season.”

Arkansas and national champion Oregon State played college baseball’s final game in the June 28 championship game at the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.

Van Horn is counting on several 2018 reserves to contend for starting positions in 2019, including catcher Casey Opitz, first baseman Jordan

McFarland and pitchers Caleb Bolden, Zebulon Vermillion and Jacob Kostyshock all playing summer ball.

Some who played reserve roles in 2018 will seek more playing time elsewhere. Pitchers Bryce Bonnin and Jacob Rutledge and outfielders Cole Turney and Easton Murrell are among those transferring as sophomores to junior college.

Recurring arm problems caused junior left-hander Weston Rogers and senior right-hander Keaton McKinney to retire from the game, while left-hander Hunter Milligan, of Greenbrier, will sit out 2019 because of injuries.

“From what it’s looking like right now, (Milligan) has got arm problems,” Van Horn said. “He had surgery, I guess his senior (high school) year. I think he was told a couple days ago it looks like he’s going to need some surgery.

“So, I think he’s going to have surgery and do his rehab back at home and maybe go to school closer to home. We’ll see how it goes and then see if we’re going to bring him back. But he won’t be able to pitch this year.”

Milligan was sidelined last year after pitching four innings in three games.