By Otis Kirk

FAYETTEVILLE -- The 2023 MLB Draft begins Sunday and as he does each year about this time Arkansas' Dave Van Horn is hoping for some good news as his 2024 roster can take shape.

The draft used to be in June, but has been moved to surround the MLB All-Star Game in recent years. That is an unpopular move with several coaches including Van Horn.

"The draft, I’m done complaining about it, and I think every Division I coach, we’ve talked about it until we’re blue in the face," Van Horn said. "The draft should have been two weeks ago. Or at the very latest now. At the very latest. So at least we could move on and figure this thing out.

"Pitching-wise, with the high school kids, we’re going to get some of these guys. We may lose a couple, but we’re going to get a lot of them those guys through and there’s going to be a really good pitching class. The position players, it might be a little more difficult to get some of these high-end hitters unfortunately. But we’re doing everything we can to figure it out."

ESPN has released its Top 300 prospects for this draft. The highest-ranked Razorback according to Kiley McDaniel is Mitchell (Fla.) third baseman Aidan Miller at No. 24. He's followed closely by Eaton (Colo.) shortstop Walker Martin at 26. 

"We don’t know what’s going to go on with Aidan Miller or Walker Martin," Van Horn said. "I could go on and on. We are talking with them, trying to figure out what kind of money they’re going to demand to sign and what they’re really thinking. Do they really want to go to school?"

Those two and others are part of the nation's No. 1 recruiting class. The current Razorback rated the highest is outfielder Jace Bohrofen at 59. Bohrofen led the Razorbacks with a .318 batting average this past season. He also added a team-leading 16 home runs and knocked in 52 runs. 

Jaxon Wiggins, a right-handed pitcher, who missed the entire season, is next at No. 115. Center fielder Tavian Josenberger shined in his only season with the Hogs after transferring in from Kansas. Josenberger, rated No. 122, had 10 home runs and hit .286. He led the Hogs with 13 stolen bases. 

"But you have to be smart about it," Van Horn said. "You can dream about getting all these guys. We don’t want to dream around here. We’re more about reality. So we’ve tried to handle some things, take care of some things, and hoping we can maybe sneak one of those three or four position players that are going to sign through.

"We’ve got some other guys that going to be really good that are not going to be drafted, or they’re going to be drafted low and they’re probably going to make it to school."

Here's the other Razorbacks and commitments in the Top 300.

52. Kendall George, SS, Atascocita, Texas

145. Barrett Kent, RHP, Pottsboro, Texas

150. Hunter Hollan, LHP, Arkansas

151. Adam Hachman, LHP, Timberland, Mo.

161. Nolan Souza, SS, Punahou, Hawaii

223. Hunter Dietz, LHP, Calvary Christian, Fla.

243. Colin Fisher, LHP, Noble, Okla.

262. Ryder Helfrick, C, Clayton Valley, Calif.