By Otis Kirk

FAYETTEVILLE -- The 2023 MLB Draft is now finished and Dave Van Horn can begin to look at what his roster will look like.

The draft took some key recruits who are likely not going to make it to campus, but that was expected. Van Horn expected some of the hitters to get selected early and bypass college. 

"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."

Arkansas should be in really good shape as far as pitching following the draft. Known to returning are Will McEntire, Brady Tygart, Hagen Smith, Gage Wood and others. Arkansas is also getting three pitchers ranked in the Top 102 players in the nation to campus. They are Aptos (Calif.) left-hander Gabe Gaeckle, Timberland (Mo.) left hander Adam Hachman and left hander Tucker Holland of The Burlington (NC) School. Gaeckle was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in Round 20, but is still headed to Arkansas.

Arkansas will also bring back second baseman Peyton Stovall, infielder Peyton Holt, outfielder and designated hitter Kendall Diggs and catcher Parker Rowland among others. Infielder Ben McLaughlin also announced he's returning. 

Arkansas has added several key players from the transfer portal. It appears all but University of Indiana pitcher Craig Yoho will make it to campus. Yoho was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the eighth round and will turn professional. 

Arkansas’ other pitching signees in the 2023 class are right handers Johan Conradt of Greenville, Wisc., Jonesboro’s Riley Hefling, Conway’s Kyler Spencer, Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy’s Jaewoo Cho, Kansas City’s Tate McGuire, Southlake (Texas) star Jared White and left hander Hayden Thomas of Lexington, Calif.