razorbacks

FAYETTEVILLE - Five players on the Arkansas Razorbacks 2020 baseball roster have submitted their names in the NCAA transfer portal, while Razorbacks  football running back, Chase Hayden, has found a new home at East Carolina University.

Hayden recently put his name in the portal after redshirting last season. Hayden, of Memphis lettered as a freshman in 2017, seven games before his season ended with a broken leg, and sophomore in 2018. He played the maximum allowed four games and kept his redshirt last season shortened  by injuries. Hayden netted a career total 574 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 117 carries.

Off Coach Dave Van Horn’s baseball Razorbacks, 11-5 in 2020 before the season was canceled by the coronavirus, sophomore outfielder Curtis Washington of West Memphis and freshman pitcher Kevin Heinrich submitted their names Tuesday to the transfer portal, joining pitchers Collin Taylor, Travis Hester and infielder Jesse Pierce in the portal intending to transfer.

Washington lettered as a reserve outfielder for the 2019 College World Series Razorbacks and hit .353 with three doubles, a triple and a home run and went 1 for 5 with a home run playing six of Arkansas’ 16 games in 2020.

Heinrich did not pitch as a true freshman in 2020.

Hester redshirted as a 2019 freshman and wasn’t used in 2020.

Taylor pitched 6 2-3 innings of relief in 2019 and wasn’t used in 2020.

Pearce, a true freshman, wasn’t used during the abbreviated 2020 season.

The transfer portal is expected to abound in college baseball with an already signed incoming freshman class joining rosters with players whose 2020 class eligibilities has been restored for 2021 because the 2020 season was terminated so quickly. The NCAA ruling not only restores 2020 seniors eligibility in 2021 but more Major League draft eligible juniors will be returning since the June 10 draft will be conducted with just five rounds instead of the customary 40 rounds.