Oliver Grigg
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Three Razorbacks have earned preseason All-America recognition from Baseball America.
Robert Moore, Peyton Stovall and Jaxon Wiggins were named to the publication’s 2022 preseason All-America team on Monday morning. Moore received second-team praise at second base, while Stovall and Wiggins garnered third-team honors at first base and as a starting pitcher, respectively.
The team was voted on by the scouting departments of 14 MLB organizations. Baseball America annually polls major league teams to vote for its preseason All-America team, asking that they make their selections based on performance, talent and professional potential.
Moore slashed .283/.384/.558 with a team-leading 16 home runs and 53 RBI in 2021, his first full season with the Razorbacks. The Leawood, Kan., native established himself as one of college baseball’s premier middle infielders, earning All-SEC, Newcomer All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive praise after the year.
For Moore, the recognition is his third preseason All-America honor of the 2022 campaign. He was previously named to Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s preseason All-America Second Team and Perfect Game’s preseason All-America Third Team at second base.
Moore is also the only player on this year’s Baseball America preseason All-America team to repeat as a preseason All-America honoree. The Razorback infielder was voted to BA’s Second Team at second baseman in 2021.
Baseball America ranks Moore as the No. 8 overall college prospect for the 2022 MLB Draft as well as the second-best second baseman among all college prospects. D1Baseball, meanwhile, ranks Moore as the No. 10 college prospect and the second-best collegiate second baseman ahead of the upcoming draft.
Stovall enters his true freshman campaign with plenty of hype after arriving at Arkansas as the top prospect in the state of Louisiana, according to Prep Baseball Report. The Haughton, La., native, lauded as the preseason SEC Freshman of the Year by D1Baseball, is expected to play first base and make an immediate impact for the Razorbacks.
Wiggins made 17 appearances, including four starts, on the mound for Arkansas as a true freshman in 2021. The right-hander from Roland, Okla., who is ranked by Baseball America as one of the top college prospects for the 2023 MLB Draft, posted a 3-1 record with a 5.09 ERA and four saves, striking out 28 in 23.0 innings pitched.
Head coach Dave Van Horn and the Hogs, reigning SEC regular season and tournament champion, open the 2022 campaign – their 100th season of competition – against Illinois State on Feb. 18-20 at Baum-Walker Stadium.