FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas ace Hagen Smith became the 260th Razorback selected in the MLB draft after the Chicago White Sox took him with the No. 5 overall pick Saturday.
Smith, a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy, is the first Hog picked in the opening round since Heston Kjerstad in 2020 and is the 10th first-round selection for the program overall.
Additionally, the Bullard, Texas, native is the highest-drafted pitcher in Arkansas history, topping Nick Schmidt's No. 23 position in the 2007 MLB Draft.
Smith swept All-America honors, earning six first-team selections after a dominant season: Collegiate Baseball Foundation, ABCA/Rawlings, Baseball America, D1Baseball, National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and Perfect Game.
The Razorback left-hander finished the season with a 9-2 record, 2.04 ERA and 161 strikeouts in 84 innings over 16 starts. He led the country with an NCAA-record 17.25 strikeouts per nine innings and finished ranked second nationally in hits allowed per nine innings (4.4), second in strikeouts (161), fourth in ERA (2.04) and seventh in WHIP (0.89).
Smith was the Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Year, posting a team-leading 11 quality starts while logging a program-record 11 double-digit strikeouts games this past season.
In a 5-4 victory over Oregon State on Feb. 23, Smith tied Arkansas's single-game record with 17 strikeouts on 78 pitches over six shutout innings. The Bullard, Texas, native broke Nick Schmidt's career strikeout record mark in addition to surpassing David Walling's single-season strikeout record of 155 set in 1999.
Smith finished his Razorback career atop the program's leaderboard in career strikeouts (360) and single-season strikeouts (161).
Arkansas baseball finished ranked No. 17 in D1Baseball's top 25 poll.
Arkansas's first-round MLB draft picks all-time
- LHP Hagen Smith, Chicago White Sox (2024 | No. 5)
- OF Heston Kjerstad, Baltimore Orioles (2020 | No. 2)
- OF Andrew Benintendi, Boston Red Sox (2015 | No. 7)
- RHP Ryne Stanek, Tampa Bay Rays (2013 | No. 29)
- INF Zack Cox, St. Louis Cardinals (2010 | No. 25)
- INF Logan Forsythe, San Diego Padres (2008 | No. 46)
- LHP Nick Schmidt, San Diego Padres (2007 | No. 23)
- RHP David Walling, New York Yankees (1999 | No. 27)
- INF Jeff King, Pittsburgh Pirates (1986 | No. 1)
- OF Kevin McReynolds, San Diego Padres (1981 | No. 6)
2024 Razorbacks drafted (college & high school)
- LHP Hagen Smith, Chicago White Sox (1st round | No. 5)
- INF Tyson Lewis, Cincinnati Reds (2nd round | No. 51)
- INF Peyton Stovall, Cincinnati Reds (4th round No. 117)
- LHP Mason Molina, Milwaukee Brewers (7th round | No. 215)
- INF Jared Sprague-Lott, Oakland Athletics (9th round | No. 256)
- C Hudson White, Boston Red Sox (9th round | No. 267)
- INF Ben McLaughlin, Arizona Diamondbacks (9th round | No. 284)
- OF Eli Lovich, Chicago Cubs (11th round | No. 332)
- RHP Jake Faherty, Miami Marlins (11th round | No. 334)
- RHP Brady Tygart, Boston Red Sox (12th round | (No. 357)
