Three ProHogs in MLB Postseason
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Three ProHogs are in this year’s Major League Baseball playoffs.
Outfielder Heston Kjerstad (Baltimore Orioles), catcher James McCann (Baltimore Orioles) and pitcher Ryne Stanek (New York Mets) will have a shot at hoisting the Commissioner’s Trophy with their respective teams this postseason.
Kjerstad, who played at Arkansas from 2018-20, was one of two Razorbacks included on the Orioles’ 26-man American League Wild Card roster. The rookie outfielder slashed .253/.351/.394 with four home runs and 14 RBI over 99 at-bats across 39 regular-season games.
McCann, who played for the Razorbacks from 2009-11, was also included on Baltimore’s postseason roster after slashing .234/.279/.388 with eight homers and 31 RBI over 214 at-bats across 65 games and providing strong defense behind the dish during the regular season. McCann, Kjerstad and the Orioles take on the Kansas City Royals in a best-of-three series, which is set to begin Tuesday, Oct. 1.
Stanek, who pitched for the Razorbacks from 2011-13, was a key piece of the Mets’ bullpen after he was acquired in a deal with the Seattle Mariners prior to the trade deadline. This season, the right-hander logged a 7-3 record with a 4.88 ERA, 67 strikeouts and seven saves over 55.1 innings of relief work across 63 appearances. Stanek and New York square off against the Milwaukee Brewers in the best-of-three wild card round, which also begins Tuesday, Oct. 1.
Six former Hogs have won a World Series title. Dick Hughes (St. Louis Cardinals, 1967), Eric Hinske (Boston Red Sox, 2007/New York Yankees, 2009), Dallas Keuchel (Houston Astros, 2017), Andrew Benintendi (Boston, 2018), Drew Smyly (Atlanta Braves, 2021) and Stanek (Houston, 2022) have each hoisted the Commissioner’s Trophy.
Stay up-to-date on all of this year’s MLB postseason action at www.mlb.com/postseason.
For complete coverage of Arkansas baseball, follow the Hogs on Twitter (@RazorbackBSB), Instagram (@RazorbackBSB) and Facebook (Arkansas Razorback Baseball).
