Van Horn Inks Eight More in Class of 2016

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas Razorback baseball team has added eight more signees, head coach Dave Van Horn announced.

The class includes five of the top 100 high school players in the nation and the best two left-handed pitchers in the state of Arkansas according to Perfect Game. The 20-player class hails from 10 different states, stretching as far east as Florida and west as California, north as Wisconsin and south as Texas.

“We did a great job of covering everything – from catchers, outfielders, infielders, left-handed pitchers, right-handed pitchers. It’s probably as good of a class as I’ve ever signed,” Van Horn said.

The eight additions bring the Class of 2016 to a total of 20 players signed. The class includes six left-handed pitchers, five right-handed pitchers, one catcher, three infielders, two outfielders and three utility players.

Arkansas advanced to its eighth College World Series in school history in 2015, compiling a 40-25 overall record and earning its way to Omaha for the third time in the past seven seasons.

RAZORBACK BASEBALL SIGNEES

Matt Burch | INF | L/R | 5-9 | 170 | Gurnee, Ill. | Warren HS
The No. 17 player and No. 4 shortstop in Illinois according to Prep Baseball Report … Ranked No. 216 overall and the No. 32 shortstop in the nation by Prep Baseball Report … Perfect Game ranks him a top 500 prospect and the No. 134 shortstop nationally … Also ranked the No. 36 overall prospect and No. 8 shortstop in the state of Illinois by Perfect Game … 2015 Perfect Game Underclassmen All-American high honorable mention … 2015 Lake County all-area team … Batted .321 with 26 RBIs and 38 hits, including five doubles and three triples as a junior … 2014 Perfect Game Underclassmen All-American honorable mention … 2013 honorable mention all-conference as a freshman … Played summer ball for Top Tier Americans … Plays for head coach Clint Smothers at Warren High School.

Matt Cronin | LHP | L/L | 6-2 | 185 | Navarre, Fla. | Navarre HS
Named the No. 167 prospect and No. 22 left-handed pitcher in the nation by Perfect Game … Ranked the No. 29 overall player and No. 5 left-handed pitcher in the State of Florida by Perfect Game … Listed as the No. 132 prospect and No. 23 pitcher nationally by Prep Baseball Report … A top 40 prospect in Florida and is the state’s ninth-best pitcher according to Prep Baseball Report … Participated in the 2015 Area Code Baseball Games as part of the Washington Nationals team representing the Southeast … 2015 Perfect Game Underclassmen All-American high honorable mention … 2015 Class 7A All-State selection … 2015 Pensacola News Journal pitcher of the year … Led the state of Florida with 143 strikeouts as a junior … Pitched 68.2 innings and allowed just 22 hits … Played summer ball for Evoshield Canes … Threw a complete game one-hitter for the Canes in the 2015 World Wood Bat Association World Championship … Plays for head coach Scott Murphy at Navarre High School.

Dominic Fletcher | OF | L/L | 5-10 | 185 | Cypress, Calif. | Cypress HS
Rated No. 69 overall and the No. 10 outfielder in the nation by Perfect Game … Also rated No. 8 and the No. 4 outfielder in the state of California … Attended the 2015 Perfect Game National Showcase … 2015 First Team Perfect Game Underclassman All-American … Named to the 2015 17u Perfect Game World Series All-Tournament team … Named to the 2015 All-CIF Division I team … Hit .385 at 2015 WWBA World Championship and earned all-tournament recognition … Participated in the 2015 Area Code Baseball Games as part of the Milwaukee Brewers team representing Southern California … Attended the 2014 Perfect Game Underclass All-American Games … 2014 Perfect Game Underclassman High Honorable Mention All-American … Tallied three triples as a sophomore … Played fall and summer ball for the CBA Marucci 2016 … Plays for head coach John Weber at Cypress High School.

Brenden Heiss | RHP | R/R | 6-2 | 205 | Lake in the Hills, Ill. | Jacobs HS
Ranked the No. 30 pitcher and No. 70 overall player in the nation by Prep Baseball Report … Perfect Game ranks him the No. 45 right-handed pitcher and No. 139 overall player in the Class of 2016 … Is the seventh best player and third best pitcher in the state of Illinois according to Prep Baseball Report … Ranked the No. 9 overall player and No. 2 right-handed pitcher in Illinois by Perfect Game … Fastball was clocked at 95 mph at the Perfect Game National Showcase … Participated in the 2015 Under Armour All-American Game at Wrigley Field … Played in the 2015 Area Code Baseball Games as part of the Chicago White Sox team representing the Midwest … 2015 Perfect Game Underclassmen First Team All-American … Helped Jacobs advance to the state finals for the first time in school history … Pitched 26.1 innings with 25 strikeouts and just nine hits allowed … 2014 Perfect Game Underclassmen All-American high honorable mention … Posted a 2.48 ERA with 44 strikeouts in 42.1 innings pitched as a sophomore … Played summer ball for Top Tier Americans … Plays for head coach Jamie Murray at Jacobs High School.

Jack Kenley | UTIL | L/R | 6-0 | 175 | Germantown, Tenn. | Houston HS
Garnered a top 500 overall ranking and No. 114 short stop in the nation according to Perfect Game … Also ranked No. 17 overall in the state of Tennessee … Prep Baseball Report ranks him the No. 150 player overall and 23rd-best shortstop in the nation … Also rated the No. 9 player and No. 2 shortstop in Tennessee by Prep Baseball Report … 2015 Perfect Game Underclassmen High Honorable Mention All-American … Earned all-state honors from the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association as a junior … Hit .457 (105-135) with 20 RBIs, eight doubles, three triples and one home run as a junior … Also stole eight bases, scored 40 runs and had a .894 fielding percentage with 42 putouts … Named to the 2015 17u WWBA All-Tournament after hitting .313 with six extra-base hits, three RBIs and five stolen bases for the East Coast Sox Select … Helped Houston go 4-0 and win the 2015 Louisville Slugger Select Classic #1, hitting .400 with two triples, two RBIs and seven runs en route to earning all-tournament honors … Named to the 2012 WWBA Underclass World Championship All-Tourney Team … Played fall ball with East Coast Baseball … Plays for head coach Lance McCarter at Houston High School.

Jordan McFarland | UTIL | R/R | 6-3 | 225 | Waterloo, Ill. | Waterloo HS
A top 100 recruit and the No. 10 outfielder in the nation according to Perfect Game … The fourth best player overall and No. 1 outfielder in the state of Illinois by Perfect Game … No. 66 overall player and No. 7 outfielder nationally according to Prep Baseball Report … 2015 Perfect Game Underclassmen Third Team All-American … 2015 Third Team All-State selection … Played junior season at Gibault Catholic and hit .442 with six doubles, five triples, eight home runs and 42 RBIs … 2014 Perfect Game Underclassmen All-American high honorable mention … Hit .437 with 10 doubles, three triples, seven home runs and 41 RBIs as a sophomore at Gibault Catholic … Played summer ball for the St. Louis Pirates … Coached by Mark Vogel at Waterloo High School.

Jackson Rutledge | LHP | L/L | 6-4 | 180 | Benton, La. | Benton HS
Ranked No. 26 overall and the No. 4 pitcher in the state of Louisiana by Prep Baseball Report … Went 6-2 with a 2.05 ERA as a junior … Earned 2015 second team all-district 1-4A honors … Participated in the 2015 Under Armour Preseason All-American Tournament … Plays for head coach JD Stephens at Benton High School.

Jaxon Williams | INF | R/R | 5-9 | 160 | Rosenberg, Texas | BF Terry HS
Ranked No. 215 overall and the best middle infielder in the nation by Perfect Game … Also ranked the No. 23 player in the state of Texas … 2015 Perfect Game Underclass Second Team All American … 2015 Perfect Game Underclassmen High Honorable Mention All-American … Participated in the 2015 Area Code Baseball Games as part of the Texas Rangers team representing Texas and Louisiana … Played summer and fall ball for the South Texas Sliders in 2014 … Recorded the only hit for the Texas Drillers in the team’s 4-1 win in the 2015 Perfect Game WWBA South Qualifier championship game … Named District 23-4A Freshman of the Year and Academic All-District in 2013 … Plays for head coach Steve Seelhammer at B.F. Terry High School.

The #OmaHogs will begin their 2016 season on Feb. 19 at Baum Stadium against Central Michigan. Season tickets for the 2016 baseball season are now on sale. Please visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com or call 1-800-982-HOGS for more details.

For more information on Arkansas baseball, follow @RazorbackBSB on Twitter.