Hogs lose 9 to pros

A’s beat clock, secure Sanburn

Saturday, July 14, 2012

— There weren’t a lot of surprises for Arkansas’ baseball team Friday as the deadline for drafted players to sign with major-league baseball teams passed.

Right-handed starter Nolan Sanburn became the sixth among eight Razorbacks drafted to sign with the pros when he agreed to terms with the Oakland Athletics just minutes before Friday’s 4 p.m. Centraldeadline.

Sanburn, who was selected by the A’s in the second round (74th overall), was 4-1 with a 2.43 ERA in 22 games last season with the Razorbacks. He was eligible for the draft after turning 21 earlier this year.

Two other Arkansas players, outfielder Jacob Morris and left-hander Randall Fant, did not sign professional contracts and have the option to return to the Razorbacks next season.

D’Vone McClure, an outfielder from Jacksonville, signed with Cleveland on Thursday after being taken in the fourth round (143) by the Indians. He was the third Arkansas signee to sign with the pros.

“There weren’t a lot of surprises with the guys who were drafted off our team and the high school players we signed in the fall and spring,” Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said. “We knew Sanburn was going to sign from talking to people in professional baseball and knowing what he wanted.

“We lost some players, but we’ve got some guys coming in who we’re really excited about.”

Arkansas managed to retain one of its top high school signees when Colin Poche, a left-handed pitcher from Flower Mound, Texas, turned down offers from the Baltimore Orioles after being selected in the fifth round (162). Poche, who went 7-3 with a 0.21 ERA last season, will be the highest-drafted signee to make it to campus since pitcher Ryne Stanek turned down a third-round offer from the Seattle Mariners in 2010.

Poche will join several returning players on an Arkansas pitching staff that had a cumulative 2.83 ERA in 2012.

“Poche is the one we really wanted to keep,” Van Horn said. “He was the only one of the top-10 picks by the Orioles who did not sign. It’s big for us that he’s coming to school and joining our program.”

Catcher Blake Baxendale of Rogers Heritage is already on campus and will compete for a starting position next season after going undraftedin June. Baxendale, who told teams he would attend college if not selected by the eighth round, was named the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s Mr. Baseball after batting .467 with 6 home runs and 30 RBI as a senior.

Pitcher Trey Killian of Mountain Home also will join the Razorbacks next season after being named All-Arkansas as a senior.

Pitcher Teddy Stankiewicz, a right-hander from Fort Worth, did not sign a professional contract after being selected in the second round by the New York Mets (75), but he will likely attend a junior college and be eligible again next season for the draft.

Arkansas lost its leading batter and top pitcher when third baseman Matt Reynolds and right-hander DJ Baxendale signed professional contracts shortly after the Razorbacks’ return from the College World Series.

Reynolds, who batted .323, signed with the New York Mets after being selected in the second round (71). Baxendale, who went 8-5 with a 3.11 ERA, signed with Minnesota after being selected in the 10th round (310) by the Twins.

Sports, Pages 13 on 07/14/2012