Nate Thompson contract for 2 years, slight pay raise over predecessor

Missouri State assistant Nate Thompson watches during a game against Arkansas on Saturday, June 3, 2017, in Fayetteville.
Missouri State assistant Nate Thompson watches during a game against Arkansas on Saturday, June 3, 2017, in Fayetteville.

— Arkansas signed new baseball assistant Nate Thompson to a two-year contract that employs him through the 2019 season.

Thompson, who spent the past three seasons at Missouri State, will be paid $165,000 per year in his role as the Razorbacks' hitting coach and recruiting coordinator. His contract, which was signed last Friday, includes a no-compete clause with other SEC programs. That clause is waived for a job as a head coach.

Terms of the contract were made available through an open records request.

Thompson would owe the university $80,000 if he leaves for any non-head coach position prior to June 30, 2018. That buyout is cut in half the following year.

Non-cumulative incentives in Thompson's contract include bonuses worth one month of base pay for an SEC championship or participation in the NCAA Tournament; 1 1/2 months base pay for an appearance in the NCAA super regional round; two months base pay for a trip to the College World Series; and three months base pay for a national championship.

Thompson was hired last week to replace Tony Vitello, who spent four seasons in the role before he was hired as Tennessee's head coach on June 7. Vitello received a raise to $160,256 following the Razorbacks' appearance in the College World Series in 2015.

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