Arkansas Razorbacks News

Home

Quizzes

Newsletter

Portal success all over Arkansas' most recent run to Omaha

Originally posted on Arkansas Razorbacks on SI
By Daniel Shi | Last updated Jun 12, 2025 7:26 PM ET

OMAHA, Neb. — When Arkansas and LSU take the field for their opening game of the College World Series at Charles Schwab Field, a common thread links the two teams. Both coaches' wiillingness and ability to utilize the transfer portal.

The reliance on the portal is especially pronounced on the Arkansas side of the ledger. Eight of the nine players in the projected starting lineup had previous college experience before playing for the Razorbacks.

LSU for their part has gotten transfer contributions from second baseman Daniel Dickinson, third baseman Michael Braswell III and center fielder Chris Stanfield.

Only catcher Ryder Helfrick arrived in 2024 as a true freshman for Arkansas. Six position players are all part of a this year's transfer class. First baseman Reese Robinett is the only other player in the lineup who spent his freshman season with the Hogs.

The imprints are all over the pitching staff too. Zach Root, who transferred in from East Carolina, was officially confirmed by Van Horn as the game one starter against LSU.

The top bullpen arm for most of the season turned spot starter Aiden Jimenez is a first-year transfer from Oregon State. Landon Beidelschies was a top portal target from Ohio State.

"I talked to our coaches about it four years ago," Van Horn said about the portal. "We've either got to embrace it or we need to get a different job. And that's what we did. We said, okay, these are the rules, that is what we've got to do. That's what we did."

It means that each commitment out of the portal has to a mutually beneficial relationship. That applies to all recruiting, but is especially under the microscope in the portal.

"You've got to get the right players," Van Horn said. "The talent's out there and the experience, but you've got to get the right ones. You've got to get the right ones that really care."

Van Horn used Root as a example. Root will get the ball against LSU, looking to avenge a game that the Tigers won with Root on the mound.

We got arms pic.twitter.com/yhN9VFF2sE
— Arkansas Baseball (@RazorbackBSB) June 12, 2025

Root got the no-decision, but the Hogs got walked off in the tenth inning at 1 a.m. after a three-hour rain delay.

"He has tears flowing," Van Horn said about Root after the Super Regional. "I mean, that kid, that's beautiful. That's what you want, you want guys that buy in that they want to go."

It's part of a meticulous plan that requires some incredibly difficult decisions in the world of NIL and the impending further influx of cash from revenue sharing in light of the recent House settlement. It remains to be seen how much of that trickles down to baseball.

"We just shook our heads and said no way," Van Horn said about some of the high-quality transfers that they have passed on. "They've gone [other] places and they've done really well. We just didn't feel like it was a good fit, asking too much, just too much. What about development? What about the draft coming up?"

For the transfers that Van Horn did hand pick out, the goal and mission remains the same, finally get over the finish line.

"Everyone respects him [Van Horn] and everyone thinks of him as one of the best," Root said. "There's just one last thing that's missing from his trophy case, and we're going to go get it for him."

LSU and Arkansas get underway 6 p.m. Saturday on ESPN.