Hogs land a top baseball prospect
August 28, 2009 – 12:13 amArkansas baseball picked up an oral commitment from one of the nation’s best prospects last week. Third baseman/pitcher Justin O’Connor of Muncie, Ind., Cowan said the Hogs worked hard to get him to Fayetteville.
“They contacted me early during the recruiting process and I heard a lot of good things about them,” O’Connor said. “We continued to talk during the summer and they came and watched me a couple of times.”
O’Connor excelled at the plate with a .561 average, 19 home runs and 61 RBIs while showing off a blazing fastball for a 0.30 ERA. In 46.2 innings, he recorded 101 strikeouts.
He took visits to Arkansas, North Carolina and Florida State.
“I took a visit out there and I loved all their facilities,” said O’Connor of the Hogs. “The coaches were great. I felt comfortable with everything. They’re up and coming and they’re in the SEC. The coaches have done a lot of good things with the program and they impressed me a lot. It’s something I want to be a part of.”
O’Connor has seen an increase in his arm strength over the last three years. He hit 96 mph on the radar gun this past season while throwing 92 last fall and 88-89 the year before.
O’Connor could be a long shot to enroll at Arkansas considering he’s a shoe-in to be a first round draft pick in next June’s Major League Draft.
“I haven’t sat down with my family and decided yet,” O’Connor said. “Nothing is for sure, anything can happen between now and June so I’m not real sure.”
Recruiting coordinator Todd Butler led the Hogs’ efforts in pursing O’Connor.
“I like him a lot,” O’Connor said. “I can talk to him real easily. He seems like a great coach.”
Living in Indiana, O’Connor said he was looking for warmer climate for college.
“I didn’t want to go too far South but anywhere warmer” he said. “They start their season earlier than we do up here.”
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6 Responses to “Hogs land a top baseball prospect”
It would be great to get this kid on campus, but I doubt he’ll turn down 1st round money. At any rate, it says a lot for our program to get a commit from that kind of talent.
By your mom goes to college on Aug 28, 2009 @ 9:00am
you go to college to get a job.
this kid obviously doesn’t need college.
but there are benefits to college life, also.
this would be a tough decision.
By Razorback56 on Aug 28, 2009 @ 10:01am
Good to see the staff land another top commit.
Hope he stays a Hog, but the $$ of the Pros is hard for many to turn down.
P.
By Portie on Aug 28, 2009 @ 11:03am
He just might come to Arkansas, ride out this economic down turn, and get an education. He can go pro in a couple of years when the economy straightens up and then make the big bucks.
By B9HOGFAN on Aug 30, 2009 @ 11:47am
I hope this kid goes to school first. Most kids are not ready for the big leagues right away but must learn and toil in the minors. Why not learn at a big time baseball school like Arkansas? After spending a couple of years in college he will be more prepared to be a professional baseball player. In the meantime he can enjoy the college experience. College is not just about preparing to make money, it is also about life–it is an experience that makeslife richer. It is an enjoyable stage in life. I wouldn’t trade my college years for anything.
By NewYorkHogFan on Sep 2, 2009 @ 9:15am
I really don’t think it matters if he comes here or not although I really hope he will but either way I think the HOGS will be back in Omaha next year. I think this coming year is going to be a great sport’s year for the HOGS. I believe the basketball team is going to be really good and if the football team is just half as good as I think they will be then this may be the best overall sports year the HOGS have ever had.
By B9HOGFAN on Sep 3, 2009 @ 2:46pm