Arkansas' baseball team is ranked No. 4 to begin the season and is one of three Southeastern Conference team ranked in the top five nationally. Photo by Gareth Patterson.

Arkansas baseball started practice Friday with high expectations and momentum.

The Razorbacks were picked as a consensus top-10 team in the days leading up to the start of practice. The Hogs were voted No. 4 by Baseball America, No. 6 by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and No. 8 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll.

“We have high expectations for ourselves,” senior second baseman Bo Bigham said. “We’re just going to take it day by day, one game at a time. We know we’re good and just going to have to play our game. If we do that we will win a lot of games.”

Arkansas returns 19 letterwinners from the 2011 SEC West championship, including 2011 SEC freshman All-America first baseman Dominic Ficociello, second-team All-SEC selection and starting pitcher DJ Baxendale. Captains Bigham and third baseman Matt Reynolds also return.

The Razorbacks went 40-22 last season, advancing to the finals of the Tempe Regional before losing to host Arizona State.

“We all know each other really well, and we know our tendencies,” Bigham said. “We know where we’re going to be. I mean they can always count on me to be on second and I can count on them to put it on the bag. It’s nice.”

The Hogs had weather in the 50s with sunny skies to open practice this year.

“First day out, it’s just great to come out,” Baxendale said. “Nice enough weather for us to come out on the field and get a couple of innings of scrimmage in and get to see some of the guys hit, some other guys throw. It was great. Looking forward to the season, and today started off right.”

Arkansas hosts Villanova in a season-opening series beginning Feb. 17.

“I know our players are looking forward to getting the season started,” Van Horn said. “I felt like in the middle of last year when the young guys were playing so well, that 2013 could be a great year and 2013, on and on. So with that being said, I think we’re ready to roll.”

Construction fit to recruits

The right field fence at Baum Stadium is being moved from 375 feet to 365 feet this season.

“I’ve been wanting to bring the right field fence in since I got here,” Van Horn said.

The southwest wind can blow balls down short of the fence, an issue that had become a big enough issue that coaches are beginning to make sure left handed-hitting recruits are aware of Baum’s deep fence, Van Horn said.

“Just talking to former (Arkansas) players like Zack Cox, Andy Wilkins, some of these guys didn’t know the wind blew in like it did,” Van Horn said. “I think some of these coaches are trying to make sure left-handed hitters know it. It’s going to be a good thing, so that’s why we did it.

“I did it for recruiting more than anything. I like recruiting left-handed hitters and I think it makes it more fair.”

The project to bring the fence in took place in conjunction with the previously-planned replacement of both bullpens’ chain link fences.

Hogs have catcher concerns

Arkansas catcher James McCann’s graduating and subsequently being drafted by the Detroit Tigers left the Razorbacks with a void at catcher.

Sophomore Jake Wise and freshman John Reeves from Monroe, La., are to be the top candidates entering practice.

“What you have there are two guys that are pretty much the same, but one is a year older,” Coach Van Horn said.
McCann hit .306 and had six home runs and 38 RBIs last season.

Wise learned from behind McCann during 2011 and appeared in some Tuesday games, hitting .163 with one home run and five RBIs in 21 games, including 11 starts.

Reeves was an honorable mention All-State catcher in his senior season at Ouachita Christian High School and was a first-team all-district selection twice.

“After scrimmaging this weekend we will go with the hot guy,” Van Horn said. “We’ll go with the fresh guy. Right now it’s definitely the most inexperienced position on the team for being such a vital position.

“With that pitching staff you need some guys with some confidence and I know Reeves is a confident kid. It’ll be a good battle.”