Razorbacks' Summer Performance Piles Pressure On Arkansas Staff

Hogs' roster filled with Cape Cod breakouts

Michael Anderson of Harwich steps up to the plate against Wareham. Anderson recently announced his transfer from Rhode Island to Arkansas for the upcoming college season / Ron Schloerb/Cape Cod Times / USA TODAY

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas' offense was much maligned and ultimately its downfall in the 2024 season. Unable to find any consistency, coach Dave Van Horn played roulette with the line-up all season, deploying over 50 combinations and nine players in the clean-up spot.

However, three clear frontrunners have emerged over the summer in the northeast to fill the middle of the 2025 batting order. Returning shortstop Wehiwa Aloy, Michael Anderson and Ryder Helfrick are currently the top three home run hitters in the Cape Cod League, widely considered the crème de la crème of summer collegiate baseball leagues.

Ryder Helfrick of Brewster arrives safely at second as the throw takes a bounce on Ryan Weingarter of Harwich. / Ron Schloerb/Cape Cod Times / USA TODAY

In roughly 65 plate appearances, Aloy leads the way with seven homers after providing a fireworks show of his own on the Fourth of July with a three-homer performance, just the 13th player in league history to do so. Anderson has five homers and leads the Cape in OPS.

Wehiwa Aloy has homered back to back days for the @YD_RedSox.

Aloy’s 4 💣’s ties him with 3 others for the @OfficialCCBL lead. The Hawaiian wonder’s 14 RBIs is 2nd in the league. pic.twitter.com/MIOPMp0Rtw

— Ben Strober (@benstrobermedia) July 4, 2024

That's a far cry from the team that finished with just 87 home runs, ninth in the SEC, and often found itself stuck in low-scoring pitchers' duels and solely relying on the draft-eligible Hagen Smith to carry the Hogs to victory on Friday night.

Helfrick has shown significant improvement in his ability to hit righties. After hitting .114 against righties in a Razorback uniform, he's hitting .263 in the Cape with three of his four homers also coming against righties.

After hitting coach Nate Thompson was under the microscope for most of the 2024 season, the early returns on his 2025 line-up seem more promising. If hitting once again becomes the crux of another early postseason exit, Thompson's post and role with the team will only attract more fury.

You can find the entire list of summer assignments for Razorback players here and watch select games from the Cape Cod League on Cape League TV.

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