Razorbacks Lose First Key Piece of Offseason

Arkansas will be without corner outfielder for 2025

Arkansas Razorbacks outfielder Jayson Jones crosses home plate against Grambling on Feb. 27, 2024. / Gunnar Rathbun-Razorbacks Communications

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — As Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn looks to rebuild his outfield from his 2024 team, he will be without Jayson Jones. Jones becomes the second Razorback to enter the transfer portal, per D1Baseball's portal tracker. He follows Hunter Grimes as the first two leaving the program.

Jones appeared in just 23 games in the 2024 season, despite being tabbed the opening day left fielder. He hit just .195/.301/.403 in 72 at-bats and started in just four SEC games. Across his two seasons in a Hog uniform, he showed flashes of power but only appeared in a total of 43 games. With Jones and Grimes both in the portal, all listed outfielders except Kade Smith, who redshirted in 2024, are either out of eligibility or not expected to return in 2025.

Arkansas has already begun the process of restocking the outfield, getting the commitments of incoming transfers Charles Davalan from Florida Gulf Coast and Carson Hansen from Milwaukee. The Hogs will need to continue to work the portal for more effective bats to patrol the outfield of Baum-Walker Stadium. No outfielder hit above .300 on last year's roster except Peyton Holt, who was converted from the infield to the outfield mid-season. Ross Lovich was the only other outfielder to hit above .230.

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