Veteran Ready to Make Leap to SEC With Razorbacks
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Six years into college, Kansas transfer Jack Wagner is finally ready to hit the big SEC stage. He's not one to lack experience, playing at Kansas (2019-2022) and Tarleton State (2023) before finishing his baseball career at Arkansas.
Since 2019, Wagner has appeared in 122 games across both schools. In 2023, Wagner also showed his versatility all over the field, starting 39 games at first base, two at right field and three at third base. Wagner is ready to establish himself anywhere in the field, including potentially left field as the job is still up for grabs with the season less than three weeks away.
"I'm fully prepared to be wherever I need to be," Wagner said. "If it's first, left field, if there's an injury I've got to go wherever. Being in college baseball so long, I've played all over, so I'm comfortable at a good majority of the spots."
Wagner is no slouch with the bat either, last year Wagner led the Tarleton State Texans in just about every offensive category with 15 home runs, 56 runs batted in, 28 walks, 451 on-base percentage, a .692 slugging percentage, 1.143 OPS and four triples. He was also named Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week which included a three-run homer against Texas A&M.
Coming to Arkansas, in part because of former Razorback and Kansas transfer Tavian Jsenberger, the Wichita, Kan. native showed off his power in the second scrimmage of 2024. Wagner destroyed a 414-foot homer to the pull side over the left field wall, admiring his work after with an impressive bat flip.
"Probably flipped my bat a little too high but it's all good," Wagner said.
After a half-decade in college baseball, Wagner is itching to finally get on the field to get a taste of SEC Baseball and make a good impression on his third and final team.
"Probably one of our team favorites amongst the players," coach Dave Van Horn said in November. "Hard-nosed kid. Had an incredible last week of fall ball. Home runs, doubles."
Wagner doesn't quite have the first base job locked up, but his bat may prove too valuable to leave out of the lineup.
"We’ve got a little battle at first base with (Ben) McLaughlin and Wagner," Van Horn said. "One hits left, one hits right. One can DH. Wagner could actually play some outfield if we needed him to, as well. But that’s something that is going to be ongoing, and it’s a good thing. It’s healthy competition amongst teammates."
The Razorbacks begin their season Feb. 16 against James Madison inside Baum-Walker Stadium at 3 p.m.
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