Razorbacks Faherty, Tygart selected in MLB Draft

Arkansas right-handed pitchers taken by Red Sox, Marlins on last day

From the University of Arkansas

arkansasrazorbacks.com

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas right-handed pitchers Jake Faherty and Brady Tygart were selected during the final day of the 2024 MLB Draft, the seventh and eighth Razorbacks to hear their names called during this year’s 20-round draft.

Following 615 total picks, eight Arkansas standouts, led by pitcher Hagen Smith’s fifth overall selection by the Chicago White Sox, were scooped up in the draft. Since 2018, Arkansas boasts a nation- leading 53 overall MLB draft selections, including a nation-leading 24 drafted position players and 28 drafted pitchers in that span.

After Smith was Arkansas’ lone selection on day one of the draft, five Razorbacks, including infielder Peyton Stovall (4th round, No. 117 overall – Cincinnati Reds), lefty pitcher Mason Molina (7th round, No. 215 overall – Milwaukee Brewers), infielder Jared Sprague-Lott (9th round, No. 256 overall – Oakland Athletics) catcher Hudson White (9th round, No. 267 – Boston Red Sox) and infielder Ben McLaughlin (9th round, No. 284 – Arizona Diamondbacks), were selected on day two. Faherty and Tygart, the 266th and 267th draft selections in Arkansas history and 143rd and 144th draft picks in the Dave Van Horn era, were the only two Razorbacks to hear their names called during the draft’s third and final day.

Faherty, selected by the Miami Marlins in the 11th round with the No. 334 overall pick, made 16 relief appearances during his junior campaign, finishing 0-1 with a 1.84 ERA and one save over 14.2 innings of work. The Georgetown, Ky., native totaled 26 strikeouts on the year while limiting opposing hitters to a meager .151 batting average and allowing only four runs (three earned) on eight hits and nine walks over the course of the season.

Tygart, selected by the Red Sox in the 12th round with the No. 357 overall pick, made 14 appearances with 13 starts on the mound this past year, going 4-3 with a 3.94 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 59.1 innings of work as a junior. The Hernando, Miss., product, who logged three quality starts and recorded one double- digit strikeout game, was named a Freshman All-American as a closer in 2022 before earning All-America honors in 2023 despite an injury scare.

Two Arkansas signees – infielder Tyson Lewis (2nd round, No. 51 overall – Cincinnati Reds) and outfielder Eli Lovich (11th round, No. 332 overall – Chicago Cubs), the brother of outfielder Ross Lovich – were also selected in this year’s draft.

The deadline for drafted players to sign, not including players who have their exhausted college eligibility, is 4 p.m. CT Tuesday, July 30.

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