Razorback baseball at number 9 in Perfect Game preseason Top 25

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The University of Arkansas baseball team has checked in at number 9 in Perfect Game’s preseason Top 25 rankings.

Perfect Game released its poll on Thursday morning. The publication is the second of college baseball’s six major polls, including D1Baseball, Baseball America, USA Today Coaches, NCBWA and Collegiate Baseball Newspaper to release its rankings ahead of the 2022 season.

The Hogs were previously ranked number 20 in Collegiate Baseball’s preseason poll.
Arkansas is one of seven SEC teams in Perfect Game’s preseason poll and one of five SEC programs in the top 10. Vanderbilt sits atop the rankings, followed by Texas and Stanford at number 2 and number 3, respectively.

The Razorbacks, reigning SEC regular season and tournament champions, open the 2022 campaign, their 100th season of competition, against Illinois State on Feb. 18-20 at Baum-Walker Stadium.

Moore, Pallette Named Perfect Game Preseason All-Americans

Moore and Pallette earned third-team nods from Perfect Game at second base and starting pitcher, respectively. For Moore, the recognition is his second preseason All-America honor of the 2022 campaign as he was previously named to Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s preseason All-America Second Team at second base.

Moore slashed .283/.384/.558 with a team-leading 16 home runs and 53 RBI in 2021, his first full season with the Razorbacks. The junior established himself as one of college baseball’s premier middle infielders, earning All-SEC, Newcomer All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive praise after the year.

The Leawood, Kan., native has received freshman All-America honors in each of his first two seasons at Arkansas. Moore, the first Razorback in program history to earn freshman All-America status in multiple seasons, was eligible for the recognition as a sophomore due to the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign.

Baseball America ranks Moore as the No. 8 overall college prospect for the 2022 MLB Draft as well as the second-best second baseman among all college prospects. D1Baseball ranks Moore as the No. 10 college prospect and the second-best collegiate second baseman ahead of the upcoming draft.

Pallette, meanwhile, burst onto the scene in 2021, also his first full season as a Hog. The Benton, Ark., native earned a spot on the Newcomer All-SEC Team after he appeared in 15 games with 11 starts, logging a 4.02 ERA in 56.0 innings of work. The right-hander struck out 67 batters while limiting opposing hitters to a .237 batting average on the year.

Pallette is the No. 5 overall college prospect and the top-ranked college arm for the 2022 MLB Draft, according to Baseball America. D1Baseball hails Pallette as the No. 13 college prospect and the top-ranked right-handed pitcher ahead of the upcoming draft.

Moore, Pallette and Arkansas, reigning SEC regular season and tournament champion, open the 2022 campaign – the Razorbacks’ 100th season of competition – against Illinois State on Feb. 18-20 at Baum-Walker Stadium.