2017 All-Arkansas Team

2017 All-Arkansas Collegiate Team

Natural State Baseball is pleased to announce its 2017 All-Arkansas Collegiate Team and Awards.

The University of Arkansas was the 2017 Team of the Year. The Razorbacks went 45-19 this year, improving on a 26-29 season a year ago. After a solid showing in the SEC Tournament, including a no-hitter and two run-ruled shutouts, Arkansas hosted a regional in Fayetteville and advanced to the regional final.

Justin Pettigrew, first year coach of Southern Arkansas, is the 2017 Coach of the Year. Pettigrew has been with the Muleriders since 2005 and was promoted to head coach following the 2016 season. He led the Muleriders to a 39-16 record, including 28-5 in conference, a 9 game improvement on the previous season. The team advanced to the NCAA regional tournament.

Southern Arkansas’ Trevor Rucker is the 2017 Player of the Year and the winner of The Natural, which is awarded to the top player from the state of Arkansas. Rucker, a native of Prescott, batted .393 with 20 homeruns and 20 doubles, and stole 20 bases. Rucker was the Natural State Baseball Freshman of the Year in 2014.

Tyler Tognarine of Lyon is the 2017 Pitcher of the Year. He went 11-5 with a 1.99 ERA and picked up 4 saves. He had 92 strikeouts in 113.1 innings. Tognarine has previously been named to the Natural State Baseball All-Arkansas teams in 2016 and 2015, and was the Freshman of the Year in 2015.

The Freshman of the Year is Nick Kreutzer of Arkansas Baptist College. Kreutzer hit .404 on the season with 14 homeruns, 12 doubles, and 2 triples. He drove in 57 runs.





All-Arkansas Team
Catcher – JT Stalnaker, Ecclesia (.399, 7 homeruns, 18 doubles, 49 RBI)
First – Chad Spanberger, Arkansas (.305, 20 homeruns, 13 doubles, 67 RBI)
Second – Jalin Lawson, CBC (.392, 11 homeruns, 22 doubles, 20 SB, 50 RBI)
Third – Jacob Richardson, SAU (.364, 8 homeruns, 17 doubles, 46 RBI)
Shortstop – Dylan McDearmon, ATU (.353, 8 homeruns, 17 doubles)
Left Field – Dion Williams, UAFS (.351, 8 homeruns, 17 doubles, 11 triples)
Center Field – Drew Judson, Hendrix (.395, 11 doubles, 44 RBI, 10 SB)
Right Field – Trevor Rucker, SAU (.393, 20 homeruns, 20 doubles, 20 SB, 67 runs)
Designated Hitter – Nick Kreutzer, ABC (.404, 14 homeruns, 12 doubles, 57 RBI)
Starting Pitcher – Tyler Tognarine, Lyon (11-5, 1.99 ERA, 4 saves, 92 strikeouts)
Starting Pitcher – Bryant Haralson, HSU (10-3, 2.16 ERA, 114 strikeouts, 13 walks)
Starting Pitcher – Trevor Stephan, Arkansas (6-3, 2.87 ERA, 120 strikeouts)
Relief Pitcher – Blake Patterson, HSU (13 saves, 2.86 ERA, 44 strikeouts)
Relief Pitcher – Makenzy Larsen, SAU (5-0, 0.66 ERA, 7 saves)
Pitcher – Kyle Wilson, ATU (8-1, 2.53 ERA, 93 strikeouts)
Pitcher – Tyler Zuber, ASU (6-1, 2.06 ERA, 6 saves, 80 strikeouts)

Player of the Year – Trevor Rucker, SAU
Pitcher of the Year – Tyler Tognarine, Lyon
Freshman of the Year – Nick Kreutzer, ABC
The Natural – Trevor Rucker, SAU
Coach of the Year – Justin Pettigrew, SAU
Team of the Year – University of Arkansas

Honorable mention:


Ryan Mallison, ABC
Landen Colson, ABC
Cutter McDonald, ABC
Larry Sims, ABC
Matt Cronin, Arkansas
Blaine Knight, Arkansas
Dominic Fletcher, Arkansas
Quentin Bowling, ATU
Zach Klockowski, ATU
Ben Madison, CBC
Noah Vandiver, CRC
Madison Bates, Ecclesia
Kyle West, Lyon
Will Lindsey, Lyon
Matthew Lillard, Hendrix
Alan Hall, HSU
Kyle Alexander, OBU
Justin Crider, Ozarks
Kenneth Tabor, SAU
Dalton Algiene, SAU
Cortland McPherson, SAU
Hayden Harvey, UAFS
Clayton Welchel, UAFS
Nick Yoning, UAFS
Cory Malcom, UALR
Braden Chambers, UAM
Dawson Moser, UAM
Hunter Strong, UCA
Nick Scott, WBC

Cam Smith, WBC