Arkansas Has Three Named To Prestigious Baseball Semifinalist List

Arkansas has three named to the Dick Howser Trophy semi-finalist list.

Christian Franklin, Brady Slavens and Kevin Kopps are among the 40-plus student-athletes named to the most prestigious award list in college baseball.

This season, these three stars have helped lead Arkansas to a 40-10 (20-8 SEC). Franklin has started 49 of the 50 games for the Razorbacks. He’s batted an even .300, a team leading 15 doubles and 49 RBI’s. He’s been a threat to steal bases this season converting in 9-12 attempts. Franklin has made quite a few athletic plays including a diving catch last Friday in their come from behind game one road win versus Tennessee.

Slavens has been a spark to this Razorback baseball club. He’s provided great speed around the diamond this season with 11 doubles and a team leading three triples. He is also second on the team in home runs with 11 while also batting an even .300, too.

Finally, Kopps has been THE man this season in closing and saving situations. He leads the team in total ERA with a stellar 0.78 score. In his 25 appearances and 59 innings pitched, Kopps has a 9-0 record, recorded nine saves and only 33 hits. The most mind blowing stats are yet to come as he has only surrendered 5 earned runs, 15 bases taken on balls and has struck out 94 batters.

Arkansas will face off in game two tonight against Florida at 7 PM on the SEC Network. We will likely see Franklin and Slavens tonight. While Van Horn rests Kopps until the final innings of Saturday’s game if needed.

The Dick Howser Trophy is bestowed annually to the national college baseball player of the year. The award is named after former collegiate and MLB player and manager Dick Howser, who died of brain cancer 1987 at the age of 51.