Natural State Baseball is pleased to announce its 2022 All-Arkansas Collegiate Team and Awards.

Southern Arkansas University is the 2022 Team of the Year. The Muleriders advanced to the DII championship in Cary, NC for the first time in school history. Winners of the Great American Conference regular season, SAU also won the conference tournament, going 4-0, and was selected as a regional host for the 3rd time in school history. The Muleriders went 3-0 in the Magnolia regional, 2-0 in the Magnolia super regional, and defeated Rollins College in their first DII championship game before falling to Point Loma and Rollins College. SAU finished their season 47-13 overall, and 27-6 in GAC play.

Justin Pettigrew, head coach of Southern Arkansas University is the Coach of the Year. Pettigrew has been at the helm of the Mulerider baseball program for six years. He has won three GAC regular season championships, two GAC tournament championships, made 4 NCAA regional appearances, and led the Muleriders to their first NCAA Championship appearance this past season. He joined the SAU program in 2005 as the team’s pitching coach and was named associate head coach in 2011.

The NSB Player of the Year is Jay French of Central Baptist College. The senior outfielder from Magnolia, Arkansas batted .441, scored 76 runs, and stole 61 bases. He led the state in stolen bases, and easily set the Arkansas record for stolen bases in a season. He also had 10 home runs, 19 doubles, 4 triples, and 37 runs driven in. French was the American Midwest Conference Player of the Year and a NAIA First Team All-American.

French is also the recipient of the Natural Award, given by Natural State Baseball each year to the player from the state of Arkansas with the most outstanding season.

Jeremy Adorno, of Southern Arkansas University, is the NSB Pitcher of the Year. The freshman from Kissimmee, Florida was 15-0 in 17 starts for the Muleriders. He struck out 136 in 114.2 innings and posted an ERA of 2.83. He threw eight complete games and opponents batted just .193 against him. Adorno was the consensus National Pitcher of the Year and first team All-American.

Logan Easterling of Central Baptist College is the Freshman of the Year. The 2022 AMC Freshman of the Year batted .343 with 17 home runs and 56 RBI in 54 games for the Mustangs.

All-Arkansas Team

Catcher – Brett McGee, Southern Arkansas (.312, 16 home runs, 74 RBI)
First – Luke Rice, Arkansas-Rich Mountain (.444, 7 home runs, 63 RBI)
Second – Cade Thompson, Arkansas-Monticello (.355, 12 home runs, 51 RBI)
Third – Brandon Nicoll, Southern Arkansas (.333, 14 home runs, 84 RBI)
Shortstop – Riley Orr, Southern Arkansas (.372, 66 runs scored, 56 RBI)
Left Field – Adam Bland, Hendrix (.319, 50 runs scored, 23-23 stolen bases)
Center Field – Jay French, Central Baptist (.441, 76 runs scored, 61-67 stolen bases)
Right Field – Demias Jimerson, National Park (.398, 14 home runs, 61 RBI)
Designated Hitter – Trace Shoup, SouthArk (.338, 9 home runs, 61 RBI)

Starting Pitcher – Jeremy Adorno, Southern Arkansas (15-0, 2.83 ERA, 136 strikeouts)
Starting Pitcher – Alan West, Lyon (10-3, 2.72 ERA, 134 strikeouts)
Starting Pitcher – Tyler Cleveland, Central Arkansas (7-2, 2.93 ERA, 101 strikeouts)
Relief Pitcher – John Henry Fowler, Hendrix (3-1, 1.64 ERA, 5 saves)
Relief Pitcher – Evan Taylor, Arkansas (5-0, 3.65 ERA, 2 saves)
Pitcher – Connor Noland, Arkansas (8-6, 3.65 ERA, 113 strikeouts)
Pitcher – Jack Hodgins, Hendrix (8-2, 3.48 ERA, 85 strikeouts)

Player of the Year – Jay French, Central Baptist
Pitcher of the Year – Jeremy Adorno, Southern Arkansas
Freshman of the Year – Logan Easterling, Central Baptist
The Natural – Jay French, Central Baptist
Coach of the Year – Justin Pettigrew, Southern Arkansas
Team of the Year – Southern Arkansas University

Honorable mention:

Yadier Medina (Arkansas Tech); Shelby Quiggins (Arkansas Tech); Garon Johnson (Central Baptist); Jack Roney (Crowley’s Ridge); Tyrus Wells (Ecclesia); Jalen Reece (Ecclesia); Joel Barker (Harding); Chris Witzke (Harding); Rally Miller (Hendrix); Dillon Thomas (Henderson State); Cade Tucker (Henderson State); Brayden Bebee (Henderson State); Greyson Stevens (Henderson State); Spencer Taack (Henderson State); Joe Weatherford (Lyon); Aaron Hurd (Lyon); Eric Helms (North Arkansas); Colby Vavruska (North Arkansas); Aaron Hogue (North Arkansas); Caleb Wilson (North Arkansas); G. Allen (Ouachita Baptist); Cooper Timmons( Ouachita Baptist); Chris Sutton (Southern Arkansas); Jacob Machuca (Southern Arkansas); Ty Manning (Southern Arkansas); Tucker Burton (Southern Arkansas); Fox Locke (South Arkansas); Cayden Wallace (Arkansas); Chris Lanzilli (Arkansas); Robert Moore (Arkansas); Zack Morris (Arkansas); Michael Turner (Arkansas); Brady Tygert (Arkansas); Hayden Arnold (Little Rock); Canyon McWilliams (Little Rock); Noah Dickerson (Little Rock); Chase Cripps (UAM); Daegan Covington (UARM); Drake Fontenot (UARM); Hunter Hicks (UCA); Trent Gregson (UCA); Rennie Arjona (Ozarks); Dru Didway (Ozarks); Nicholas Jones (Williams Baptist); Dezmond Cordova (Williams Baptist); Isaac Williams (Williams Baptist); Nick Allred (Williams Baptist)