Unfazed by the hype: Hagen Smith ready to lead Arkansas baseball in 2024

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas baseball junior Hagen Smith would prefer to live under the radar, but that won't be possible in 2024.

The expectations surrounding this year's No. 4 Razorbacks are lofty, and Smith is a big reason why. It's impossible to find a preseason ranking or All-American story about the Razorbacks without Smith's picture attached. The preseason SEC Pitcher of the Year could be a top-five pick in this year's draft and will be the Friday ace for arguably the best pitching staff in the country.

He is the star of a team with national title expectations. It's the kind of pressure that could melt a 20-year old.

Smith, somehow, seems unfazed.

"It’s really nothing, honestly. I haven’t played yet," Smith said. "It could just be anybody like that. No one’s played yet, so got to get ready for the season."

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Smith's words read like many athletes who try to build a wall between themselves and outside expectations, and while that might be the case, there's another reason Smith has no time for any preseason noise.

His singular focus this season is erasing any sting still felt from the disappointment of losing a home regional in 2023.

"Ever since last year, I think I’ve just had a bad taste in my mouth," Smith said. "Especially for the guys that have been here."

Arkansas baseball's quiet voice and loud arm

Smith was voted as one of three team captains prior to the season. It's not a surprise, given his experience and what he means to the program, but he is not a stereotypical figurehead. The cliche 'leads by example' couldn't be more appropriate for the Smith, who speaks softly and isn't comfortable barking at teammates.

"Off the field, he really is nice as can be," said Jeff Smith, Hagen's father. "He’s quiet and introverted. I think that rolls over in practice some times, but you know, he gets pretty fiery when he’s out there pitching. He wants to win every at-bat. You just wouldn’t know it when he’s off the field that he’s that way."

His voice his quiet, but that golden left arm is loud. There's an ear-splitting pop when his fastball that consistently touches 100 mph reaches the catcher's glove. The breaking ball doesn't produce the same sound. Instead, it draws audible amazement out of fans across the SEC who get to watch a knee-buckling slider make hitters look foolish.

Hagen developed his electric stuff in Bullard, Texas, a town just south of Tyler that has fewer than 4,000 people. He was the star on a high school team that isn't one of Texas' traditional powers.

His senior year was otherworldly. Hagen went 11-0 with a 0.19 ERA and tied a Texas high-school record with seven no-hitters. The individual success brought new confidence, but it didn't define Hagen's final season at Bullard, according to former head coach Robert Ellis.

"The biggest thing we wanted from him that season was to help his team and for him to leave Bullard knowing what it's like to build a routine," Ellis said. "I told him, we get to show the team, show Arkansas, that you know how to pitch and you’re not just a thrower. From days off to your time on the mound, let's build consistency in our everyday actions."

Lifelong traits turned into high school lessons that are paying off today. His father said Hagen has always been someone who sticks to a schedule. Early nights lead to early mornings, which can maximize the time Hagen spends honing his craft.

During a January press conference previewing the season, Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn said that Hagen was handling the preseason pressure better than other projected high picks out of Fayetteville. Van Horn said some past Arkansas stars changed their routines when the lights became brightest. Hagen isn't straying from what's gotten him to this point.

"We just tell our guys to do what you do everyday," Van Horn said. "Get up, eat, go to class. Come into the place, our building, work. Don’t worry about (outside noise). It’s easier said than done."

Lessons from last spring pave the way to 2024

The game might appear easy for Hagen, considering all the praise from those around him and how the powerful lefty carries himself, but 2023 was a trial in perseverance.

Hagen unexpectedly became the Razorbacks' ace when Jaxon Wiggins sustained a torn ACL prior to the season. He then bounced between roles as Friday starter and the Hogs' go-to arm out in relief. Hagen made seven appearances out of the bullpen and 11 starts.

"There aren’t many guys that are wired like that," Ellis said. "They’re too selfish to sacrifice that job as weekend starter in the SEC. I’m just going to tell you. There aren’t 10 guys like that across the country, and Hagen didn’t care."

The results were a stellar sophomore campaign. Hagen posted an 8-2 record with a 3.64 ERA, a team-leading 109 strikeouts and two saves in 71 2/3 innings of work. Arkansas won another SEC championship and was the No. 3 national seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Hogs eventually lost twice to TCU and bowed out.

Hagen did what was best for the team, but he admits the back-and-forth between roles was a challenge. He tried to treat the entire season like any single appearance on the mound: Adjust quickly and be mentally strong. Use everything that happens as a short-term or long-term lesson.

He asserted himself as a potential first round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, but Hagen refused a sense of complacency.

He enters 2024 stronger, with added velocity the Arkansas coaching staff expects to last deeper into games. He's worked tirelessly on his mechanics to have better control, and Hagen developed a new pitch this offseason. Opposing hitters now must worry about a splitter in addition to the dominant fastball and slider.

"Hagen Smith is probably one of the hardest workers I’ve ever been around," Van Horn said.

That's a strong endorsement from the Arkansas' head coach, who has produced 32 All-Americans honors and 136 MLB Draft picks in his 22 seasons guiding the Razorbacks. Hagen's work ethic stands out amongst that list.

He'll try to separate himself further this spring and lift Arkansas back to Omaha and to the program's first national championship. He's ready for the challenge, and he doesn't shy away from what the team wants to accomplish this spring.

Just don't expect Hagen to ever make this season about himself.

"Every now and then something will come through," he said. "Just someone texting me telling me good job or that they’re excited for me. I try not to look at it. The only thing I want to get caught up in this season is helping the team."

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Hagen Smith unfazed by expectations, ready to lead Arkansas baseball in 2024