By Nate Allen
Special to the News-Times
FAYETTEVILLE - Direct from the staff Missouri State, who knocked off Arkansas to win the Fayetteville Regional, comes the latest addition to Arkansas' coaching staff.
Nate Thompson was signed as Arkansas’ new hitting coach/recruiting coordinator on Friday.
Thompson replaces Tony Vitello, who was recently named the head coach at Tennessee.
Van Horn announced Thompson’s hiring Friday evening via a UA press release.
“I am very excited to add Nate Thompson to our coaching staff,” Van Horn was quoted. “He brings a lot of energy and experience in recruiting for this region, as well as Texas. Nate has done a tremendous job working with the offense at top-notch programs like Nebraska, Dallas Baptist, and Missouri State. I thought he would be a great fit for our program. I’ve been watching Nate for the last few years and he’s worked extremely hard to get where he is. I’m looking forward to him leading our recruiting efforts and working with our offense.”
For coach Keith Guttin’s Missouri State Bears, Thompson coached and recruited three-time All-American third baseman Jake Burger, drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the first round as the 11th player taken in the draft, and All-American shortstop Jeremy Eierman, whose two-run home run ultimately defeated Arkansas in the winner-take-all championship game of the Fayetteville Regional at Baum Stadium.
Thompson previously was a two-year letterman at Dallas Baptist and a student assistant coach at his alma mater and volunteer coach at Nebraska and assistant at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College, before joining Guttin’s staff in 2014 as hitting coach/recruiting coordinator.
"Arkansas is a premier place,” Thompson was quoted in Friday’s press release. “Coach Van Horn is a legend and a proven winner everywhere he has gone. To get the opportunity to coach at a place like Arkansas, to recruit with the resources and have the fan support that is here is tremendous. Getting the chance to work with Dave Van Horn and the caliber of players they have, it’s a dream and the opportunity of a lifetime. I couldn’t be more excited and I am blessed beyond measure to be a Hog. I can’t wait to get started and working toward championships.”
STEPHAN SIGNS WITH YANKEES
For $800,000, MLB.com reported, Arkansas junior right-hander and New York Yankees third-round draft choice Trevor Stephan signed a professional contract Friday.
At Arkansas, Stephan went 6-3 with a 2.87 ERA and 120 strikeouts against 20 walks in 91 innings while clocking fastballs exceeding 95 miles per hour.
Stephan turned down an offer to turn pro from the Boston Red Sox as an 18th-round draft choice out of Hill (Texas) Junior College last year.