4 MLB prospects to watch during the 2025 Men’s College World Series
4 MLB prospects The Montgomery Advertiser’s Adam Cole and The Southwest Times Record’s Jackson Fuller are watching during the 2025 Men’s College World Series
OMAHA, Neb. — Arkansas baseball will start Zach Root on the mound in its first game of the College World Series.
Head coach Dave Van Horn confirmed his lefty ace will get the ball against LSU during a news conference Thursday. The Razorbacks (48-13) and Tigers (48-15) are the two highest seeds remaining in the bracket and will face off Saturday (6 p.m., ESPN).
“Obviously, we’re going to throw Zach on Saturday,” Van Horn said. “It’s not a secret. The Monday game, not sure yet.”
Root (8-5, 3.59 ERA) is having a dominant postseason. In two starts at the NCAA tournament, he has allowed one earned run and struck out 13 batters across 13 innings. Last week, Root held Tennessee to one hit in seven innings during a 4-3 victory.
“Just keep the train rolling. I want to go out there and set the tone for however long we’re here and put my team in a good chance to win,” Root said.
That was Root’s second start against the Volunteers this season, and he’ll get another rematch Saturday versus the Tigers. Root held LSU to two runs in six innings and was in position to secure a victory on May 9, but the Arkansas bullpen had a rare blunder in coughing up the lead and then losing 5-4 in 10 innings.
Root’s opposing pitcher that night was LSU lefty Kade Anderson (10-1, 3.58 ERA), who will likely get the ball Saturday against Arkansas.
He is widely viewed as a top-five pick in the upcoming MLB draft, but Anderson is coming off his worst start of the year with seven earned runs in seven innings against West Virginia in the super regionals.
During the regular season matchup, Anderson held Arkansas to three runs in 5â…” innings.
Jackson Fuller covers Arkansas football, basketball and baseball for the Southwest Times Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at jfuller@gannett.com or follow him @jacksonfuller16 on X, formerly known as Twitter.Â