Razorbacks without regular starter for series opener against Ole Miss
No. 22 Arkansas will be without one of its infield starters for the series opener against No. 17 Ole Miss. Reese Robinett is listed as “OUT” on the SEC Availability Report released Thursday night for the series opener Friday.
The redshirt junior has started 41 of the team’s 46 games, including 19 of the 21 SEC contests and is slashing .252/.371/.357 in 143 at-bats. Robinett has started 35 of the team’s 46 games at first base and the other six starts at third.
Robinett started Arkansas’ 5-2 midweek win over Northwestern State Wednesday and finished 1-for-2 with 2 walks.
Without Robinett, Arkansas’ already limited defensive alignment becomes more inflexible. Carter Rutenbar has made nine starts at first base but has seen more time recently in the outfield, making his last four appearances in the corner outfield positions.
Alexander Peck has also made two starts at the position, one in SEC play.
Camden Kozeal made 30 starts at first base for Arkansas during the 2025 season but has been the team’s primary shortstop this season ever since Carson Brumbaugh was removed from the lineup and has not appeared at first base this season.
If Rutenbar becomes the first baseman, Arkansas would likely have to start either Christian Turner or Zack Stewart at a corner outfield position against a left-handed starter. Ole Miss starts lefty Hunter Elliott in the series opener Friday. Stewart has largely been omitted from the starting lineup against left-handers. Stewart has just 24 at-bats this season (6-for-24) against lefties.
The other option would be Christian Turner, who also has limited experience against lefties. Turner has just one hit against lefties in his freshman season (1-for-11) and has seen his playing time diminish since the return of Damian Ruiz from injury.
Turner last started an SEC game April 10 against Alabama.
Elsewhere on the injury front, pitcher Carson Wiggins continues to be listed as “out”. Wiggins has not appeared in a game this season after seeing his 2025 season get cut short due to Tommy John Surgery.
Coach Dave Van Horn previously raised the potential of Wiggins pitching for the Razorbacks once the calendar hit May earlier in the season.
“I don’t know yet,” Van Horn said Wednesday when asked for an update on Wiggins. “I mean, if I did, it’s not my place to say anything as of yet.”
First pitch between Arkansas and Ole Miss is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday and will be streamed on SEC Network+.
Subscribe to HawgBeat now for just $1, visit our homepage to sign up today! This includes complete access to all On3 and Rivals national content, plus The Trough premium message board.
