Arkansas' best high school baseball players: Meet the state's top pitchers

With high school baseball season upon us, SBLive is looking at the best players in Arkansas. Today, we feature the top pitchers across all classifications. Last season was the “Year of the Pitcher” with outstanding performances every week. Players who play multiple positions might be featured on other lists throughout the season.

This is not meant to be a comprehensive list as there are hundreds of great pitchers statewide. You can discuss the other pitchers worthy of fans’ attention in 2023 by connecting with us on twitter at @SBLiveARK or @KBoBaseballGuru or by emailing nate@scorebooklive.com. 

Eli Crecelius | Valley View | SR

The Arkansas signee has experience in big-time games. Crecelius has started on the mound in the past two state championship games for Valley View and could very well complete the hat trick in May given the Blazers talented roster.

Parker Morris | Rogers Heritage | SR

The Wichita State signee had a big summer as his fastball jumped to 91 mph to go along with a very good curveball. The command is getting better as well which bodes well for the War Eagles.

Ty Anderson | Rogers | SR

Anderson led the Mounties to a conference championship last season going 8-1 with a 1.07 earned run average. The crafty lefty shut down everyone he faced in 2023 and this season shouldn’t be any different.

Tag Andrews | Maumelle | SR

Another Arkansas signee that has really improved over the last year. Tag was already one of the top arms in the 2024 class but the velocity on his fastball was clocked recently at 95 mph while maintaining the same command he has always had on the mound.

Weston Speir | Brookland | SR

Speir led Brookland to the 4A semifinals last season on the mound and at the plate. His superior command led to him striking out 92 batters while only walking 14 over 59 innings pitched.

Alex Davis | Sylvan Hills | SR

Davis is a good two-way player for the Bears looking to make a deeper run in the playoffs. He got the start on opening day against Pulaski Academy and earned the win going four innings while striking out six. Davis has signed with South Arkansas Community College to play baseball.

Aden Velasquez | Cabot | SR

Aden has been a three-year starter for Cabot earning all-state honors last year while leading the Panthers to the 6A central conference championship. Velasquez has signed to play for UCA next spring and should get an opportunity to pitch as a freshman.

Ross Felder | Springdale Har-Ber | SR

Felder was one of the first commitments for the 2024 Arkansas Razorback signing class. He also earned most valuable player honors after tossing a complete game in the 6A title game against rival Bentonville last season. If you talk to any coach in the 6A west, they will tell you the toughest pitcher to go against is Felder.

Gideon Motes | Bryant | SR

You don’t see many Arkansans going to play baseball for the University of Michigan, but that is exactly what Motes will do after his time at Bryant is done. The 6-foot-4 lefty has the size and arm strength to carry Bryant this season.

Lance Davis | Valley View | SR

I consider Davis the top pitcher in the 2024 class. He has some of the intangibles the professional scouts look for in a righty. At 6-4, Davis generates a lot of downward tilt on his 93 mph fastball making it harder on hitters to put barrel to ball. He transferred to Valley View after the 2023 school year to form one of the best pitching staffs in the state.

Steele Eaves | Lonoke | SR

Eaves came up as a catcher and would probably be one of the best in the state had he stayed behind the plate but he is too good on the mound and that is why Arkansas signed him as a pitcher. In 2023, Eaves went 13-0 and struck out 134 batters leading the Jackrabbits to their second state championship in school history.

Brent Holland | Hamburg | SR

Holland is an exceptional athlete. He played quarterback and defensive back for the Lions before focusing on baseball. It has paid off as he signed with UCA last fall. Holland got the opening day win for the Lions on the mound and hit a home run reminding us that even pitchers can hit.

Tripp Sullivan | Lonoke | SR

One of the top lefties in the state is only going to get better as he gets older. Sullivan struggled a little with his command last season but has looked solid so far in preseason scrimmages. He has a lot of late movement on his fastball making him one of the tougher pitchers in the state. He signed with LSU-Eunice last fall.

Kel Busby | Pulaski Academy | SR

Busby’s 2023 campaign was cut short due to injury, but he is back on the field for 2024. While he won’t pitch in a live game until April, Busby is able to help the Bruins in the field and at the plate. He hit two home runs in a 21-4 win over Mayflower to start the season.

Jackson Privett | Pocahontas | SR

Privett was the go-to man for Pocahontas in 2023. In a come from behind win over Brookland, Privett came in the game with Pocahontas facing a six-run deficit and he shut down the Bearcats giving his team an opportunity to win the game. He had over 100 strikeouts last year and will play for Little Rock next spring.

Beau Morgan | Harmony Grove Ouachita County | SR

Morgan led the Hornets with a 9-1 record last season over 43.1 innings pitched. He also had 71 strikeouts and a 1.45 earned run average. He started off his senior season with a five-inning shutout over rival Haskell Harmony Grove striking out seven batters.

Pierce Yates | Prescott | SR

Yates was spectacular against Elkins in the opening round of the 3A state tournament last year. He struck out 14 batters propelling Prescott to the second round. It was the best pitching performance of the state tournament. Yates, who helped the Prescott football team to the state title game as its quarterback, signed with Kansas State last fall.

Dillon Askew | Rogers Heritage | JR

Askew has been a big part of the War Eagles staff the last two seasons leading them to two straight semifinal appearances. He got the nod in the opener this year and beat defending state champion Har-Ber. Askew is committed to Xavier.

Mark Brissey | Batesville | JR

I feel like Mark Brissey has been playing high school baseball for six years because I have seen him play against some of the best players in the nation the past five years. As a youth he was known for his power bat, but he will use his power arm to hopefully carry the Pioneers further in the playoffs this spring. Brissey is committed to Arkansas for the 2025 class.

Russ Martin | Russellville | JR

Martin makes the move to Russellville and will get to face some stiffer competition after coming from Rose Bud. The Arkansas signee had a good summer on the showcase circuit working his upper 80s fastball with a very good 12/6 curveball. The Cyclones will be in the 5A west race with him on the pitching staff.

Grayson Wilson | CAC | JR

Wilson could have committed to the Arkansas baseball team if he wasn’t a four-star quarterback. Wilson is a three-sport star and led the Mustangs to the semifinals last season and a conference championship. I expect big things on Mustang Mountain this spring when Wilson is done with basketball.

Grant Wren | Melbourne | JR

The 6-5 righty is on professional scout’s radar and has been for the last four years. Wren is athletic and has one of the best fastballs in the 2025 class nationwide, having been clocked at 95 mph. Melbourne has a chance to beat just about any class 3A team with him on the mound.

McLane Moody | FS Northside | JR

Moody is 6-6 and could be a power five quarterback if he chose that route. He is likely to stay a little more upright for the Grizzlies on the baseball field and that is bad news for hitters. Moody went toe to toe with the best in the 6A-West last season putting his team in the Super 7 rankings at one time.

Beau Billeck | Conway | JR

Billeck moved to Conway after last season and will look to help the Wampus Cats get back to the state title game this season. He earned all-state honors as a freshman two years ago for Bigelow. He committed to the University of Louisiana this past summer.

Peyton Lee | Maumelle | JR

As deep as the 2025 class is, Lee may have the highest ceiling of anyone. He has an advanced feel for the game and pitches like a veteran for the Hornets. He had a very good outing against class 6A Bryant to start the season with a fastball in the low 90s and one of the best sliders in the state.

Ridge Southerland | Bryant | JR

As good as Peyotn Lee was against Bryant, his counterpart Southerland was better tossing five no hit innings while striking out eight earning the win over Maumelle in the opener for the Hornets at the Southwest Sporting Goods Classic.

Jackson Estes | North Little Rock | JR

Estes will be the ace of the North Little Rock staff this spring after splitting time between the outfield and the mound his first two years as a Charging Wildcat. His fastball command has gotten better, and the secondary stuff is really good. He is a younger player in the 2025 class and that could benefit him down the road as he prepares for college baseball.

Caleb Harrison | Sylvan Hills | SO

Harrison got experience last year for the Bears on the mound that will be very beneficial for his sophomore campaign. Harrison is 6-2, 220 pounds with a fastball in the upper 80s. I believe his recruiting will pick up this summer.

William Svboda | Pulaski Academy | SO

Svboda is the younger cousin of Pulaski Academy senior Kel Busby. Like his older cousin, Svboda excels in football and baseball for the Bruins. He earned all-conference honors on the gridiron last fall and all conference honors on the diamond.

Levi Martin | Pocahontas | SO

Martin was a perfect compliment to Jackson Privett last season. He struck out 57 batters over 33.1 innings pitched with only 11 walks. He also had one of the best earned run averages in the state at 0.84.

Karson Chambers | Nashville | SO

Chambers is another two-sport star on the list leading the Scrappers to the 4A playoffs in football this past fall. Chambers led Nashville on the mound last season to a conference championship and tossed a no-hitter.

Logan Eichler | Robinson | SO

Eichler emerged as a front-line arm for the Senators last season leading them to the state tournament as a freshman. His fastball has been up to 89 mph and his slider continues to improve. As his command continues to improve, I expect his recruitment to pick up as well. 

--Kevin Bohannon I @SBLiveArk