Hunter Dietz turned Arkansas’s ace role into first-round gold
In the 2026 season, Dietz emerged as Arkansas’s workhorse lefty, going 7-4 with a 3.57 ERA and 131 strikeouts in 85 2/3 innings, while ranking among the SEC leaders in punchouts and earning All-America recognition before going No. 35 overall in the MLB Draft. What makes him pop is the combo of big-frame projection, strikeout stuff, and the feel to handle a starter’s load after arriving with almost no college innings; that’s a huge differentiator and a strong fit if you need upside, durability, and a left-handed bat-misser with room to keep climbing.
