Baseball Players from Arkansas
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Current Pro Baseball Players From Arkansas (MLB 2023)

Baseball Players, and athletes of all sports really, take pride in where they’re from. Whether it’s the state, city or area code – you always notice players wanting to rep their home area.

Fans tend to do the same thing. It’s always more fun to pull for a player when they’re from your home state (or even your hometown), especially when that player also happens to be playing on your favorite team.

With all that in mind, we went through MLB.com and pulled the home states (or countries) of every player on the 40-man rosters for each team.

We found 3 players from the state of Arkansas which obviously isn’t a ton, but it’s still more than 13 other states. Arkansas tied with Delaware and Iowa for 35th overall.

MLB Players from Arkansas

Here are all 3 guys from Arkansas on MLB Rosters at the start of the 2023 season including what town they’re from and what team they play for.

NameCityTeam
Drew SmylyLittle RockCubs
Jakob JunisJacksonvilleGiants
Jalen BeeksFayettevilleRays

Player Bios

Here is some background info on a couple of the players from the state of Arkansas.

Drew Smyly

Hometown: Little Rock, Arkansas

Drew Smyly, from Little Rock, Arkansas, has carved out a career as a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. Smyly’s path to the majors began at Little Rock Central High School and continued at the University of Arkansas.

Drafted in the 2nd round of the 2010 MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers, Smyly has pitched for several teams, including the Tigers, Tampa Bay Rays, and Atlanta Braves. Known for his curveball and ability to mix pitches effectively, Smyly has been a reliable starter and occasional reliever.

His career is highlighted by solid strikeout numbers and key contributions to various rotations, showcasing his adaptability and skill on the mound.

Jalen Beeks

Hometown: Prairie Grove, Arkansas

Jalen Beeks, originating from Prairie Grove, Arkansas, has established himself as a versatile pitcher in Major League Baseball. Beeks’ baseball journey started at Prairie Grove High School, followed by a collegiate career at the University of Arkansas.

Drafted in the 12th round of the 2014 MLB Draft by the Boston Red Sox, Beeks has pitched primarily in relief for the Tampa Bay Rays. Known for his fastball and changeup, Beeks has been effective in various bullpen roles, including as a long reliever and spot starter.

His ability to strike out batters and provide multiple innings of relief has made him a valuable asset in the Rays’ innovative pitching strategy.

HALL OF FAME PLAYERS FROM Arkansas

In addition to the current players from Arkansas, we compiled a list of all players that have gone on to make it into the Baseball Hall of Fame:

NameCityInduction Year
Arky VaughanClifty1985
Lou BrockEl Dorado1985
Brooks RobinsonLittle Rock1983
George KellSwifton1983
Travis JacksonWaldo1982
Dizzy DeanLucas1953

BASEBALL STATE fun facts

Three different cities are represented by the three different players. Two of the biggest cities in Arkansas Little Rock and Fayetteville both have a player in the major leagues along with Jacksonville Arkansas – a town of less than 30,000 people.

California, far and away, has the most current baseball players of any state with 189.

Second most was Florida with 89, followed by Texas (78), New York (42) and Georgia (40).

The Dominican Republic has 120 players currently in major league baseball which is incredibly impressive considering the country has a total population of only 11 million people. By comparison, the state of California has a population of 39 million and the state of Florida has a population of almost 22 million.

Other States

Check out the players from other states as well. We currently only have one other state posted, but check back soon because we’ll have many more up in the next couple of weeks.

Current MLB Players from Alabama

Current MLB Players from Arizona

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