Razorbacks reload from Vanderbilt for second straight year

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas will try its hand with another former Vanderbilt Commodore out of the transfer portal again. Incoming junior left-handed pitcher Ethan McElvain committed to the Razorbacks Thursday night on Instagram.

McElvain spent the first two years with the Commodores under coach Tim Corbin. In 2025, he allowed 22 earned runs in 27 1/3 innings for an ERA of 7.24.

Two of those earned runs came against his new team. McElvain pitched against the Razorbacks on March 30 when the two teams met in Nashville. He lasted just 1/3 of an inning and threw four of his 14 pitches for strikes in a 7-3 Arkansas win.

He had much McElvain showed flashes of his potential mostly as a midweek starter role, pitching to a 3.24 ERA in 11 appearances (four starts) across 25 innings.

McElvain's shown flashes of his potential, including getting the final six outs against Tennessee in a rubber game on the road at Lindsey-Nelson Stadium with just a two-run lead for his first career save.

With a fastball that reaches the mid-90s, McElvain boasts a very high strikeout rate, with 45 strikeouts in his sophomore season for a K/9 rate of 14.82. He also struggles with command, allowing 28 walks for a BB/9 of 9.2.

McElvain walked at least one batter in 14 of his 16 appearances, including multiple walks seven different times, but he had two separate outing of seven strikeouts in less than four innings of work.

He is currently ranked as the No. 1 relief pitcher currently in the portal according to 64Analytics.

McElvain, a native of Thompson's Station, Tennessee, will already be familiar with at least one Razorback. He was teammates with current Arkansas second baseman Cam Kozeal in 2024. It marks the second straight season that coach Dave Van Horn has picked off a former Commodore from the portal.

According to Vanderbilt's website, McElvain posted a 0.92 ERA with a 9-0 record and 110 strikeouts as a senior
and was named the 2023 Wilco Baseball Player of the Year.

He was a highly touted prospect in out of high school. Perfect Game had him ranked as the No. 49 overall prospect in the class of 2023 and was the No. 1 left-handed pitcher and the No. 1 prospect form the state of Tennessee.

With the team less that 24 hours from first pitch in Omaha against LSU, the foundation for another strong portal class is already taking shape. Earlier this week, 2023 ERA title winner and Rogers native Jackson Wells committed to Arkansas after three seasons at Arkansas-Little Rock.

Van Horn had plenty to say about the pros and the cons of the portal in his media availability before the start of the College World Series, but is looking to use it to great effect again. He rebuilt the team with the No. 2 overall portal class according to Baseball America and took the team back to Omaha after a two-year hiatus.

The Razorbacks begin their Omaha run against No. 6 LSU 6 p.m. Saturday and will be broadcast on ESPN.

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