FAYETTEVILLE — Zach Root, a transfer left-handed pitcher from East Carolina, announced his commitment to Arkansas baseball Monday.
Root, a rising junior, announced his decision on social media, writing, “My next chapter.”
He was a leading candidate to be East Carolina’s staff ace next season before he entered the NCAA transfer portal June 5.
Root had a 6-2 record for the Pirates this past season with a 3.56 ERA in 68 1/3 innings. He had a 3.62 strikeout-to-walk ratio with 76 strikeouts against 21 walks.
On3.com rated him the No. 4 available player and the top pitcher. Baseball America rated Root the No. 10 available transfer.
Arkansas has added two of the top left-handed pitchers in the transfer portal. Baseball America rated Ohio State transfer Landon Beidelschies, who committed June 24 to the Razorbacks, the top lefty available and Root as the third best.
Root is considered to be among the top left-handers available for the 2025 MLB Draft.
Baseball America writer Peter Flaherty analyzed Root’s pitching, writing, “His changeup is a plus pitch that gets solid separation off his fastball and flashes ample fade and late tumble, while his above-average slider-especially against left-handed hitters-is long and sweepy with a bit of depth. He could be a big-time program’s ‘major splash’ of this year’s transfer cycle.”
Root, a native of Fort Myers, Fla., started 12 games and had 13 appearances in 2024. He limited hitters to 56 hits and a .228 batting average.
He was utilized this past season as a Saturday starter for the Pirates. Root dealt with an arm injury during the season’s second half before he returned for the postseason.
During the NCAA Greenville Regional, he pitched twice against Evansville. During the first outing he threw 75 pitches and allowed 2 runs across 5 innings, then in the regional final he threw 61 pitches and allowed 4 runs on 6 hits.
Root is the 10th Division I player to announce a transfer commitment to Arkansas this offseason. The Razorbacks have also received pledges from 5 junior college transfers and 1 Division II transfer for a total of 16 transfers.
