Arkansas Razorbacks prospect Peyton Pallette lost for 2022 season

Peyton Pallette was expected to be the key to the Arkansas Razorbacks rotation in 2022. Considered to be one of the top draft eligible college arms in the country, he was going to attract a lot of attention with his performance. That was especially going to be the case after elbow issues led to his being shut down in May and after one inning during fall practices.

Those elbow woes were a precursor of what was to come. Instead of using the 2022 campaign as a springboard for the draft, Pallette will undergo Tommy John surgery.

Arkansas Razorbacks draft prospect Peyton Pallette lost for season

Pallette had been considered not just the top college arm in the pre-draft prospect rankings, but one of the top pitchers overall. MLB.com had Pallette ranked as their 13th best prospect heading into the amateur season, saying that he had drawn comparisons to Walker Buehler.

It is easy to see why teams would have been so interested in Pallette. He has an intriguing three pitch arsenal, highlighted by a hammer curve with impressive depth and spin rates that he throws to both righties and lefties. Add in a plus fastball that sits in the mid 90s and a solid changeup, and Pallette is the type of prospect that teams could dream about building a rotation around.

The question is whether or not he could stay healthy. Those elbow issues last season were a giant red flag heading into the year and something that teams were going to keep an eye on. Now that Pallette will undergo surgery, those worst fears have occurred.

This could result in teams getting a potential bargain in the draft. Pallette’s stock will fall, making it possible that he falls out of the first round entirely. However, with his stuff and potential, he may not fall that far as he is still an intriguing prospect despite that impending surgery.

Arkansas Razorbacks pitcher Peyton Pallette has been lost for the 2022 season. His impending Tommy John surgery will impact his draft stock as well.