Razorbacks Add Another SEC Infield Piece Fans Need To See

The Arkansas Razorbacks strategically bolster their infield lineup by acquiring versatile SEC rival Manny Marin from the transfer portal.

Arkansas has added another piece to its transfer haul, and this one comes with SEC experience and plenty of defensive flexibility.

Former Tennessee infielder Manny Marin announced Tuesday that he will play for the Razorbacks in 2027, giving Arkansas its 13th transfer portal commitment. Marin worked all over the infield for the Vols, with most of his time coming at third base and shortstop, the kind of versatility Dave Van Horn has valued in his infielders.

Marin was ranked No. 115 overall in the portal by 64Analytics. He’ll be a junior next season and is also draft eligible for the MLB Draft next month, though he is not expected to go high enough to sign.

With Arkansas also expected to lose Dawson Bryce, the addition of Marin gives the Hogs another good glove in the mix. Marin becomes the fourth infielder Arkansas has brought in through the portal, joining shortstop Ben Cleary from Santa Clara, third baseman Wills Maginnis from Georgia State and third baseman Dawson Bryce from Charlotte.

The timing matters, too. The deadline to enter the transfer portal is Tuesday at 11:59 p.m. (EDT), so Arkansas’ latest move lands right at the finish line.

Marin’s Tennessee résumé shows why the Razorbacks wanted him. In 2026, he put together a string of big moments for the Vols, including a home run against No.

4 Texas on 5/9 and another RBI on a sac fly that same day. He also homered in Tennessee’s 13-0 win over West Georgia on 4/28, had two runs, three hits and three RBIs in a series win over No.

13 Alabama, and delivered a 2-for-3 day with an RBI single and a solo homer against Lipscomb on 4/21.

He kept producing in SEC play, too. Marin had a career-high six RBIs against UNC Asheville on 4/14, followed that with three hits in Tennessee’s second game against No.

9 Mississippi State on 4/11, and added a solo home run and three runs against Northern Kentucky on 4/7. He also had two singles and two RBIs against Austin Peay, finished 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs in the series finale at Vanderbilt, and singled in both games of the series at Vanderbilt.

His hot stretch continued through March, when he went 2-for-4 with a homer, two RBIs and two runs scored against EKU, then hit safely in all three games at No. 8 Georgia.

In that SEC opener, Marin had a two-run double and a solo homer to help Tennessee win on the road. He also turned in a double, a homer, two runs and two RBIs against Tennessee Tech, went 4-for-4 across a series against Wright State that included a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth, and added an RBI single against ETSU.

Earlier in the year, he hit his first home run of the season against Bellarmine, drove in a run in a win over Kent State and opened the season by going 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and a run scored against Nicholls.

Marin’s 2025 season at Tennessee was just as productive. He came through in the Knoxville Regional final against Wake Forest on 6/2 with a home run, a double and three RBIs in three at-bats.

He also delivered a two-RBI double against No. 15/23 Alabama in the SEC tournament, came up with a two-RBI single in a win over No.

5/8 Arkansas, and drove in the winning run against No. 10/11 Vanderbilt.

That season included more big swings, too: a double in an 11-inning win over No. 5/10 Auburn, two RBIs on two hits against Bellarmine, a two-RBI double against No.

6/6 Ole Miss, and a run, a hit and four putouts and assists, including a double play, in a 10-7 win over No. 10/12 Alabama.

He also got Tennessee on the board with an RBI single against No. 6/7 Florida, launched a walk-off grand slam against St.

Bonaventure after collecting three hits and two doubles, and hit his first collegiate home run in a 5-2 win over Oklahoma State.

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