Arkansas baseball’s latest addition through the transfer portal is a Friday starter from the the Big West.
Michael Malki committed to the Razorbacks on Wednesday, June 17, marking the third commitment of the day for Arkansas. The 6-foot righty just finished a strong season for Cal Bakersfield, where he become the No. 1 option in the weekend rotation by the beginning of April.
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Malki went 11-0 with a 3.12 ERA in 2026. He struck out 111 batters in 75 innings with only 37 walks. He produced an elite home-run rate of 0.7 per nine innings.
Malki represents the most productive starting pitcher to join Arkansas’ 2026 transfer class. He is the seventh pitcher to commit to Arkansas this offseason, joining Connor Udland (Houston), Luke Neiswonger (Central Michigan), Brayden Krenzel (Tennessee), Ridge Harvey (Belmont), Micah Henson (Crowder College) and Lance Alexander (Johnson County Community College).
Udland also joined the Razorbacks’ transfer class on Wednesday.
According to Perfect Game, Malki has a carry fastball that lives in the low 90s. He also has two effective off-speed pitches with a curveball and a changeup.
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Malki found a groove at Cal Bakersfield this year across three dominant April starts. In wins over Abilene Christian, UT Arlington and Tarleton State, Malki struck out 33 batters and allowed two earned runs in 21 innings.
However, Malki is a draft-eligible sophomore who is about to turn 21. Arkansas will need to hope he doesn’t get drafted or opts to bypass a professional contract for his junior season.
If he does make it to campus, there is a chance Arkansas now has its three weekend pitchers for 2027. Carson Wiggins is another draft risk, while Cole Gibler is set to return for his junior year. Gibler made five starts in 2026.
Malki is a California native who only appeared in 10 games as a freshman during the 2025 season.
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Jackson Fuller covers Arkansas football, basketball and baseball for the Southwest Times Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at jfuller@usatodayco.com or follow him @jacksonfuller16 on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Arkansas baseball lands Big West ace Michael Malki out of transfer portal
