The longer the process played out, the more Arkansas fans’ hopes grew.

Unfortunately for the Razorbacks, Roland’s Jaxon Wiggins will turn professional.

The former Arkansas left-handed pitcher signed for $1.4 million with the Chicago Cubs, making him the last player from the Cubs’ draft class to ink a deal. In fact, the $1.4 million was all Chicago had left in its pool.

Wiggins had leverage against whichever team drafted him as many considered him a first-round talent and he could return to Arkansas for another season if he chose, but he also missed the 2023 season with Tommy John surgery, too, meaning the future was a bit muddier than it might be for someone with a clean bill of health.

In 2022, his only season with the Diamond Hogs, he struck out 82 batters in just 66 innings. That is the sort of stuff that put him so high on draft boards, despite his 6.55 earned-run average that year.

Still, Arkansas baseball coach Dave Van Horn had to anticipate Wiggins turning pro. He picked up Mason Molina, an All-Big 12 pitcher with Texas Tech last year, out of the transfer portal to bolster next year’s rotation.