OU pitchers lead way in MLB Baseball Draft, eight former Sooners selected

The 2025 Major League Baseball Draft came to a close Monday, with five more former OU players being selected. OU had three picks Sunday to give it eight overall. The selections of Kyson Witherspoon, Malachi Witherspoon and Easton Carmichael tied for the most draft picks through three rounds in program history (2022, 1983 and 1975).

The eight Sooners drafted tied for fourth-most nationally with Texas A&M.

Of course, this year’s Draft opened on Day One with the stunning selection of Sooners signee Eli Willits going No. 1 overall to the Washington Nationals. Willits is the son of associate head coach Reggie Willits and brother of starting shortstop Jaxon Willits.

“It’s super exciting for our program,” said head coach Skip Johnson in a release after the first day of the draft. “It shows the development piece of our program. We’re going to miss all three of them, there’s no doubt about that. But that’s what we do at OU, you get these guys prepared for Major League Baseball. Sometimes you want them to stay four years but you know they’re only going to stay three because they’re that good.”

With the selections of the Witherspoon twins and Cade Crossland, it’s the third time in six years the Sooners will be tasked with replacing its entire weekend rotation. That was to be expected but also noteworthy.

1st Round: Kyson Witherspoon (Pick No. 15 – Boston Red Sox)

It wouldn’t be foolish to say Kyson Witherspoon might end up as one of the best to come out of the Skip Johnson School of Pitching. Witherspoon became the 22nd first round selection in program history and the fourth under Johnson, joining Cade Horton (Chicago Cubs 2022 – No. 7 overall), Cade Cavalli (Washington Nationals 2020 – No. 22 overall) and Kyler Murray (Oakland As 2018 – No. 9 overall).

Sunday night’s selection capped a remarkable two-year run in Norman where Witherspoon did nothing but bolster his resume for big league clubs. Particularly this past season going 10-4 as the Sooners ace, striking out 124 batters (single season 13th all-time) en route to being named a consensus first team All-American (Baseball America, D1Baseball, NCBWA and Perfect Game).

Witherspoon led the SEC in wins (10, ninth nationally) and ERA (2.65, 23rd nationally) with a 1.01 WHIP and a 11.75 strikeouts per nine innings. 

2nd Round: Malachi Witherspoon (Pick No. 62 – Detroit Tigers)

Witherspoon didn’t have to wait too long after watching twin brother Kyson selected in the first round on Sunday evening. He made 36 appearances over two seasons in Norman, spending a majority of this past season in the weekend rotation, striking out 91 batters. 

Witherspoon finished the year with at least seven strikeouts in six of his last seven starts, earning his way onto the NCAA Chapel Hill Regional All-Tournament team. 

“I’m excited for Malachi to go to the Tigers and overjoyed for him and his family on a special night,” Johnson said. “He’s going to be a great piece for them, he’s going to continue to develop. With both the Witherspoon twins, it’s just a testament to who they are as men and how they came in and left a mark on our program with how they went about their business.”

3rd Round: Easton Carmichael (Pick No. 82 overall – Pittsburgh Pirates) 

The two-time All-American and first team selection in 2025 leaves Norman as one of the more decorated players in the last decade in the crimson and cream. 

Carmichael finishes his career in the top 20 of several categories, including career RBIs (7th, 174), home runs (11th, 30), extra base hits (11th, 80), total bases (11th, 385) and hits (16th, 232).

The catcher became the first Sooner to claim All-America honors in consecutive seasons since Casey Bookout in 1998-99. 

4th Round: Cade Crossland (Pick No. 120 overall – St. Louis Cardinals) 

The sophomore left-hander was the first Sooner off the board on Day Two. His selection by the St. Louis Cardinals in the fourth round of the draft means the entire starting rotation from last season was drafted. 

Crossland made 16 appearances and 13 starts this past season, logging a 6.32 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP in 68.1 innings. His 84 strikeouts ranked third on the team behind the Witherspoon twins and 11.06 strikeouts per nine innings finished No.13 in the Southeastern Conference. 

8th Round: Jamie Hitt (Pick No. 250 – San Diego Padres) 

After struggling in 2024, Hitt returned to Norman as a senior and made the most of it in 28 appearances out of the Sooners bullpen. It was the second most appearances on the team and ranked No. 5 in the conference, holding opponents to a .262 batting average over 35.1 innings with 35 strikeouts and just 12 walks. 

11th Round: Dylan Tate (Pick No. 345 – Los Angeles Dodgers) 

It was a small sample size but even if you caught just an inning of Tate’s two appearances, there was reason to believe the junior right-hander would be selected in this year’s draft. 

Tate has an electric fastball and was set to figure into the backend of Sooners games this season as a staple in the bullpen before an injury sidelined him until the SEC Tournament. His longest outing of the season came in the Chapel Hill Regional when Tate limited the Tar Heels to just an unearned run over four innings of relief. 

15th Round: Dylan Crooks (Pick No. 437 – Colorado Rockies) 

The senior reliever was phenomenal, closing 16 games for Oklahoma in 2025. It was the second most in a single season and places Crooks sixth on the all-time saves list. 

Crooks appeared in 26 games, throwing 32 innings while posting a 1.69 ERA with 32 strikeouts and 10 walks, holding opponents to a team best .195 batting average. His 16 saves ranked No. 2 nationally, earning him third team All-America honors by Baseball America and NCBWA Stopper of the Year finalist. 

19th Round: Brandon Cain (Pick No. 563 – Pittsburgh Pirates) 

Cain’s time in Norman was limited after appearing in just 21 games with two starts in right field. While it never came together with a bat in his hands, Cain’s opportunity at the big league level could come on the bump. The Pirates drafted Cain as a pitcher after he made the initial move to pitcher midway through the season. 

Cain recently pitched in eight games with MLB Draft League where he posted a 1.86 ERA over 9.1 innings and 10 strikeouts.  

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