Several baseball players who played high school baseball, college baseball, or both in the state of Oklahoma are giving it a go in professional baseball.
This offseason we will take a look at how they did in 2023 and in some cases, how they’ve been doing overall or their or their prospect for the future.
We will be looking at the players who are on an affiliated baseball team’s roster – those in a MLB team’s organization.
- For a look at the AL East clubs, click here: AL East
- For a look at the AL Central clubs, click here: AL Central
- For a look at the AL West clubs, click here: AL West
*Slash line: AVG/OBP/SLB
Atlanta Braves
Affiliates
- AAA – Gwinnett Stripers
- AA – Mississippi Braves
- High A (A+) – Rome Emperors
- A – Augusta GreenJackets
Players
- Cody Milligan, Mississippi Braves (AA), OF, Binger-Oney High School, ’17/OSU ’18
2023 Stats: G 71, .284/.378/.425, OPS .803, 4 HR, 23 RBI, 24 SB
The Binger-Oney alum was a 9th round draft pick by the Braves in 2019. Like most ’19 draftees, Milligan lost almost 2 years of baseball due to Covid-19. Milligan missed about a month and a half this season due to injury as well.
Milligan has been a solid player in the Braves’ system. His career numbers are .269/.373/.353 with an OPS of .726 so his 2023 season was better than his average.
Milligan did get an invite to the Braves’ 2023 Spring Training and had this impressive play.
- Jacob Godman, Augusta GreenJackets (A), C, Oral Roberts ’23
2023 Stats: G 16, .143/.321/.214, OPS .535, 1 HR, 7 RBI
Godman signed with the Braves as a free agent in the summer of 2023. In the 2023 season with the Golden Eagles, Godman was 2nd team All-Summit League and 1st team Summit League All-Tournament Team and Stillwater Regional All-Tournament Team.
Miami Marlins
Affiliates
- AAA – Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- AA – Pensacola Blue Wahoos
- High-A (A+) – Beloit Sky Carp
- A – Jupiter Hammerheads
Players
- Steven Okert, Miami Marlins, LHP, Oklahoma ’12
2023 Stats: G 64, GS 2, 58.2 IP, 3-2, 4.45 ERA, 73 K, 24 BB
Okert spent one year at OU in 2012 before being drafted in the 4th round by San Francisco. He made MLB debut on April 19, 2016 for the Giants.
In 2021, Okert signed a free agent contract with the Marlins where he’s been one of their best arms out of the bullpen the last 3 seasons.
- Chi Chi Gonzalez, Jacksonville Jumbo Schrimp (AAA), RHP, Oral Roberts, ’11-’13
2023 Stats: G 24, GS 23, 121.2 IP, 6-9, 6.07 ERA, 71 K, 34 BB
Gonzalez signed with the Marlins as a free agent after the 2022 season. He spent almost all season in AAA except for 3 appearances for the Marlins in late September.
The former 1st round pick in 2013, made his MLB debut in 2015 with the Texas Rangers. He has pitched in parts of 7 seasons with 5 different teams (Rangers, Rockies, Twins, Yankees, and Marlins).
Gonzalez is currently a free agent.
- Dax Fulton, Pensacola Blue Wahoos (AA), LHP, Mustang High School ’20
2023 Stats: G 7, GS 6, 33.0 IP, 2-4, 5.18 ERA, 39 K, 19 BB
Fulton has had a rough go of it the last few years. Going into the 2020 MLB Draft, he was considered the best LHP prospect, but he didn’t get drafted until the 2nd round because he had Tommy John surgery in 2019 and missed the shortened ’20 season. He pitched in the Marlins’ system in ’21 & ’22 where he had a combined 3.80 in ’22 between A+ and AA.
This year was cut short for Fulton again due to UCL damage. He didn’t have a full reconstruction so his recovery time will be somewhat shorter.
Fulton is still highly thought of as he was listed as an overall top 100 prospect on some lists coming into the 2023 season and is currently the 10th highest Marlins prospect according to MLB.com.
- Jake Thompson, Pensacola Wahoos (AA), 3B, Oklahoma State, ’20-’22
2023 Stats: G 103, .278/.385/.501, OPS .886, 18 HR, 53 RBI
After going undrafted in 2022, Thompson signed as a free agent with the Marlins in August, 2022. He impressed in the shortened (for him) ’22 season with an OPS of .872.
Thompson started the 2023 season with High A, Beloit Sky Carp where he tore it up (.279/.386/.516, 16 HR, 44 RBI). He was so good at A+ that he was named the Marlins Player of the Year at High A.
Thompson was called up to AA on September 1.
New York Mets
Affiliates
- AAA – Syracuse Mets
- AA – Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- High-A (A+) – Brooklyn Cyclones
- A – St Lucie Mets
Players
- Jace Beck, Brooklyn Cyclones (A+), RHP, Blanchard High School, ’19
2023 Stats: G 26, GS 1, 31.1 IP, 6-5, 3.73 ERA, 57 Ks, 30 BB
The 2019 Lions alum, Beck had a solid year out of the bullpen for the Cyclones. However, Beck had a couple stints on the IL that kept him from having a full season.
Beck was drafted out of high school in the 22nd round of the 2019 draft.
- Nolan McLean, St Lucie Mets (A), 3B (TWP), Oklahoma State, ’21-’23
2023 Stats: (Batting) G 8, .125/.375/.313, .688 OPS, 1 HR, 3 RBI
2023 Stats: (Pitching) G 2, GS 1, 3.1 IP, 0-0, 2.70 ERA, 2 Ks, 2 BB
McLean is one of the most interesting prospects in any organization. The 2023 3rd round pick is a true 2 way player. As you can see by the stats above, the Mets gave him time as both as a position player and pitcher in the brief time he played in ’23.
MLB.com has McLean as the Mets 23rd top prospect and list him as a RHP and DH.
Philadelphia Phillies
Affiliates
- AAA – Lehigh Valley IronPigs
- AA – Reading Fightin Phils
- High-A (A+) – Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- A – Clearwater Threshers
Players
- J.T. Realmuto, Philadelphia Phillies, C, Carl Albert HS, ’10
2023 Stats: G 135, .252/.310/.452, .792 OPS, 20 HR, 63 RBI
Simply put, the Carl Albert alum is one of the elite catchers in all of baseball right now. Just look at the accolades Realmuto has racked up:
- 3X All-Star
- 3X Silver Slugger
- 2X Gold Glove Winner
- 7th in 2022 NL MVP voting
Here is what we wrote about Realmuto when he was nominated for this year’s Gold Glove:
Known as one of the best offensive catchers in the game, Realmuto is just as good behind the plate. In 2023, he led all catchers with 133 games at the position. Realmuto led the league in putouts (1190). He was 2nd in fielding percentage (only .001% behind Salvador Perez) and 2nd in Total Zone Runs (a metric used to see how many runs saved by a player based on every play).
Realmuto also had 33 assists and threw out 23 would be base stealers in 104 attempts (28%).
Link to full story here.
- Christian McGowan, Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA), RHP, Rock Creek HS, ’18/Eastern OK State ’19-’21
2023 Stats: G 9, GS 9, 25.2 IP, 0-1, .386 ERA, 28 K, 10 BB
The fireballer from southeast Oklahoma didn’t see action in 2023 until late July due to injury. After a few rehab starts in the Rookie league and Class A, Clearwater, McGowan spent most of the season at AA, Jersey Shore. He was called up to AAA, Lehigh late in September where he made 1 start.
McGowan is the 14th rated Phillies prospect according to MLB.com.
- Matt Kroon, Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA), OF, Oklahoma State, ’18
2023 Stats: G 97, .326/.399/.526, .925 OPS, 11 HR, 58 RBI
After missing all of 2022 with injury, Kroon had a monster year in 2023. He started off the year at A+, Jersey Shore, but he got promoted during the season all the way to AAA.
Kroon played in the Arizona Fall League in 2023 where he hit .262 with an OPS of .700 and 15 RBIs in 18 games.
- Jason Ruffcorn, Reading Fightin Phils (AA), RHP, Oklahoma, ’19-’21
2023 Stats: G 44, 50.1 IP, 4-1, 5.01 ERA, 52 Ks, 22 BB
Ruffcorn is on Reading’s roster, but he has not seen action with them yet. He was promoted in late September of this year.
Ruffcorn was drafted in the 8th round of the 2021 draft. He spent the ’21 season at Class A, Clearwater, and the last 2 seasons at Class AA, Jersey Shore.
Washington Nationals
Affiliates
- AAA – Rochester Red Wings
- AA – Harrisburg Senators
- High-A (A+) – Wilmington Blue Rocks
- A – Fredericksburg Nationals
Players
- Cade Cavalli, Washington Nationals, RHP, Bixby HS, ’17/Oklahoma, ’18-’20
2023 Stats: Did not pitch (Tommy John Surgery)
The Sooner alum was the 1st round (22nd overall) pick of the Nationals in the 2020 draft. After a good first 2 seasons in the minors, Cavalli made his MLB debit in August, 2022. Looking to be a part of the Nats’ starting rotation, Cavalli, unfortunately, missed the entire ’23 season due to Tommy John surgery.
Cavalli is listed as the Nats’ 4th top prospect according to MLB.com. FanGraphs has him the 89th overall prospect.
- Jake Irving, Washington Nationals, RHP, Oklahoma, ’16-’18
2023 Stats: G 24, GS 24, 121 IP, 3-7, 4.61 ERA, 99 Ks, 54 BB
The former 4th round pick by the Nationals made his MLB debut on May 3, 2023 and stayed with the club the rest of the season.
Irvin had an interesting path to get to the majors. He was drafted in 2018 and pitched in 11 games that season. After a full season in 2019, Irvin was a victim of the 2020 Covid year and didn’t pitch at all. He also missed the entire 2021 season due to injury. Irvin pitched a full season in the minors in 2022 and 5 games in 2023 before making his MLB debut.
- Brady Lindsly, Rochester Red Wings (AAA), C, Oklahoma, ’17-’20
2023 Stats: G 62, .234/.331/.353, .631 OPS, 6 HR, 33 RBI
Lindlsy started the year at AA, Harrisburg and played most of his games (41) there. He was called up to AAA, Rochester on August 11. He has made a steady climb in the minors since he was drafted in the 4th round of the 2020 draft.
- Jake Bennett, Wilmington Blue Rocks (AA), LHP, Bixby HS, ’19 / Oklahoma, ’20-’22
2023 Stats: G 15, GS 15, 63 IP, 1-6, 3.14 ERA, 73 Ks, 16 BB
Bennett was a 2nd round (45th overall) draft pick in the 2022 draft. The Nats held him out of action in 2022 so this past season was his first taste of pro ball.
Bennett did not disappoint. In his 9 games at Class A, Fredericksburg, Bennet was dominant as he had a 1.93 ERA in 9 games (all starts) with 54 strikeouts against only 8 walks. His 5.57 ERA at Wilmington is inflated due to his last start where he gave up 7 earned runs in 2.2 IP.
With him getting the call up to AA in his 1st pro season, it’s obvious the Nats have high hopes for him as evidenced by his 10th top Nats prospect by MLB.com.
- Matt Merrill, Wilmington Blue Rocks (A+), RHP, NOAH ’17
2023 Stats: 25 G, 37.1 IP, 0-1, 3.86 ERA, 59 Ks, 21 BB
Merrill was drafted by the Houston Astros in 2017 and pitched on their Rookie team in the 2nd half of that season. He did not pitch again until the 2021 season when he joined the Nationals organization. After the 2023 season, Merrill elected to be a free agent.
- Marcus Brown, Fredericksburg Nationals (A), SS, Oklahoma State, ’21-’23
2023 Stats: G 30, .260/.376/.346, OPS .722, 1 HR, 24 RBI
Brown was a 5th round draft pick for the Nats in 2023. Brown is known more for his defense so if he can keep up the good numbers at the plate, he should ascend in the Nats’ organization.
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