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
- For a look at the NL East clubs, click here: NL East
*Slash line: AVG/OBP/SLB
Chicago Cubs
Affiliates
- AAA – Iowa Cubs
- AA – Tennessee Smokies
- High-A (A+) – South Bend Cubs
- A – Myrle Beach Pelicans
Players
- Julian Merryweather, Chicago Cubs, RHP, Oklahoma Baptist University, ’13-’14
2023 Stats: G 69, 72.0 IP, 5-1, 2 SV, 3.38 ERA, 98 Ks, 36 BB
The former Bison had his best year of his career in 2023. After playing in parts of 3 seasons with the Blue Jays from 2020-2022, the Cubs claimed Merryweather off waivers before the 2023 season.
Merryweather was used primarily as a 7th-8th inning reliever for Chicago and he didn’t disappoint. Because of some injuries late in the season, Merryweather got a couple of saves as a closer.
Oh, and he’s one of the hardest throwers in baseball.
- Ben Leeper, Iowa Cubs (AAA), RHP, Oklahoma State, ’16-’20
2023 Stats: Did not play due to injury
Leeper has had a tough go as a professional. Signing as an undrafted free agent with the Cubs in 2020, Leeper had a breakout season in 2021. So much so that he was promoted to I-Cubs that season.
After another solid season at AAA in 2022, it looked like Leeper would be part of the Cubs’ bullpen for 2023 until he had Tommy John surgery in April. This was Leeper’s 3rd Tommy John surgery – his 2nd as a pro. While a 3rd TJ doesn’t normally work out for pitchers, Leeper says he expects to be back for 2024 with a “new arm.”
Career MiLB Stats: G 69, 81 IP, 7-6, 14 SV, 3.11 ERA, 57 K, 19 BB
- Brad Wieck, Iowa Cubs (AAA), LHP, Oklahoma City University, ’14
2023 Stats: Did not pitch due to injury
Wieck is another Cubs pitcher that has a hard time staying healthy. Wieck has been with 3 different clubs in his career. He started his Cubs’ tenure in July, 2019 after being traded to Chicago. Wieck made his MLB debut with the Padres in September, 2018 and has pitched some for the Cubs as well.
In July, 2021, Wieck was placed on the 60 day IL with an irregular heartbeat (his 2nd stint for the same issue). He missed the rest of the ’21 season. Trying to come back in 2022, Wieck went on the IL again with an elbow strain. Later that summer, Wieck underwent Tommy John surgery keeping him out the rest of ’22 and all of ’23.
The Cubs still thing a lot of Wieck as they signed him to a 2 year contract in January, 2023 knowing he’d miss all of ’23. It is safe to say that 2024 is a big year for Wieck.
Career MLB Stats: G 65, 59.2 IP, 2-2, 3.77 ERA, 89 Ks, 24 BB
- Kohl Franklin, Tennessee Smokies (AA), RHP, Broken Arrow High School, 18
2023 Stats: G 26, G 26, 105 IP, 4-12, 5.40 ERA, 116 Ks, 50 BB
Just like Leeper and Wieck, Kohl Franklin has had to overcome adversity in his professional baseball career. After missing the 2020 season due to COVID, Franklin missed the entire 2021 season due to a shoulder injury.
Franklin was promoted to AA, Tennessee after just 5 games in 2023 where he stayed the rest of the 2023 season and Tennessee won the Southern League title. While his ERA is reflective of some control issues he’s working on, the fact that he had 116 strikeouts in 105 innings pitched shows he has great stuff.
He’s currently the Cubs’ 29th top prospect according to MLB.com who have Franklin projected to make the Majors in 2024.
Here is a great short video of Franklin in his own words regarding his career.
- Cade Horton, Tennessee Smokies (AA), RHP, Norman High School, ’20, Oklahoma, ’21-’22
2023 Stats: G 21, GS 21, 88.1 IP, 4-4, 2.51 ERA, 117 Ks, 27 BB
The former Tiger and Sooner had a monster year in his first pro season. The 2022 #7 overall pick by the Cubs started the season in A, Myrtle Beach where he was promoted after just 4 starts to A+, South Bend. After just 11 starts at South Bend, Horton was promoted again to AA, Tennessee where he made 6 starts.
Horton was dominant at each stop and he even had some people covering the Cubs speculating there was a slim chance he could be called up to Chicago when the rosters expanded in September. He was so good in 2023, that his name has been speculated in trades for Juan Soto or Tyler Glasnow.
Horton was so dominant that he was name as a finalist for the MiLB Pitching Prospect of the Year.
Horton is the Cubs’ #2 top prospect and the 29th overall according to MLB.com.
- Caleb Knight, Tennessee Smokies (AA), C, Checotah High School, ’14/Connors State College, ’15-’16
2023 Stats: G 17, .277/.443/.362, OPS .805, 1 HR, 4 RBI
Knight signed as an undrafted free agent with the Cubs in 2018 and has been in the Cubs’ organization his entire career. He played briefly in AAA, Iowa in 2021, but spent 2022 in A+, South Bend, and all of 2023 in Tennessee.
Career Stats: G 143, .225/.374/.322, OPS .696, 7 HR, 39 RBI
- Jaxon Wiggins, ACL Cubs (Rookie), RHP, Roland High School ’20
2023 Stats: Did not play
Wiggins was the Cubs’ 1st round compensatory pick in the 2023 draft. He didn’t pitch in 2023 due to Tommy John surgery. He is listed as the Cubs’ 24th top prospect according to MLB.com.
Cincinnati Reds
Affiliates
- AAA – Louisville Bats
- AA – Chattanooga Lookouts
- High-A (A+) – Dayton Dragons
- A – Daytona Tortugas
Players
- Jake Gozzo, Chattanooga Lookouts (AA), RHP, Oklahoma Baptist University, ’18-’19
2023 Stats: G 39, IP 56.2, 4-3, ERA 3.65, 51 Ks, 39 BB
The former Bison has taken a long road to get where he is. Going undrafted after the 2019 season, Gozzo had been playing independent ball until he signed as a free agent with the Reds in 2021.
Midway through the ’23 season, Gozzo was promoted to AA, Chattanooga. It is safe to say that he struggled at AA compared to when he was with A+, Dayton where he had and ERA of 1.16 in 31 IP.
Milwaukee Brewers
Affiliates
- AAA – Nashville Sounds
- AA – Biloxi Shuckers
- High-A (A+) – Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- A – Carolina Mudcats
Players
- Adrian Houser, Milwaukee Brewers, RPH, Locust Grove High School, ’11
2023 Stats: G 23, GS 21, 111.1 IP, 8-5, ERA 4.12, 96 Ks, 34 BB
Houser was drafted in the 2nd round (69th overall) in the 2011 draft. (Coincidently, Dylan Bundy and Archie Bradley whom Houser had played baseball with while growing up were drafted earlier in that draft.) After a couple of seasons in the Astros’ organization, Houser was traded to the Brewers.
Houser had a couple of cups of coffee in the Majors in 2015 and 2018, but he’s been with the Brewers for good since 2019. His best season was in 2021 where he had an ERA of 3.22 in 142.1 IP and 26 starts.
- Bayden Root, Carolina Mudcats (A), RHP, Oklahoma State, ’22-’23
2023 Stats: G 7, 6.2 IP, 1-0, 1.35 ERA, 7 Ks, 2 BB
Root signed as an undrafted free agent out of Stillwater after the 2023 draft. He had an ERA of 4.41 in 37.1 IP for the Cowboys in 2023.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Affiliates
- AAA – Indianapolis Indians
- AA – Altoona Curve
- High-A (A+) – Greensboro Grasshoppers
- A – Bradenton Marauders
Players
NO PLAYERS WITH OKLAHOMA TIES ARE IN THE PIRATES ORGANIZATION
St Louis Cardinals
Affiliates
- AAA – Memphis Redbirds
- AA – Springfield Cardinals
- High-A (A+) – Peoria Chiefs
- A – Palm Beach Cardinals
Players
- Ryan Helsley, St Louis Cardinals, RHP, Tahlequah High School, ’13, Northeastern State University, ’14-’15
2023 Stats: G 33, 36.2 IP, 3-4, 14 SV ERA 2.45, 52 Ks, 17 BB
The Tahlequah native and RiverHawk alum, had a solid year in 2023 despite missing a good chunk of it due to a right forearm strain. Helsley was put on the IL 6/12 (retroactive to 6/10) and wasn’t activated off of it until 9/1.
Helsley made his MLB debut in 2019 and has played the last 5 seasons with the Cards all as a reliever. He has appeared in 174 games with an ERA of 2.83 and 235 strikeouts in 197.1 innings pitched. Helsley has played a prominent role in closing games for St Louis the last 2 seasons.
He was named to the NL All Star team in 2022.
- Jared Young, St Louis Cardinals, 1B, Connors State College, ’16
2023 Stats: (With CHC) G 16, .186/.255/.465, OPS 7.20, 2 HR, 8 RBI
It is safe to say that Young had himself a year in 2023. Playing in the Chicago Cubs organization, Young spent most of his time at AAA, Iowa where he slashed .310/.417/.577 (OPS .994) with 21 HR and 72 RBI. He did see some action with the Cubs when they were thin at 1B and provided some key kits for the Northsiders.
Young got his 2023 season started by playing in the World Baseball Classic. A native of British Columbia, he represented Canada. In their game vs the USA, Young hit a home run off of Lance Lynn.
Young was claimed off waivers from the Cubs on 11/6/23.
- Jimmy Crooks, Memphis Redbirds (AAA), C, University of Oklahoma, ’21-’22
2023 Stats: G 115, .271/.358/.433, OPS .791, 12 HR, 73 RBI
Crooks was drafted in the 4th round of the 2022 draft out of Oklahoma. He spent all but one game at High-A, Peoria this year before being promoted to AAA, Memphis at the end of the season (he got in one game at Memphis, but did not make a plate appearance).
Crooks is the Cardinals’ 15th top rated prospect and 2nd highest C according to MLB.com.
- Logan Gragg, Springfield Cardinals (AA), RHP, Connors State College, ’17-’18/Oklahoma State, ’19
2023 Stats: G 19, GS 19, 124.2 IP, 6-7, ERA 4.98, 102 Ks, 48 BB
An 8th round pick in the 2019 draft, Gragg got a taste of MLB Spring Training in 2023.
He spent most of the season at AA except for a 4 games (2 starts) stretch in July at AAA, Memphis. At Memphis he had an ERA of 0.50 with 12 Ks and 6 BB in 18.0 innings pitched. In his 2 starts at Memphis, he went 13 IP with 0 earned runs, 7 Ks, 2 BB.
- Chase Adkison, Palm Beach Cardinals (A), C, Oklahoma State, ’22-’23
2023 Stats: G 16, .333/.367/.381, OPS .748, 7 RBI
Adkison went undrafted in 2023 and signed with the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in July.
- Dakota Harris, Palm Beach Cardinals (A), SS, Univ of Oklahoma, ’23
2023 Stats: G 31, .220/.307/.320, OPS .627, 1 HR, 21 RBI
After only 1 season at OU, Harris was an 11th round pick by the Cardinals in 2023. Looking at his game logs, Harris was pretty much an every day player at Palm Beach which would seem to indicate they are going to give Harris ample opportunities.
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