Oklahoma MLB Draft Prospects For 2026

Now that the Oklahoma Sooners won the national championship earlier this week, the high school and college seasons are officially over for the state of Oklahoma. That means it is officially the “offseason” and it is time for us to shift our focus to other things.

One of the things we like to follow here at SSBR is look at the what the “experts” are thinking about the draft prospects for those players with ties to the Sooner State.

Let’s take a look at the top prospects from Oklahoma. For this article, we will look at those ranked by MLB Pipeline’s Top 200, Keith Law’s Top 100, and Perfect Game Top 500 with the write ups provided by MLB Pipeline.

Carson Wiggins (Roland High School ’24); MLB: 84; KL 71; PG 234

Wiggins is the younger brother of Jaxon Wiggins who like Carson went to Arkansas. Also like Jaxon, Carson missed his sophomore year due to injury. Jaxon was drafted in the compensatory picks between the 2nd and 3rd rounds of the 2022 MLB Draft and is now a top prospect in the Cubs organization. It’ll be interesting to see what clubs think of Carson going into this draft.

Luckily for Carson, he was able to participate in the MLB Combine this week and looked impressive. Here is what mlb.com had to say about Wiggins when they highlighted him as a standout for Day 2:

“Wiggins didn’t try to air it out, yet he still parked at 95 mph and peaked at 97.4 with his fastball. His slider wasn’t at its sharpest but averaged 85 mph with depth. He has more leverage than most draftees as a redshirt sophomore, so it will be interesting to see where he lands in the Draft.”

MLB.com’s write up on Wiggins:

Scouting grades: Fastball: 80 | Slider: 70 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45

“Jaxon Wiggins logged a 6.17 ERA in two seasons at Arkansas before missing his third following Tommy John surgery, yet still went in 2023’s supplemental second round to the Cubs and since has blossomed into a Top 100 Prospect. Younger brother Carson is more advanced at the same stage and unleashed a pair of 102-mph fastballs last April as a Razorbacks freshman, but he blew out his elbow shortly thereafter and it required internal brace surgery. He may not pitch this spring yet could get picked earlier than his older sibling did.

No college pitcher lit up a radar gun last spring more than Wiggins, who averaged 98.7 mph with a heater that also features late hop and carry. His upper-80s slider has tremendous depth and elicits plenty of chases when hitters try to sit on his fastball, and they went 1-for-16 with 14 strikeouts against his slide piece in 2025. He flashed a mid-80s changeup with interesting tumble in high school but focused on his fastball and slider as a freshman.

While Wiggins is athletic and works with little effort in his delivery, he has yet to prove he can command his fastball or land his slider in the zone on a consistent basis. His fastball/slider combination could be the best in the Draft, and he has the ceiling of a No. 2 starter, though his college résumé may consist of just 14 innings when he’s selected. He comes with considerable reliever risk, yet his brother’s progress gives cause for optimism.”

Kollin Ritchie (Atoka HS, Oklahoma St); MLB: 89; KL: 95; PG: 213

Ritchie was 4th in the country this season with 31 bombs – only 3 behind the national leader, Teague Davis of Louisville. Not only did he hit for power, Ritchie hit for average with .326 and he got on base at a .462 clip.

(Don’t know why Perfect Game has him so low.)

MLB.com:

“The Orioles took a 19th-round flier on Ritchie, a slugger from a small-town Oklahoma high school, in the 2023 Draft but couldn’t dissuade him from attending Oklahoma State. Despite rarely facing fastballs harder than 80 mph as a prepster, he became an immediate starter for the Cowboys. He has improved his production each season and ranked third in Division I in homers (29) and fourth in slugging (.828) this spring entering NCAA tournament play.

A left-handed hitter, Ritchie translates bat speed and strength into well-above-average raw power that plays from foul pole to foul pole. He maximizes it by looking to launch balls in the air to his pull side, though his overly aggressive approach leads to concerns about how much he’ll hit in pro ball. He swings through too many strikes, chases soft stuff and has struggled to make contact with wood bats in the Cape Cod League.

Ritchie moves well for a 6-foot-2, 228-pounder and shows solid speed once he gets going. He gets the job done in center field for Oklahoma State, though he profiles better on the corners at the next level. He has average arm strength and some experience playing third base as well.“

Brendan Brock (OU); MLB: 109; PG: 96

Brock projects as the highest rated Sooner. His unique skill set of being an above average fielder at catcher and a corner outfielder along with some speed makes him one of the most interesting watches to see where he goes.

The MLB.com write up mentions his struggles in SEC play, but he definitely made up for it in the NCAA Tournament.

MLB.com:

“As a redshirt sophomore at Southwestern Illinois CC last spring, Brock slashed .462/.565/.870 and ranked third among national junior college players in hitting, on-base percentage and OPS (1.435) and fourth in slugging, and he was the only 20-20 player at that level, going deep 20 times and swiping 27 bases. After turning down over-slot offers from the Brewers as a 14th-rounder, he took his uncommon speed and athleticism for a catcher to Oklahoma. He has second-round tools but likely will last another round or two because of his struggles in Southeastern Conference play.

Brock has a patient approach, quiet setup and a relatively compact right-handed stroke, but he also swings through a lot of strikes and mis-hits too many pitches. He crushes fastballs but really struggles against changeups and has problems with breaking balls as well. He possesses plus raw power and is at his best when he’s driving balls from gap to gap.

Brock combines plus-plus speed with base stealing aptitude. He’ll slow down some if he remains behind the plate, where he moves well, is improving as a receiver and displays solid to plus arm strength. He also has started games at all three outfield positions for the Sooners, and a team wanting to maximize his bat and tools could opt to deploy him in center field.“

Camden Johnson (OU); MLB: 129; PG: 195

Johnson may be the most athletic player from the Sooner State in this year’s draft class. What some may not realize is he is a natural shortstop, but since Jaxon Willits was already entrenched there, Johnson moved to 3B this season. His athleticism may lead Johnson down the road to playing CF.

MLB.com:

“Johnson’s athleticism and potential to play shortstop could make him the first player drafted from a talented Oklahoma roster. A transfer from Wichita State, he’s one of the few Sooners whose performance hasn’t dropped precipitously in Southeastern Conference action. He’s one of the twitchiest and fastest players in the college ranks.

Johnson displays good feel for the barrel from the left side of the plate but chases too many non-fastballs out of the zone. He doesn’t miss strikes and employs a line-drive approach. He has average raw power and is driving the ball more than ever, but he hasn’t shown much pop with wood bats in summer leagues and may top out at 10-12 homers per season.

A consistent plus-plus runner, Johnson can get from home to first in less than four seconds at his best and is an accomplished base stealer. He shows average arm strength at third base, where his fluid actions lead to the belief that he could handle shortstop in pro ball after seeing occasional action there for the Shockers. He also could become a dynamic center fielder or valuable super utilityman.“

Jaxon Willits (Ft Cobb-Broxton HS/OU); MLB: 146; PG: 110

Speaking of Jaxon Willits, perhaps no one helped himself more in the last month than Willits did. A true gap to gap hitter, Willits does have some pop in his bat and the instincts that should translate well to pro ball. I’ve heard some see him more at 2B than SS professionally, which if you can get the type of hitter he is a 2B, you’ve got a good one. His pedigree of his dad, Reggie, being a former MLB player and his younger brother, Eli, being the #1 overall pick in 2025 sure doesn’t hurt.

MLB.com:

“The son of former big league outfielder and current Oklahoma associate head coach Reggie Willits and the older brother of 2025 No. 1 overall pick Eli Willits, Jaxon could give his family a third potential big leaguer. He doesn’t have a true standout tool but his high baseball IQ allows him to get the most out of his physical ability. Hitting .318 with more walks than strikeouts during two seasons in the wood-bat Cape Cod League helps bolster his case for going in the first three rounds.

A switch-hitter, Willits makes more contact and hits the ball with more authority from the left side of the plate. He recognizes pitches well, doesn’t chase and makes regular contact to all fields. He has average raw power and doesn’t lift balls consistently, so he won’t hit more than 12-15 homers per season.

Willits is an opportunistic baserunner with average speed and quickness. He’s more of a dependable than especially rangy shortstop, which along with his average arm strength makes him better equipped for second base. He’s a high-floor utility type who draws universal praise for his intelligence and work ethic.“

Cameron Johnson (OU); MLB: 166; PG: 257

Oh boy. This one will be interesting. Johnson has all the physical tools big league clubs look for: Size, strength, power, and he’s left handed. The problem? Control issues.

For the last 2 years at OU, Johnson started the season as a weekend starter for the Sooners – Sunday in 2025 and Friday in 2026. Things started well, but both seasons saw him struggle to find the plate when conference season started and it was so bad that he had a hard time finding the field. In fact, he only pitched 12 pitches in OU’s run in the National Tournament. (However, he showed great character in being the biggest cheerleader on the team. Something clubs do consider.)

Big league clubs have egos big enough they think they can get pitchers to fix their control issues so don’t expect Johnson to slide into the double digit rounds.

MLB.com:

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 45 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 30 | Overall: 40

“Johnson flashed first-round talent as a Florida high schooler in 2023 before missing some time with elbow tendinitis, and he turned down lucrative offers from several clubs to attend Louisiana State. Severe control issues led to him working just nine innings for the Tigers as a freshman before transferring to Oklahoma, where he has continued to battle the strike zone the last two years. He displayed improved control at the start of this season but regressed once Southeastern Conference play began.

Johnson can overpower hitters with a fastball that parks at 95 mph and peaks at 99 with heavy sink, though he often yanks it off the plate. His upper-80s changeup can miss bats with its depth, but he has landed it in the zone only 15 percent of the time this spring. Nevertheless, he trusts his cambio more than a low-80 slider with sweep that he barely uses and batters rarely offer at.

With a wide angle, low release height and the extension in his delivery, Johnson can be very tough on left-handers. He has yet to figure out how to maintain timing with his mechanics or to stay on top of his pitches on a regular basis. He’s a physical 6-foot-6, 256-pounder with a ceiling of a sinker-heavy starter, though evaluators are losing faith that he can reach it.“

LJ Mercurius (OU); MLB: 176; PG (158)

One of the heroes of the Sooners’ national championship run, Mercurius did it in a different way that what was expected of him. Through the non conference part of the season, Mercurius was one of the best pitchers in the nation statistically. However, once the SEC part of the schedule started Mercurius struggled and was eventually moved to the bullpen.

After the move to the bullpen, LJ was outstanding for the Sooners as he was his dominant self again giving OU several dominant outings and innings in the postseason.

The question is how will the scouts look at his season and will they “penalize” his struggles in the SEC?

MLB.com:

Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 50 | Overall: 40

Nevada’s best prep pitching prospect in 2023, Mercurius spent his first two college seasons at Nevada-Las Vegas before transferring to Oklahoma to reunite with his brother Xander, the Silver State’s top high school arm in 2025. L.J. can look like a second-round talent at his best and opened this spring by allowing one earned run in four non-conference starts. After getting rocked by Southeastern Conference hitters, he fits more in the fourth round.

Mercurius operates with a 92-94 mph fastball that peaks at 97 with improved carry but not much running action, so it gets in trouble when he doesn’t locate it well. The same is true with his mid-80s changeup, a plus offering with fade and sink that was victimized for five homers in his first seven SEC starts. He relies primarily on those two pitches while mixing in some tight low-80s sliders.

The Sooners have raised Mercurius’ arm slot to get more backspin on his fastball, similar to what they did with first-rounder Kyson Witherspoon in 2025. He’s providing more strikes in his second year as a college starter than he did in his first but his ability to improve his command will determine his future success. If he can’t, he’ll be more middle reliever than No. 4 starter.

Other Prospects in Perfect Game Top 500*

*Players not listed in the MLB Pipeline Top 200, but are most likely to be drafted.

Collin Fisher (Noble HS, currently at Arkansas): 248
Hudson Barrett (Oklahoma State): 293
Deiten Lachance (Univ of Oklahoma): 296
Josiah Kemp (Choctaw HS): 285
Cooper Moore (Bixby HS, currently at LSU): 309
Alex Conover (Tuttle HS, Oklahoma State): 383
Mason Bixby (Univ of Oklahoma): 403
Michael Catalano (Univ of Oklahoma): 481

Like this content? Don’t miss any posts. Enter your email in the box below and have Sooner State Baseball Report content delivered right to your inbox.

You can also show your support for SSBR by purchasing some official SSBR merch at the link below.

Official Sooner State Baseball Report Merch

Leave a comment Cancel reply