For more than two decades the University of Oklahoma has served as a premier incubator for Major League Baseball talent. Each June the draft becomes a showcase for Sooners who have honed their skills under the guidance of a program that consistently competes at the national level.
The numbers tell a compelling story: 305 Oklahoma players have been selected since the draft began in 1965, and 151 of those have arrived since 2000 alone. That translates to an average of 5.8 picks per year over the past 25 years, with at least one Sooners player drafted in every season since the turn of the millennium.
The program’s impact is amplified by its concentration of high‑profile selections. In 2011, 2015 and 2022 the Sooners produced as many as eleven draftees in a single year, underscoring the depth of talent that regularly emerges from Norman.
The Making of an All‑Star Draft Class
Among the standout names are J.T. Wise, a 2009 First Team All‑American catcher, and Tyler Hardman, a four‑year standout who earned First Team All‑American honors in 2021. Jack Mayfield, though undrafted, signed with the Houston Astros in 2019, while Garrett Buechele, a 14th‑round pick in 2011, carved a niche as a reliable third‑base starter.
The 2013 draft brought Jonathan Gray, whose fastball helped him become the National Pitcher of the Year and the third overall selection by the Colorado Rockies. More recently, Kyler Murray’s dual‑sport brilliance captured headlines when the Oakland Athletics chose him ninth overall in 2019 before he opted for an NFL career, and Cade Horton became the seventh overall pick for the Chicago Cubs in 2022.
Other notable alumni include Sheldon Neuse, the 2016 Brooks Wallace Award winner whose career batting average of .313 earned him a lasting place in Oklahoma lore, and Steele Walker, a second‑round pick by the Chicago White Sox who batted .326 over three seasons as an outfielder. Even pitchers like Dylan Crooks, a 2025 fifteenth‑round selection by the Colorado Rockies, illustrate the program’s breadth of talent.
The legacy extends beyond individual achievements; it reflects a culture that values both performance on the field and preparation for the professional game. As Major League Baseball continues to scout the Sooners, the next wave of draftees is already shaping up to keep Oklahoma at the forefront of baseball development.