The Oklahoma Sooners baseball team finished the 2023 campaign with a (32-28) record and a NCAA regional berth. Following the 2022 College World Series runner-up season, the Sooners lost a nation-high 11 players to the MLB Draft. Still, the Sooners exceeded expectations by making the NCAA tournament despite having to rebuild the pitching staff from a year ago completely. Last season, the biggest issue for the Sooners was in the pitching department. Outside of LHP Braden Carmichael and LHP James Hitt, the pitching staff needed more consistency. At times, the Sooners' bullpen was incredible; at other times it was not. Knowing this, Oklahoma Head Coach Skip Johnson attacked the portal this offseason, focusing on adding pitching to the program.
LHP Grant Stevens, 5'9 170, with two years of eligibility remaining: Grant Stevens announced his transfer to the University of Oklahoma on May 22nd. The transfer from Pacific went (4-7) with a 5.19 ERA in 2023, pitching 86.2 innings with 65 strikeouts and 19 walks. Stevens tossed two complete games against San Diego on March 19th and Pepperdine on April 21st.
LHP Jace Miner, 6'3 190, with two years of eligibility remaining: Jace Miner announced his transfer to the University of Oklahoma on June 12th. The transfer from Wichita State was lights out last year against the Sooners, throwing 5.2 innings of scoreless baseball with six strikeouts and three walks in the three games. With two saves, Miner (2-0) was the Shockers' best pitcher out of the bullpen. He led the team with a 2.05 ERA in 24 appearances, earning Second-Team All-American Athletic Conference honors. In 44 innings of relief, Miner struck out 38 batters, allowed 22 hits and walked 19 batters. Miner only allowed seven extra-base hits, holding his opponents to a .148 batting average. He also closed the door on the highly ranked East Carolina Pirates, pitching 3.1 scoreless innings to earn the save.
RHP Austin Henry, 6'5 220, with four years of eligibility remaining: Austin Henry joined his Shockers teammate in announcing his transfer to the University of Oklahoma on June 22nd. Austin Henry underwent Tommy John sidelining him last season at Wichita State. He has a perfect 10 rating on Perfect Game, with a fastball touching 92mph as a junior in high school. Henry's curveball has 3200 RPMs. He was also a Perfect Game All-American in high school.
RHP Kyson Witherspoon, 6'2 205, with three years of eligibility remaining: Kyson Witherspoon announced his transfer alongside his identical twin brother Malachi Witherspoon on June 23rd. Last year, the JUCO transfer from Northwest Florida State College went (6-2) with a 3.10 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. In 69.2 innings, Witherspoon allowed 55 hits and 32 walks, with 72 strikeouts. Kyson Witherspoon throws a fastball in the mid-90s.
RHP Malachi Witherspoon, 6'3 220, with three years of eligibility remaining: Malachi Witherspoon is joining his twin brother, Kyson Witherspoon, at the University of Oklahoma. The JUCO transfer from Northwest Florida State College appeared in 13 games last year. In 13.1 innings, Witherspoon struck out 24 batters, posting a 9.87 ERA and a 2.13 WHIP on 23 hits and 14 walks. The Arizona Diamondbacks drafted Malachi Witherspoon in the 12th round of the 2022 MLB Draft. Like his brother Kyson, Malachi also throws a fastball in the mid-90s.
RHP Brendan Girton, 6'2 220, with two years of eligibility remaining: Brendan Girton was the third right-handed pitcher to transfer to the University of Oklahoma on June 23rd. The Gage, Oklahoma native excelled on the mound for Texas Tech against the Sooners, tossing four innings, striking out five, and allowing one run on three hits and a walk en route to a Red Raider victory. Girton (2-2) pitched in 51 innings, posting a 5.82 ERA on 52 hits and 31 walks. Last season, Girton struck out 36 batters.
1B/OF Carter Frederick, 6'4 225, with two years of eligibility remaining: Carter Frederick announced his transfer to the University of Oklahoma on July 9th. The JUCO transfer from Snead State Community College posted an NJCAA-high .493 batting average. Frederick recorded 75 hits with 22 doubles, three triples, and 13 home runs with 49 RBIs. Carter Frederick had a whopping .596 on-base percentage, slugging .934. Frederick also stole seven bags last year. Frederick's video game-esque season has earned him the 2023 ACCC-North Baseball Player of the Year award.
RHP Jason Bollman, 6'2 185, with two years of eligibility remaining:
Jason Bollman announced his transfer to the University of Oklahoma on July 10th. The LSU transfer missed the past two seasons due to injury. In his last season of college baseball in 2021 at Wabash Valley College, Bollman went (5-2) with two saves in 13 appearances. In 45 innings on the mound, Bollman posted a 3.97 ERA, striking out 73 batters with 21 walks.
LHP Braden Davis, 5'11 180, with two years of eligibility remaining: Braden Davis announced his transfer to the University of Oklahoma on July 13th. The Sam Houston State transfer appeared in 22 games last season, going (4-4) with five saves and a 3.16 ERA. In 37 innings of work, Davis struck out 51 batters while allowing 29 hits and 23 walks. Davis held the opposing batters to a .213 batting average. Braden Davis played in the Cape Cod League for the Falmouth Commodores this summer alongside current Sooners' centerfielder John Spikerman. Over the summer, Davis went (1-2) with a 4.71 ERA. In 28.2 innings, he struck out 40 batters, allowing 19 hits and 22 walks in seven outings. The talented lefty throws a fastball between 88-91 mph, a change-up between 77-81 mph, and a slider between 78-82 mph.
RHP Ryan Lambert, 6'2 220, with two years of eligibility remaining:
Ryan Lambert rounded out the Sooners' summer transfer class in the pitching department. The Missouri State transfer throws a fastball and sinker in the upper 90s, between 96-99 mph, a slider between 83-86 mph, and a cutter in the mid-90s. Last season, Lambert appeared in five games (2.1 innings), posting a 15.43 ERA (four earned runs) on four hits and seven walks, striking out two batters.
3B Michael Snyder, 6'4 220, with one year of eligibility remaining: Skip Johnson put together an excellent transfer class for the Sooners, adding some much-needed arms for the weekend rotation and the bullpen. The Oklahoma transfer class looked complete, but then Michael Snyder announced that he would use his final year of eligibility at the University of Oklahoma. Snyder joining the Sooners made an excellent transfer class even better, as he will give the Sooners another power bat. The Washington transfer started 53 games last year with a .254 batting average, a .482 slugging percentage, and a .376 on-base percentage. Michael Snyder recorded 49 hits, nine doubles, a triple, and 11 home runs for 49 RBIs. He also drew 24 walks and was his 16 times last year. In the Stillwater Regional, Michael Snyder hit a big fly into the parking lot at O'Brate Stadium.
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