Redshirt freshman right-hander Cade Horton was selected seventh overall by the Chicago Cubs, and three Sooners were picked Sunday night on the first day of the 2022 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, held in Los Angeles.
Redshirt sophomore left-handed pitcher Jake Bennett was selected in the second round (45th overall) by the Washington Nationals and redshirt sophomore shortstop Peyton Graham was taken in the second round (51st overall) by the Detroit Tigers.
This is the first time the Sooners have ever had three players selected in the first two rounds of the MLB Draft. OU has now produced three first-round draft picks in five years under head coach Skip Johnson: Horton, Cade Cavalli (22nd overall pick by the Nationals in 2020) and Kyler Murray (ninth overall pick by the Oakland Athletics in 2018).
Horton is OU’s highest draft pick since pitcher Jon Gray went third overall to the Colorado Rockies in 2013. He is Oklahoma’s 11th first-round pick in the regular June draft and OU’s 21st first-round selection overall, including secondary drafts and supplemental round picks. Bennett is the highest left-handed pitcher drafted from Oklahoma since David Purcey went 16th overall in 2004.
Skip Johnson on Cade Horton:
“I’m super excited for Cade,” Johnson said. “He put the work in coming off Tommy John. Our trainer (Luke spitz) and strength coach (Tim Overman) did a great job of getting him back. His work ethic speaks for itself. How many people come back like he did in 15 months, and do what he did? It’s pretty amazing. I’m super excited for him. I think it’s a testament to our development program at the University of Oklahoma. (The Cubs are getting) a front-end starter. He’s going to be a number one, number two or three starter in the big leagues. I think he’s capable of doing that. His mental capacity, his delivery, his swing and miss is incredible. He pitches with his head and his heart, and his athletic ability. I think that’s what sets him apart. His mindset in what he does. He goes out every day and proves that. He works, he’s really humble. He doesn’t have a lot of swagger, he just goes out and takes a workman’s mentality to what he does.”
Skip Johnson on Jake Bennett:
"They’re going to get a professional type of kid that understands what routines are, understands what pitchability is, understands the work that it takes to put in,” Johnson said of Bennett. “He’s like the poster child of our program. Came in as a freshman – body changed, delivery changed, makeup changed, command – everything you can think of from a pitcher, he did well in it. He’s going to be an innings eater in pro ball. He posted up every time, every outing all year long. I think there were maybe one or two guys all year that did that throughout the year. That right there tells you he’s going to eat innings.
Skip Johnson on Peyton Graham:
“He’s got dynamic athleticism,” Johnson said. "There’s nothing that he can’t do on a baseball field. He can run, he can throw, he can hit. He’s got power, he’s got instincts to play the game, instincts to run the bases. He’s got every tool that you can imagine. For him, the ceiling is incredible. (The Tigers are getting) an all-star. A superstar that’s going to play a long time. He loves to compete. He wins every competitive thing we do on the field, whether it’s outfield, pop ups, bunting – he’s going to win all of them because he’s so competitive.”
Redshirt sophomore left-handed pitcher Jake Bennett was selected in the second round (45th overall) by the Washington Nationals and redshirt sophomore shortstop Peyton Graham was taken in the second round (51st overall) by the Detroit Tigers.
This is the first time the Sooners have ever had three players selected in the first two rounds of the MLB Draft. OU has now produced three first-round draft picks in five years under head coach Skip Johnson: Horton, Cade Cavalli (22nd overall pick by the Nationals in 2020) and Kyler Murray (ninth overall pick by the Oakland Athletics in 2018).
Horton is OU’s highest draft pick since pitcher Jon Gray went third overall to the Colorado Rockies in 2013. He is Oklahoma’s 11th first-round pick in the regular June draft and OU’s 21st first-round selection overall, including secondary drafts and supplemental round picks. Bennett is the highest left-handed pitcher drafted from Oklahoma since David Purcey went 16th overall in 2004.
Skip Johnson on Cade Horton:
“I’m super excited for Cade,” Johnson said. “He put the work in coming off Tommy John. Our trainer (Luke spitz) and strength coach (Tim Overman) did a great job of getting him back. His work ethic speaks for itself. How many people come back like he did in 15 months, and do what he did? It’s pretty amazing. I’m super excited for him. I think it’s a testament to our development program at the University of Oklahoma. (The Cubs are getting) a front-end starter. He’s going to be a number one, number two or three starter in the big leagues. I think he’s capable of doing that. His mental capacity, his delivery, his swing and miss is incredible. He pitches with his head and his heart, and his athletic ability. I think that’s what sets him apart. His mindset in what he does. He goes out every day and proves that. He works, he’s really humble. He doesn’t have a lot of swagger, he just goes out and takes a workman’s mentality to what he does.”
Skip Johnson on Jake Bennett:
"They’re going to get a professional type of kid that understands what routines are, understands what pitchability is, understands the work that it takes to put in,” Johnson said of Bennett. “He’s like the poster child of our program. Came in as a freshman – body changed, delivery changed, makeup changed, command – everything you can think of from a pitcher, he did well in it. He’s going to be an innings eater in pro ball. He posted up every time, every outing all year long. I think there were maybe one or two guys all year that did that throughout the year. That right there tells you he’s going to eat innings.
Skip Johnson on Peyton Graham:
“He’s got dynamic athleticism,” Johnson said. "There’s nothing that he can’t do on a baseball field. He can run, he can throw, he can hit. He’s got power, he’s got instincts to play the game, instincts to run the bases. He’s got every tool that you can imagine. For him, the ceiling is incredible. (The Tigers are getting) an all-star. A superstar that’s going to play a long time. He loves to compete. He wins every competitive thing we do on the field, whether it’s outfield, pop ups, bunting – he’s going to win all of them because he’s so competitive.”
