NORMAN — Practice is one thing.
The College Baseball Showdownat Globe Life Field is another.
Oklahomahead coach Skip Johnson is looking forward to seeing what progress his baseball team has made since going27-28 last season (11-13 Big 12). And while he has had thechance to see his squad in practice leading up to the new campaign, no test for the Sooners is more telling than the one in front of them this weekend.
OU begins its season by facing threePower 5 programs in three days at the Texas Rangers' Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The Soonerswill playAuburn on Friday at 11 a.m. followed by a game against No. 15-ranked Arizona on Saturday (7 p.m.) and a game against Michigan on Sunday (6:30 p.m.).
"We'll see if the things that we talk about day in and day out, the fundamentals, are there and if they stick by them," Johnson said. "It's going to be a fun environment. It's going to be a great opportunity for our team, and it's going to be a good barometer to see where we're at."
Here'sa look at the Sooners' roster entering the season:
'He's a poster boy':Why OU pitcher Jake Bennett is ready for a leadership role this season
Starting pitchers
Jake Bennett, LHP, Redshirt Sophom*ore:Bennett started in 13 of his 16 appearances last season. The 6-foot-6 redshirt sophom*ore from Bixby registered 60 strikeouts on his way to a 4-3 record with a 6.34 ERA. The talent has always been there for Bennett. As a senior in high school, Perfect Game rated him as the top left-handed pitcher in Oklahoma. The Sooners haveexperienced plenty of turnover in the pitching department, but Bennett sits atopthe retooled rotation.
David Sandlin, RHP, Redshirt Sophom*ore:Sandlin is an instant-impact transfer from the JUCO level. The6-foot-4 redshirt sophom*ore went 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA last season at Eastern Oklahoma State College. He struck out 100over 65 innings andtossed one complete game. The Owasso nativeappears ready to compete at the Division I level.
Chazz Martinez, LHP, Redshirt Sophom*ore:Martinez hadties to OU before he transferred from Orange Coast College this past offseason. The brother of former Sooners catcher Renae Martinez, Chazz is now ready to make his mark in Norman. The 6-foot-3 pitcher went 3-1 with a 4.50 ERA and a .189 opponent batting average last season.
Others
Braden Carmichael, LHP, Redshirt Junior:Carmichael brings plenty of experience to the Sooners' pitching rotation. The 5-foot-10 redshirt sophom*ore made a team-high 14 starts last season and had a 6-3 record. Carmichael had68 strikeouts and a5.03 ERA. He'll get opportunities to start again this season.
Javier Ramos, RHP, Redshirt Sophom*ore:Ramos started in five of his 15 game appearances last season and posted a 2-1 record with 19 strikeouts in over 17.2 innings. He's led Vian High School to three straight Oklahoma Class 3A regional titles.
Griffin Miller, RHP, Redshirt Junior:Miller is new to Norman after transferring from Dyersburg State Community College. The 6-foot-4 redshirt junior went 7-1 last season with a 5.53 ERA. He totaled 87 strikeouts in 53.2 innings.
Relief pitchers
Jaret Godman, RHP, Redshirt Junior:With Jason Ruffcorn, Luke Taggart and Wyatt Olds no longer in the mix, OU doesn't have any returners with a recorded save from last season. Godman is expected to be the Sooners' top closer. The 6-foot-1 redshirt junior made 19 relief appearances last season and struck out 31 in 34.2 innings.
Ben Abram, RHP, Redshirt Junior:Aftercoming downfrom Georgetown, Ontario, as the fourth-best prospect in Canada for the Class of 2017, Abram made the Big 12 All-Freshman Team in 2019. The 6-foot-7 pitcherrecorded 13 starts that season, but he has since taken on a relief role. Abram made 13 appearances in 2021, all in relief, and he posted a 6.43 ERA.
Zachery Carrell, LHP, Redshirt Sophom*ore:Carrell served as UC Davis' primary reliever last season. The 6-foot-1 redshirt sophom*ore hada team-high two saves in 2021 and ranked second on the squad with three wins. Carrellarrived in Norman this past offseason with hisyounger brother, Luke Carrell, who is a freshman pitcher.
Catchers
Jimmy Crooks, Redshirt Sophom*ore:Crooks sits atop thedepth chart. The redshirt sophom*ore made 34 of his 53 starts last season at that position.He batted .287 with 39 RBIs, 53 runs scored and 10 home runs.
Hudson Polk, Sophom*ore:Polk made one start at catcher last season and appeared in four games altogether. He hit a two-run homer in that lonestart and finished the seasonwith two hits (.333 average) and three RBIs.
Kade Fletcher, Redshirt Sophom*ore:Fletcher rounds out OU's trio of catchers. He spent last season atParis Junior College, where he hit .250 with four home runs and 30 RBIs. Fletcher could also see some time in the outfield this season.
Infielders
Peyton Graham, Redshirt Sophom*ore:Big things are expected out of Graham. After hitting .288 with 11 home runs and 28 RBIs last season, the leadoff slugger earned a preseason All-Big 12 first team selection. Graham is expected to make amovefrom third base to shortstop this season.
Cade Horton, Redshirt Freshman:Horton joined OU as the second-rated player in Oklahoma by Perfect Game, but he missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. The Norman native is expected to settle in at third base following Graham's move to shortstop, but he might also see some time on the mound. Any pitching opportunities would have to come later in the season as he continues to recover.
Wallace Clark, Freshman:Ranked as the second-best shortstop in the state as a senior in high school, Clark is primed for a strong start to his college career. The Tulsa native batted .439 with five home runs last season at Holland Hall, which helped him earn first-team All-State honors.
MaxMcGwire, Freshman:The son of former MLB star Mark McGwire, Max joins OU with a few accolades of his own. The 6-foot-2 freshman was rated by Perfect Game as the No. 2 first baseman in the nation out of high school. He played in the 2020 Perfect Game All-American Classic, which was held in Oklahoma City. Max should get an opportunity to contribute for OU right away.
Jackson Nicklaus, Freshman:Rated by Perfect Game as the No. 2 third baseman in his home state of Kansas, Nicklaus is another freshman infielder who is expected to see some early playing time. The Overland Park native hit .330 and earned all-conference honors last season while leading Blue Valley High School to a state championship.
Outfielders
Brett Squires, Redshirt Junior:After transferringfrom McLennan College, Squires thrived last season with OU. The 6-foot-3 redshirt junior batted .275 with 28 RBIs and six home runs, which helped him earn an All-Big 12 honorable mention. Squires should be a prominent player for the Sooners again this season. He couldsee some time in the corner infield spots.
Tanner Tredaway, Redshirt Senior:Despite missing the final month of last season with an injury, Tredaway still totaled 38 starts for the Sooners. He batted. 309and racked up 28 RBIs, 28 runs scored and three home runs.
Kendall Pettis, Redshirt Sophom*ore:Speed is the name of the game for Pettis. The 5-foot-11 redshirt sophom*ore tied Graham for a team-high seven stolen bases last season. Pettis batted .277 with four doubles and 12 RBIs.
Sebastian Orduno, Redshirt Sophom*ore:Orduno also knows a thing or two about speed. The 5-foot-10 redshirt sophom*ore batted .325 last season at Golden West College, and he thrived once on base. Ordunoracked up 12 steals in 24 games.
Utility
Diego Muniz, Redshirt Junior:Muniz played most of last season in the outfield. The 5-foot-8 redshirt junior made 27 starts and batted .267. He recorded 17 RBIs and22 runs scored. Muniz boasts72 career starts with the Sooners as he enters his fourth season.
Justin Martinez can be reached at jmartinez@oklahoman.comor @JTheSportsDude on Twitter. Make sure to subscribeto The Oklahomanto stay up to date with all local sports.
