OK High School Preseason Spotlight: Stillwater
March 3, 2021
The Oklahoma high school baseball season kicks off on March 2nd, opening day for regular season action under Ossaa regulations. Over the next several weeks, leading up to opening day, we’ll be publishing our team previews ahead of the 2021 spring season, touching on programs spanning all state classifications, leading into a countdown through the official PBR Oklahoma Preseason Power 25 Rankings.
Perennially, we’ve submitted a Preseason Questionnaire to high school head coaches across the entire state. Their responses have been flooding in and we’re using the detailed insight they’ve provided in our team-by-team preseason analysis.
If you would like your team covered, please have your head coach email us at [email protected]
Our 2021 preseason coverage continues today.
Team: Stillwater
OSSAA Class: 6A
Head Coach: Jimmy Harris
Returning Starters: 6
Returning Pitchers: 4
TOP PLAYERS
Drew Blake, LHP, 2021, Oklahoma State commit
Headlining this Stillwater pitching staff is Blake, the third ranked prospect in Oklahoma’s senior class and the 165th overall player in the country for the 2021 class, per our national rankings. Standing at a well-proportioned 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame, Blake touched 92 mph this past summer with his fastball at LakePoint, steadily working in the 89-91 mph range throughout that specific outing. His go-to secondary pitch is a curveball at 70-74 mph and he rounds out his arsenal with a changeup that plays at 77-80 mph. A former PBR Future Games participant, Blake is one of the top arms across Oklahoma and Stillwater truly has a chance to win each game he toes the rubber.
Jackson Young, C, 2021, Wichita State commit
Captaining Stillwater’s pitching staff and the rest of this infield, Young is another former Future Gamer on this roster. He’s a strong 6-foot-1, 200-pound backstop with legit catch-and-throw skills from the chute and above-average arm strength to pair. Offensively, Young gives this Stillwater squad versatility on offense at the top of this lineup as he’s a switch-hitter that provides thump from both sides of the plate. We saw Young this past June at our OK Top Prospect - Senior Games event, and here’s his scouting report from that particular day:
“6-foot-1, 200-pound slim frame. During batting practice, the switch hitter displayed an exit velocity of 91 mph, showing his strength and power ability. Started in a balanced stance with a small load, then used a short stride to start his swing. Bat speed was above average, showed level swing plane and high finish. He found a few barrels with some loud contact. Gap to gap approach. While catching, had quick feet and transfers on his throw downs, recording a 1.93-2.10 pop time, best position velocity throwing to second was registered at 77 mph; has sure hands, a fluid exchange and quick feet. Some flexibility and staggered setup.Had an-over-the-top slot with a short arm action. During the event, recorded a 60 time of 7.36”
Brennan Thompson, OF, 2021, Cowley County CC commit
Manning down an outfield spot for Stillwater is Thompson, a 6-foot-2, 175-pound left-handed hitting outfielder that’s ranked 85th overall in the state’s senior class. He’s a valuable piece to this team’s offense, especially because of his left-handed bat.
Zach Roden, RHP/1B, 2021, NOC Enid commit
Pairing with Blake to form a formidable one-two punch at the top of this pitching staff is Roden, a physical 6-foot-4, 200-pound right-hander that brings an imposing physical presence on the hill. He’s ranked 72nd overall in the state’s senior class and rightfully so, especially because of the upside he possesses on the mound. Roden can swing it a bit too and he’ll see time at first base when he’s not pitching.
Jaden Riley, OF, 2021
Linking up with Thompson in the outfield for Stillwater, Riley is a lanky 6-foot-2, 160-pound right-handed hitting athlete with upside levers attached to his frame. He’s an above-average runner, especially for someone of his stature, and swings a short, compact right-handed stroke that could profile as a top-of-the-order type of bat or a stabilizer towards the end of a lineup. Still uncommitted, Riley is going to be a key piece for this team both offensively and defensively.
One of the left-handed hitters in the 2022 class nation wide, Holliday shows a feel for the barrel, pitch recognition, and approach well beyond his years, oh yeah, and some big time pop to all fields. Defensively, Holliday shows high IQ with clean hands and feet and above average arm strength with accuracy.
One of the top prospects in OK's 2024 class, Coil is still developing physically but plays big. The left-handed hitter has plenty of bat speed and does well if velo. Defensively, Coil has sure hands an enough arm strength to stick at 3B or in the OF.
OUTLOOK
STRENGTHS: Several of Stillwater’s returning starters are seniors that have experience and a strong chemistry together, whether it be from their summer teams or just playing together for several years at a competitive level. They also bring plenty of offensive firepower to the table and one of the state’s top all-around pitchers in Blake.
AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT: There aren’t many weaknesses for Stillwater, as they’re one of the top all-around teams in the state. From top to bottom, they are extremely confident in their abilities, internally, to compete with anyone in the state.
Make sure to follow @PBR_Oklahoma on Twitter for the most up-to-date coverage throughout the 2021 season.