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OSSAA Team Preview: Blanchard Lions

February 29, 2024
Scott Hood and Max Fisher
Oklahoma Staff

Team: Blanchard Lions
2023 Record: 31-6
Classification: 4A
Head Coach: Josh Raney

Outlook:

Coach Raney’s Lions have built up quite the reputation over the past couple of seasons with a state title in 2022 and just missing out on a repeat in 2023 dropping a nail-biter in the championship game 4-3.  The good news for the Lions is that they return almost their entire roster off of last year’s squad and will look to build off that experience heading into 2024.  The one thing that comes to mind when you watch a Blanchard baseball game is how mentally tough they always are.  They come into each game battle tested and always seem to live up to the moment in big games.  The roster is full of strike throwers on the mound and a strong group of athletic position players that have proven themselves at the varsity level.  Look for Blanchard to once again be amongst the favorites in 4A again in 2024 as they have the type of roster that can compete with anyone in the state.

Impact Players:

Kaden Felan, 2024, RHP/OF, Crowder JC commit

Felan is an athletic right-hander with a quick arm that has produced fastballs into the upper 80’s in the past.  He pairs the fastball with a tight mid 70’s slider and feel for a fading change up in the low 70’s.  Working as a district starter in 2023, Felan will once again be one of the more trusted arms on the staff and will look to carry an even bigger load in 2024.

Jaxson Heard, 2025, OF/RHP, Uncommitted



Heard will begin his junior campaign after being an everyday player for the Lions in his previous first two seasons.  Heard brings a strong 2-way presence to the roster working a hard cutting fastball in the mid 80’s and feel for shaping the slider to chase barrels.  In our looks at him in the past, Heard has shown the ability to work the ball in the zone when needed as well as get the chase pitch to put hitters away.  Offensively, he shows some strength at contact with strong gap power and will be relied upon to be a heavier contributor with the bat in 2024.

Brayson Carter, 2025, OF, Uncommitted

Carter has been a mainstay at the top of the order for the Lions the past two seasons and will look to continue to be a table-setter in 2024.  Carter has electric speed that plays up on the basepaths and in the outfield.  He is a true plus defender in the outfield with advanced range and ball tracking skills.  Offensively he uses his short and compact stroke to work line drives from foul pole to foul pole and has a knack for getting on base.  When Carter is finding himself on the basepaths, he puts a ton of pressure on opposing defenses and creates a ton of scoring opportunities.

Carson Howe, 2024, MIF, Murray State JC commit

Howe returns to his spot in the middle of the infield for the Lions in 2024 as one of the more physical shortstops in the 2024 class.  Howe has advanced strength at contact showing present gap power and potential raw power in the future.  Defensively, he moves well laterally and shows strong glove action and soft hands.  Howe will continue to be a key cog in the middle of the order for the Lions and should have plenty of opportunities to drive in runs.

Aiden Kilgore, 2024, OF/LHP, NOC Enid commit

Kilgore will once again man a corner outfield spot for the Lions in 2024 as a rangy defender with a knack for making plus plays.  Offensively, the left-handed hitter has a naturally smooth stroke with a line drive approach.  He has shown strong bat to ball skills in the past with an approach to work himself on base.  Kilgore still has plenty of room to keep adding strength and should be an intriguing follow in a couple of years after his time in Enid is done.



Hudson Periman, 2025, 1B/OF/RHP, Uncommitted

Periman burst onto the scene last year as a 2-way prospect in the 2025 class.  Periman shows strong bat speed and hand strength to work extra bases from the right side and was a key contributor to the offense in 2023.  On the mound, Periman has high potential coming from his 6-foot-5 and 190 pound frame where he was working fastballs in the mid to upper 80’s while still developing the breaking ball.  Periman gained valuable experience last season and is just beginning to tap into his potential.



Vaughan McIntyre, 2025, C, Uncommitted

A newcomer to the Lion locker room, McIntyre brings a strong defensive presence from behind the dish with excellent catch and throw skills and a feel for catching high-end pitching.  He understands pitch framing as well as blocking balls in the dirt with quick hips and flexibility.  Offensively, he continues to progress each time we see him with a smooth stroke from the left-side and a controlled barrel.  McIntyre was a strong addition to the roster as he can sure up the defense from behind the plate and provide another left-handed bat with experience.

Players To Watch:

Gage Ellison, 2025, 1B/RHP, Uncommitted

Coric Pierce, 2025, INF, Uncommitted

Kobe Madron, 2025, INF, Uncommitted

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