While all the news in anticipation of Oklahoma's first college football season in the almighty SEC was rolling out of SEC Media Days last week, there was another significant event taking place in a Sooner sport other than football.
Major League Baseball celebrated its annual All-Star break last week, and one of the activities associated with that event was the 60th edition of the MLB First-Year Player Draft. The Sooners were an active participant in this year's MLB Draft with eight players selected, the third most of any college team.
Outfielder John Spikerman was the first OU player taken in this year's MLB Draft, selected in the third round by the Philadelphia Phillies. He was followed on Day 2 of the draft by junior pitcher Braden Davis (5th round to the St. Louis Cardinals), junior pitcher Ryan Lambert (8th round to the New York Mets), senior outfielder Bryce Madron (St. Louis Cardinals), junior pitcher Brendan Girton (New York Mets) and senior infielder Michael Snyder (Miami Marlins) were all taken in the 10th round.
Junior second baseman Jackson Nicklaus (17th round) and junior outfielder Carter Frederick (20th round) were both selected on Day 3.
This year is the 11th time in history that as many as eight Sooners have been selected in the draft.
It marked the second time in three years that at least six Oklahoma players have been selected in the first 10 rounds of the MLB Draft. Eleven Sooners were selected overall in 2022 and 12 OU players in 2015.
Only Mississippi State with 11 players drafted and LSU with 9 had more players selected in the 2024 MLB Draft than the Sooners.
Since the first MLB Draft was held in 1965, a total of 307 Oklahoma Sooners have been selected. A total of 84 former OU players have made it to the major leagues.