Prep Baseball Report

OK Preseason Preview: Mustang


Oklahoma Staff

The Oklahoma high school baseball season kicks off on Feb. 21 for A-B, and March 1 for 2A-6A. Over the next several weeks, leading up to opening day, we’ll be publishing our team previews ahead of the 2022 spring season, touching on programs spanning all state classifications, leading into a countdown through the official PBR Oklahoma Preseason Power 25 Rankings.

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.

Our 2022 preseason coverage continues today. 

Team: Mustang
2021 Record: 25-13
Classification: 6A
Head Coach: Joe Patterson 
Years at the Helm: 2

OUTLOOK

The Mustang program has been on the rise in recent years and Coach Patterson has shown the ability to keep them progressing to the top of 6A.  Last year's squad rolled through the playoffs into the State Championship game where they finished just short of the ultimate goal in extra innings.  After the graduation of some big performers off that team such as Chance Cox and Braeden Jones, Patterson and the Broncos will look for some of their returners that have experience to carry a larger role to help them make another run at a Title.  The good news for the Broncos is they have multiple impact players that played big roles on the Runner-Up team that have shown big jumps in the past year as well as a few potential breakout players that should have them lined up for another big Spring in 2022.  They have very good defenders in the middle of the diamond as well as some arms that stepped up down the stretch that should make them a tough matchup for their opponents all season.

 

Impact PLAYERS

Taber Stokes, 2023, INF

Stokes gained valuable experience manning the short stop position last year as a sophomore and looks to build off an impressive campaign in 2021.  Stokes is widely regarded as one of the steadiest defenders in the middle of the diamond in the State with advanced actions and high baseball IQ.  Offensively Stokes uses his short and compact swing to drive line drives to all fields and can collect hits in bunches with good barrel control.  Look for Stokes to play an even larger role in the offense in 2022 and continue to be a mainstay in anchoring the defense in the middle.

 

Taber Stokes (7/28/21)

 

Graham Hylton, 2023, C

Hylton continues to show big jumps each time we see him perform and he has a chance to be one of the top breakout performers in the 2022 season.  Hylton is a great athlete from behind the plate and shows good catch and throw skills with good arm strength.  The left-handed hitter has great bat speed that creates hard line drive contact and shows good rhythm and feel for the barrel in the zone.  Hylton has seen his stock rise in the past couple of months and look for him to continue to make a splash for Mustang this Spring.

 

Graham Hylton (12/12/21)

 

Kyle Mantooth, 2022, RHP/INF, NOC Enid commit

An appearance in last year's State Championship game doesn't happen without Mantooth's masterful performance on the mound in the Semi-Finals where he worked a complete game and only allowed 4 hits to a very deep Deer Creek lineup.  The NOC Enid commit works a sinking fastball in the mid 80's that finds ways to work off the barrel of hitters consistently and pounds the zone with an attacking mindset.  Mantooth also provides some punch to the lineup hitting in the middle of the order and providing good gap power.  Look for Mantooth to continue to be a steady presence both in the lineup and taking the ball on the mound to help get the Broncos back to another deep run in May.

 

Kyle Mantooth (10/31/21)

 

Garrett Payne, 2022, 1B/3B, Amarillo College commit

Payne spent most of the 2021 season manning the hot corner for the Broncos and they will look for him to continue to provide solid defense on the corners as well as provide a bigger lift in the offense.  The Amarillo College commit uses good leverage at the plate with good strength in the hands at contact that projects for more power in the future.  Payne also will spend some time on the mound where he looks to provide some depth to the staff after splitting some time with a few starts and working out of the bullpen in 2021.

 

Garrett Payne (10/7/20)

 

Caden Hinther, 2022, RHP/OF, Amarillo College commit

Hinther has one of the better right-handed arms in the State with true power stuff potential.  The Amarillo College commit has a chance to be a special arm for the Broncos as he continues to smooth out the delivery and repeat his mechanics.  Currently the fastball works in the upper 80's and it would be no surprise to see him consistently sit in the low 90's in the near future with very good hand speed and a whippy arm action.  A true wildcard for the Broncos, if Hinther can put it all together he has the type of stuff that create nightmares for opposing offenses.

 

Caden Hinther (6/1/21)

 

Carlos Lopez, 2024, LHP/1B

Lopez jumped onto the scene back in October at the OK Fall Prospect Games where he took arguably one of the best rounds of BP that we saw all year and then continued to mash balls during game play.  He has a unique stroke from the left side with excellent body control that consistently found barrels working deep to the pull side.  He also showed the ability to drive the ball the other way with good hand strength and shows the potential to have a true power game at the plate.  Lopez will also hop on the mound and work the fastball in the low 80's with some arm side run and command.  Look for Lopez to be another potential breakout contributor for the Broncos as they look for another run in the Postseason.

 

Carlos Lopez (10/24/21)

PLAYERS TO KEEP AN EYE ON

Nathan Gann, 2024, OF

Maddox Lawson, 2024, INF/RHP

 

Make sure to follow @PBR_Oklahoma on Twitter for the most up-to-date coverage throughout the 2022 season.

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