PBR OK 2023 SS Breakdown
March 8, 2023
This class of shortstops in Oklahoma might be one of the best collection of middle infielders in one state in the country. Oklahoma currently has five Power 5 committed prospects manning the middle of the diamond for their high school teams with each guy bringing a little something different to the table that separates themselves from the group and each has the type of abilities that should translate to the next level. Playing shortstop at the next level requires the player to not only have a base level of tools, but also an advanced feel for the game. What separates the average shortstop from the elite isn't always the tools the player has, but the consistency of making the routine plays on a game-in game-out basis on top of making the "highlight" type plays look routine. Each team will value a shortstop's offensive value differently depending on the style they like to play with, but premium defending shortstops that can hit in the middle of the order come at a premium. Today we take a deeper dive into this loaded shortstop class with notes and videos on the top shortstops in the State.
THE TOP 5
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Avery Ortiz SS / RHP / Union, OK / 2023The OSU commit has had a steady rise in his game since he jumped onto the scene during his sophomore year. Ortiz arguably has one of the best combinations of speed and power regardless of position or class in the country. He has tested off the charts in the Loden testing as well as any other type of physical test of athleticism that can be administered, but he is not just an elite athlete. Ortiz has a skilled game that strikes fear into opposing pitchers with a high level of barrel control to go along with some of the best raw power in the State. Last year Ortiz launched 17 home runs showing power to all fields and ability to handle high level pitching. Defensively Ortiz has the amount of arm strength and range it takes to remain on the left side of the infield in the future if needed. Ortiz has the type of game that translates well to the next level and has the potential to be an impact bat in Stillwater at an early on his career.
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Jaxon Willits SS / Fort Cobb-Broxton, OK / 2023The OU commit always leaves an impression each time we see him and has shown steady improvements to his game over the past couple of years. Growing up in a baseball household, you can tell Willits has been a student of the game where his feel and high baseball IQ is visible from the bleachers. The switch hitter shows the ability to handle the bat from both sides of the plate with a compact stroke and consistent line drive approach. Willits never seems to chase out of the zone and is one of the best at attacking his pitch in advantage counts and not missing the barrel. Defensively is where Willits has really taken a jump over the past year with the feet moving more freely and showing the ability to make plays on the move. He has great balance in the infield and the required arm strength to make plays deep in the hole. With Willits' feel and ability to handle the little things it takes to win, look for him make his mark at the next level early in his career in Norman.
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Kyler Proctor SS / RHP / Silo, OK / 2023The OSU commit has been a mainstay for Silo throughout his high school career manning the middle of the diamond and in the middle of the lineup. Proctor has explosive hand strength from the right side of the plate with power potential and ball jumping off the barrel. Proctor is able to use his athleticism effectively in the swing with an understanding of how to get the most out of his lower half. Defensively, Proctor has elite range and ability to make the tough plays look easy with smooth footwork and glove action. Proctor has one of the stronger arms in the infield with the throws having elite carry across the diamond giving him the potential to remain on the left side of the infield in the future. He has all the required tools it takes to be an impact player at the next level but it is his intangibles that really makes him stand out. Proctor is one of the more competitive prospects that is easily visible from the sidelines and has proven himself to be a winner.
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Camden Bates SS / 2B / Washington , OK / 2023When you watch the Tennessee commit play you can see why a coach like Tony Vitello would want him on their roster. Bates plays with an un-rivaled amount of energy and bounce to go along with his strong tools and skill set. Offensively, Bates has advanced barrel control with a knack of picking up big hits in big moments. He has strong bat speed and balance that allows him to have an aggressive approach without being out of control. Defensively he shows strong glove action and soft hands. His lateral range plays up at a higher level and his throws show strong carry and accuracy across the diamond. Bates is another proven winner that plays with a ton of confidence and with his ability to line balls all over the yard and defend at a high level, Bates will be an exciting follow over the next couple of years in Knoxville.
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Jax Ryan SS / 2B / Verdigris , OK / 2023Ryan changed commitments back in the Fall and was able to find a landing spot in Tempe to play at Arizona State next year. Ryan has one of the more projectable builds from the shortstops in the class with an athletic build allowing him to hit with natural leverage. Ryan shows strength at contact with power to all fields and a good understanding of how to manipulate the lower half to help match plane. Defensively, Ryan has smooth footwork with routes working around the ball and soft hands and feel for glove action that allow him to make the routine plays easily. His understanding of routes helps him cut the distance on the throws even on plays in the hole to make his arm play up higher. His throws show strong carry to the bag with backspin out of the hand. With Ryan's projectability and his previous experience of handling high level pitching at the plate, Ryan has the type of game that translates well to the next level and will be a fun follow in the following years.
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TOOL BREAKDOWN
When evaluating shortstops at the next level there's a checklist I like to follow in how we project the position for the next level. We take a look at the ten attributes we look for and which prospect grades out the highest.
HIT TOOL - Camden Bates
POWER - Avery Ortiz
PLATE DISCIPLINE - Jaxon Willits
BAT PATH - Jax Ryan
ARM STRENGTH - Kyler Proctor
RANGE - Kyler Proctor
GLOVE ACTION - Jax Ryan
ATHLETICISM - Avery Ortiz
BASEBALL IQ - Jaxon Willits
ENERGY AND BOUNCE - Camden Bates
Although the class is heavily loaded at the top, the shortstop position stretches very deep with multiple prospects manning the middle of the diamond that standout in their own right. These prospects will be high follows over the next couple of years with Power 5 potential in the future.
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DeAngelo Irvin Jr SS / OF / Midwest City, OK / 2023Rankings StateRank: 18 / POS: 6
Irvin Jr has had a decorated career throughout his high school days on both the baseball diamond and on the gridiron on Friday nights. Irvin chose the football route where he recently committed to UNLV but could have easily chosen to play baseball with his athleticism and high skill set. Irvin Jr is one of the fastest players in the state and has shown quick hands at the plate and smooth defensive actions that easily would have translated to the next level.
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Taber Stokes SS / 2B / Mustang , OK / 2023Rankings StateRank: 19 / POS: 7
Stokes currently remains uncommitted and should garner a ton of attention from schools at the next level as a mainstay at shortstop for Mustang for the past couple of years. Stokes is one of the best defenders at the position in the class showing the ability to make all the required plays with strong balance and feel for routes working around the ball. Offensively he has a compact stroke that produces line drives all around the yard and has a ton of experience at the plate.
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Cade Baldridge SS / 2B / Roff, OK / 2023Rankings StateRank: 24 / POS: 8
The Cowley County commit has an advanced feel for hitting from both sides of the plate with quick hands and ball jumping off the barrel. He has an aggressive approach at the plate with the ability to drive the ball from gap to gap turning himself into one of the more feared hitters in the state. Defensively, he moves freely with proper footwork and routes working around the ball with enough arm strength to stay on the left side of the infield in the future. With Baldridge's experience, it wouldn't be surprising to see him make an immediate impact at Cowley and would be a definite follow in the coming years.
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Ty Walls SS / 2B / Jenks, OK / 2023Rankings StateRank: 28 / POS: 9
Walls is another two-sport athlete that has shined both in the Fall on the gridiron as well as in the Spring on the diamond. Walls is one of the top overall athletes in the class with game impacting speed as well as an accomplished hitter that has shown the ability to handle high level pitching. Walls has a big arm from across the diamond and has improved actions defensively that combined with his athleticism provides for big lateral range. With his projectability and potential power from the shortstop position, if Walls does choose baseball as his future he will be a definite follow in the coming years.
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Jackson Lundquist SS / OF / Norman North, OK / 2023Rankings StateRank: 35 / POS: 11
The Paris JC commit is a premium athlete with some of the best footspeed in the state regardless of position or class. Lundquist has been known to run the 60 in under 6.6 in the past and uses his athleticism at the plate to his advantage. Lundquist has strong barrel whip with quick hands that should continue to add power as he continues to add strength to his frame. Lundquist has the actions to remain in the middle of the infield at the next level but could also use his athleticism in the outfield in the future if needed.
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