Oklahoma Class of 2022 Initial Rankings

Though their first high school season is still three months away, with the introduction of the new Junior Future Games event last summer and a strong turnout by the freshman at fall events this year, some of the best young talent is emerging faster than ever in Oklahoma. The class features some already physically developed prospects joined by players with projectable talent. The young 2022’s will have a chance to make an impact on the spring season before showing their talents on the summer’s national stage. Many of the class’s early top prospects will be suiting up for smaller school teams this spring and could be playing big roles. After close evaluations throughout the fall and early winter period, the initial PBR Oklahoma Top 50 in the 2022 class is featured below:

Leading the way early on in this young class is physically advanced SS/RHP Caden Powell (Clinton HS). An impressively strong 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame, the right-handed hitter already shows one of the top exit velos in the state, 95 mph, with enough barrel control to turn it in to elite level production. Powell had multiple extra base hits in this year’s Junior Future Game including a line drive home run against team Arkansas. After the Junior Future Games, Powell committed to Oklahoma. Defensively, Powell will likely have to move to third base as he continues to develop with size and strength, but will likely have the hands and arm strength to stay there. Though more currently advanced with the bat, Powell’s size and arm strength serves him well on the mound as well. Powell was able to command the stirike zone in a pressure situation at 82-84 mph.

Filling the second spot in the initial rankings is another physically advanced prospect, C/RHP Reese Ratchford (Sulphur HS). The muscular 6-foot, 180-pound quick twitch athlete is listed as a catcher first due to elite 1.94-2.20 pop times, but is just as capable at any other position on the field. Offensively, the right handed hitter has bat speed and pop to all fields with some lift, hitting multiple balls out during his round of BP at the Junior Future Games Trials. On the mound, Ratchford sits 83-86 mph with the fastball backed up by a sharp slider in the low 70s and a fading changeup. Hit and miss with his command at times, Ratchford has shown the ability to find his rhythm and over-match very good teams on the mound.

Another recent Oklahoma commit rounds out the top three spots. RHP/OF Bauer Brittian (Shawnee HS) currently shines brightest on the mound where he shows a three pitch mix, featuring a fastball that sat 84-86 mph at this year’s Junior Future Games and has been reported up to 87 at times this fall. Brittian also mixes an advanced slider and a solid changeup, and throws all three pitches for strikes consistently. Brittian’s strong arm and lean and athletic 5-foot-11, 150-pound frame also allows him to stand out defensively, especially in the outfield where he has a knack for making web-gem type catches and produces accurate and strong throws at 88 mph.