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2025 MLB Draft: College Crosscheck- LSU at Oklahoma

April 10, 2025
David Seifert
Director of College Scouting

After a trip to Knoxville in Week Five, a breakdown of the C-USA in Week Six and traveling east to Virginia in Week Seven, it was time to see a heavyweight SEC matchup of LSU vs Oklahoma in Week Eight.

At any given moment in this series the field was loaded with prospects. Potential first round picks, whether for this coming summer or future drafts, were everywhere. In particular, the series opener on Thursday featured two highly regarded pitching prospects for this year’s draft.

Tigers’ ace, Kade Anderson attacked early with his fastball, pumping all heaters to the Sooners’ leadoff man before getting him looking at a painted 93 mph dart on the corner. He then surrendered a pair of singles and a walk to load the bases, but shifted to another gear and struck out the next two Sooners to leave the bases full in a scoreless first inning. It was all “A” game from there as the lefthander continued to deal with a mid-90s fastball that was supplemented by multiple off speed weapons.

The lefthander stepped it up again in the sixth following a leadoff double by striking out the next three, all swinging, to leave the bases loaded and continue his shutout. It was more of the same dominant stuff, command and velocity in the final three innings. Anderson finished his complete game shutout with 135 pitches, 91 for strikes. He allowed just five hits, two walks and struck out 14.

An athlete on the mound, Anderson can really field his position. He works quickly and repeats a polished delivery. He also has tremendous feel for executing the right pitch in the right situation. His fastball sat 92-95 all evening and elevated it with ride more often as the game progressed. He showed three different breaking balls in a plus curve, and two variations of a slider. The curveball can be a freezer with late action and good depth at 77-80 mph. It’s also a high-spinner, buzzing into the 2900s rpm. His slider to same-sided hitters is more slurve-shaped at 85-87, while a more traditional shape to righthanded bats. Both are presently near average pitches with the potential to become at least a grade better in the future. He also threw his changeup early and late in the count. It’s a plus pitch at 82-85 with spin in the 1450-1700 rpm range. He pulled the string to induce numerous empty swings throughout the evening. For the season the pitch sits in the 94th percentile with a 41.4% Z-Whiff rate (Total swing and misses inside the zone / Total swings inside the zone).

Anderson has been steadily moving up draft lists throughout the spring and was recently featured in Rising Southpaws on March 11. For the season he is now 6-0 with a 2.85 ERA. Over 47.1 innings he has walked 12 and struck out 75. In a year where no one has yet to take the mantle as the No. 1 college prospect, Anderson pitched like he wanted to be that guy. He’s a no doubt first-rounder and buoyed by his quick to the big leagues skillset, he could make a run at the top five overall picks.

Sooners’ ace Kyson Witherspoon has also progressed up draft lists since his summer breakout shifted into turbo mode last fall. On this cool April evening in Norman, the athletic righthander sat 96-97 mph and touched 98 with his fastball. He held that velo, still sitting on 6s and 7s in the fifth, and once again during his final inning, the sixth. He did begin missing spots a bit more often, but his velocity never wavered. A pitch where the command remained consistent was his best pitch 86-90 mph cutter/slider. It’s a firm, late-actioned, swing/miss weapon that he repeats for quality strikes. Per Synergy, Witherspoon throws the pitch for strikes 70% of the time and he’ll throw it in any count and in any situation. As good as his slider, his curve plays even better. It can be a banger at 79-81 mph and it misses bats at a 98th percentile Whiff rate of 54.5%. Additionally, his split-changeup doesn’t get enough credit or usage. It’s a slow-spin (1200-1300 rpm), high-velo offering at 88-90 mph with a dominant 99th percentile Z-Whiff rate of 50.0%. Overall, Witherspoon kept the LSU hitters at bay by controlling the count and mixing his arsenal. He finished the evening throwing 100 pitches, 68 for strikes. He allowed just two runs on six hits in six innings with four strikeouts.


On top of his stuff, command and pitching skill, Witherspoon has great mound presence and a durable frame at 6-foot-2, 205 pounds. He shows an easy delivery with compact arm action and hides the ball well. He’s also a high aptitude learner and projects to be a mid-first round pick this July.

Additional LSU Top Prospects:

Jared Jones has matured from slugger to hitter as evidenced by a run-scoring line drive single (97 mph EV) to the opposite field on an outer edge, 2-2 slider by Kyson Witherspoon. His ability to control the strike zone has improved each year and is one of a handful of top prospects to significantly decrease their strikeout rate (25.8% to 16.9%) this season. 2024 first-rounder and current Major Leaguer Cam Smith (Florida State) did it last year, and Jones is showing that it can be done again. His top tool is his raw power. Standing 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds, he has Paul Bunyan strength that he combines with excellent leverage and good bat speed to produce 80-grade raw. His top exit velocity last season was 118 mph and he’s sweet-spotted a 116 mph to date this spring.


A converted catcher, Jones has turned himself into an above average defender at 1B. He moves well, covers some dirt and can field/throw in one motion. Defensively, he had an overall impressive weekend on a cold, wet, turf field. Jones reminds some of Pete Alonso and others of Mark McGwire. He’s also likely to be considered around picks 30-40, which is the range where the Mets have a supplemental pick at No. 38 overall and the A’s at No. 48.

Moving from the thin air of the WAC to the greater challenges of the SEC, Danny Dickinson has had very little trouble adjusting. He’s a well-rounded talent who doesn’t have a real weakness. Over two seasons at Utah Valley he batted .371 and has continued at a similar rate (.345) for the Tigers. He shows good athleticism and an easy swing with good balance. He tracks the ball and produces consistent, hard contact. The righthanded hitter’s max exit velocity last season was 110 mph and he homered 18 times. He’s gone long eight times this spring with a max EV of 109. Against the fastball this season he is slugging .831 which rates in the 98th percentile.

At 6-foot, 200 pounds he runs above average with good base running instincts. He stole 32 bases last season and five to date this spring. Defensively, the Tigers’ second baseman has versatility, able to also play third base and a serviceable shortstop. Dickinson also has a great motor and plays with an edge. He entered last summer as a potential first round pick and has done nothing to change that sentiment.

Righthander Anthony Eyanson epitomizes what scouts are looking for in a pitcher with a loose, quick arm on a 6-foot-2 athletic frame. Against the Sooners he pitched off his curveball early in the contest and filled the zone with a 92-95 mph fastball. The fastball plays below its velocity with a common spin rate (2200s) and it’s produced just a 16.4% Whiff rate this season (43rd percentile). Last summer his curveball was a 12/6 hammer in the upper-70s, but on this look in the Oklahoma chill the pitch had regressed a bit in its depth and bite. However, it was still an effective pitch and did improve as the game progressed. For the season it has a 65th percentile Whiff rate of 34.4%. His harder and more effective breaker is a power slurve at 83-84. It’s a low-spin gyro with 100th percentile Z-Whiff of 44.2%. Eyanson also throws an effective changeup, but it is by far his most seldom used pitch, totalling just 40 (per Synergy) this season. Thrown in the 82-84 mph range, it too, has a 100% Z-Whiff this spring.

Against the Sooners, Eyanson pitched 5.2 strong innings on 107 pitches. He allowed two unearned runs on three hits and struck out eight. For the season Eyanson has posted each and every weekend, making eight starts and pitching 42.2 innings. He has struck out 66 and walked just 15. He profiles as a starter at the next level and should be considered around the middle of the second round.

Game three starter Chase Shores entered the 2025 season as the biggest name on the Tigers’ pitching staff. He’s tall, athletic and has a big arm. Touching 99 mph, he powered the ball to the plate out of a three-quarter slot. It’s an operation with above average effort and one that profiles best to the bullpen at the next level. His fastball has averaged 96.1 mph this spring, but it plays below that velo with just a 12.7% Z-Whiff rate (43rd percentile). His 85-88 mph slider has been his most effective pitch, tallying a 44.9% Whiff (89th percentile) with a smaller-shaped break and spin into the 2600s rpm. As a seldom-used third pitch, Shores will show a firm 86-90 mph changeup with 1600-1950 rpm spin. He’s another LSU prospect with day one talent and will likely be considered mid-day one.

Wofford transfer Zac Cowan pitched the final four innings of Saturday’s game. Mr. Consistency has excelled out of the Tigers’ pen this spring with a best pitch changeup and an effective 89-91 mph sinker. His change-of-pace is plus at 80-81 with hard, at-the-plate fade and deep dive. It’s swing/miss (96th percentile Whiff, 98th percentile Z-Whiff) offering with which Cowan fills the zone – 75% strike rate. Typically, senior relievers who top out at 92-93 mph with their fastballs aren’t selected during day two, but there are always exceptions and Cowan will likely become one this July.

Making quick money behind the plate was senior catcher Luis Hernandez. A transfer from Indiana State, Hernandez spent most of his time at first base for the Sycamores, but has seamlessly transitioned back to his prep position behind the dish for the Tigers. Entering the series he was already one of the top senior position players in this year’s draft, and after handling the elite four-five pitch arsenal of Anderson with ease and raking at the plate (6-for-12, three doubles), Hernandez departed Norman with huge helium in front of the many scouting decision-makers in attendance. He also received the ultimate compliment for a catcher — “I didn’t notice he was back there”. Overall, Hernandez solidified himself as a mid-day two bonus pool saving prospect.


Additional Oklahoma Top Prospects

The Sooners also have a legitimate catching prospect in Easton Carmichael. He’s always been a threat at the plate, and he’s now greatly improved his blocking and receiving abilities behind the plate. He was solid all weekend in every aspect of the game, although his throwing accuracy is still a work-in-progress despite showing average to a tick above arm strength. At the plate he’s a middle of the field hitter with good balance and plate discipline. The righthanded hitter’s top EV this spring is 110 mph, good for 50–grade raw power. Carmichael can expect consideration early during day two.

Malachi Witherspoon pitched well as the game three starter, going six innings on 94 pitches and allowing just one earned run on five hits. He works exclusively out of the stretch and pitches with a smooth, compact arm circle. There’s fair deception as he shows the ball early out of his glove from a high, shoulder level separation. The righthander has similar “stuff” to that of his twin brother, with an upper-90s heater, two distinct breaking balls and an underrated changeup, but, at this point, he lacks the advanced command his brother possesses. Against LSU the control of Malachi’s offspeed exceeded that of his fastball which is inconsistent when compared to his season totals of a 66.4% strike rate on his fastball and 60% or less on his curve, slider and changeup. This reinforces the old scout’s adage that goes something like “the stats tell you what you don’t see”. Witherspoon’s most effective weapon is his 80 mph curve which has an 89th percentile Whiff% of 45.2 while his fastball plays below its velocity with a 18.8% Whiff rate (55th percentile). His circle changeup also got a few outs, as he sells the upper-80s offering well with good arm speed. It’s a pitch he hasn’t used very often this spring (16 total per Synergy), but looks like it could be at least average in the future with its depth and fade.

Witherspoon will be selected and developed based upon a club’s belief in him as a starter, but a more conservative profile will be built around him as a multi-pitch, long-inning reliever. He’s likely to be considered in the same area of the draft as Carmichael.

Cade Crossland got the ball for Friday’s game that was played in windy conditions and temperatures in the low-50s. He took the loss, pitching five innings (99 pitches) and allowing five runs on six hits. He also struck out six. The 6-foot-1 southpaw worked exclusively from the stretch with a closed off setup. This approach, combined with a three-quarter release point, added some angle to his low-90s fastball that was otherwise pretty straight. Crossland also showed a low-80s slider and an 82-84 mph changeup. His slider has been his most effective pitch to date this season with a 93rd percentile Whiff rate of 44.6%, but he’s thrown his cutting changeup more often. It has produced an 86th percentile Whiff rate of 44%, but a low strike percentage of just 55% has held back its effectiveness.


Third baseman Dawson Willis hasn’t had the type of year at the plate that profiles to the top five rounds, but his glove is gold at the hot corner. The athletic 6-foot-4, 185-pounder looks to be more of a natural shortstop who moonlights at third, in deference to Sooner star Jaxon Willits. Willis has average arm strength that plays up due to his quick catch/release. He’s also a plus-plus runner underway and has stolen a dozen bases this spring. The ball was jumping out of Jamie Hitt’s hand as he relieved Witherspoon in the eighth inning of Thursday’s opening game. From a three-quarter release point the lefthander pounded the zone at 91-94, getting the Sooners out of a one out, runner on third base jam. He also generated some swing/miss from a firm running changeup with cutter shape at 88 mph. The fifth year senior has found a niche out of the Sooner pen this season after starting much of his first four seasons in college. He retired all eight hitters that he faced over three shutout innings on just 26 pitches. Senior Dylan Crooks is excelling in his role as closer for the Sooners. The 6-foot righthander faced two hitters in the last inning of game three, retiring both on fly outs. His fastball sat 93-94 to go along with an above average mid-80s slider. Crooks has good deception in his delivery created by his setup on the first base side of the rubber and a shoulder turn that begins his delivery. Hitters pick up the ball late after release which has helped him limit opponents to a .186 batting average this spring. He has eight saves in 14 appearances while posting a 1.35 ERA.