Oklahoma
Detroit Tigers select RHP Malachi Witherspoon with No. 62 pick in 2025 MLB Draft
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The Detroit Tigers selected Malachi Witherspoon, a right-handed pitcher from the University of Oklahoma on Sunday, July 13, in the second round of the 2025 MLB Draft, with the No. 62 overall pick.
Witherspoon had a difficult path to the MLB draft. Raised by a single mother, Meg, with two other siblings, he and his twin brother, Kyson, have forged a path in baseball after playing hockey and gymnastics. Kyson was drafted No. 15 overall by the Boston Red Sox.
Malachi was the more touted prospect as the brothers began college at Oklahoma, and even received an over-slot offer following the 2022 draft, in which he was a 12th-round pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks. But with the Sooners, Kyson, undrafted in 2022, moved up the draft boards.
The 6-foot-3, 211-pound Malachi Witherspoon features a fastball peaking at 99 mph. But he struggled with control in the zone, according to scouts. His fastball in particular was well-hit at Oklahoma, suggesting he may need to remake its shape entirely to succeed in the big leagues. When he throws pitches such as his curveball with depth, he tends to have more success.
Witherspoon was the No. 121 prospect in this year’s draft, according to MLB Pipeline. The 20-year-old is the third second-round pick selected by Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris. In 2023, Harris selected second baseman Max Anderson at No. 45 overall from Nebraska. In 2024, he selected pitcher Owen Hall at No. 49 overall from Edmond North High School in Oklahoma.
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The Tigers earlier Sunday picked Jordan Yost, a shortstop from Sickles High School, Florida, with the No. 24 overall pick in the first round. The Tigers selected another high schooler in power-hitting catcher Michael Oliveto, with their second pick at No. 34 overall in the Competitive Balance Round A. They wrapped up Day 1 of the draft by selecting Arizona State left-hander Ben Jacobs in the third round, at No. 98 overall.
The No. 62 pick comes with a recommended bonus slot value of $1,451,200, though teams can exceed that to sign picks as long as they do not exceed their total bonus pool. If the Tigers sign the No. 62 pick for less than slot, those savings can be applied to other picks in the draft. The Tigers have $10,990,800 to spend on their 21 draft picks this year, the 17th-most in baseball. Teams are allowed to exceed the allotment for picks by 5% before paying a 75% fine on the overage. No MLB team has exceeded the 5% limit since the slots were created.
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Day 1 of the draft features the first three rounds, with Day 2 on Monday, July 14, featuring Rounds 4-20, beginning at 11:30 a.m. on MLB.com. The Tigers have 21 picks in total.
NORMAN — Oklahoma softball’s transfer portal activity may have been fairly slow developing.
But now, as the portal window nears its end, the Sooners have started having success.
Oklahoma added outfielder Adi Hansen, a standout at the College of Southern Idaho for the last two seasons on Thursday.
Hansen’s announcement, made on Instagram, followed shortly after Middle Tennessee outfielder Macie Harter announced her commitment to the Sooners.
Hansen led the Golden Eagles with a .457 batting average in 186 at bats in 2026, with an eye-popping 82 runs scored and a school-record 62 stolen bases on 67 attempts.
Hansen had 17 games with two or more stolen bases this season and twice had four stolen bases in a game.
Hansen had four triples and 21 RBIs, drawing 23 walks.
She earned NJCAA first-team All-America honors, helping her team finish 43-13 with a NJCAA Division I Juco World Series appearance.
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In 2025, as a freshman, Hansen hit .401 with 36 stolen bases and 62 ruyns scored.
Hansen is a Logan, Utah, product.
Hansen and Harter join a group of outfielders that includes Kai Minor in centerfield and Ella Parker in right field.
The Sooners lost Abby Dayton to graduation and Kasidi Pickering to transfer after the season. Pickering will reportedly transfer to Texas Tech.
Oklahoma finished 52-10 last season, missing the Women’s College World Series for the first time since 2015 after falling to Mississippi State in three games in the Norman Super Regional.
The Sooners have a strong incoming recruiting class and return a trio of pitchers — Audrey Lowry, Miali Guachino and Allyssa Parker — as well as experienced hitters Kendall Wells, Gabbie Garcia, Nelly McEnroe-Marinas plus Minor and Ella Parker.
In addition to the departures of Dayton and Pickering, the Sooners also lost pitchers Sydney Berzon and Kierston Deal, first baseman Isabela Emerling, and second baseman Ailana Agbayani to graduation. Outfielder Tia Milloy, pitcher Berkley Zache and utility player Riley Zache also entered the transfer portal.
Oklahoma’s incoming class includes Edmond Santa Fe pitcher Keegan Baker, Lakewood, Calif., infielder Ki’ele Ho-Ching, Mililani, Hawaii, infielder Ori Mailo, Fullerton, Calif., pitcher Malaya Majam-Finch, Katy, Texas, pitcher EK Smith, and Mesa, Ariz., outfilder Payton Westra.
Mailo was with the Sooners this season, redshirting after joining the program a year early.
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OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — Oklahoma City police are investigating an early morning shooting that left one man injured in northeast Oklahoma City.
Around 3 a.m. on Thursday, emergency crews were called to a reported shooting near Kelley and Wilshire Blvd.
Investigators say the shooting occurred between a couple inside the home, adding that the woman shot the man.
However, police say they are trying to determine if the shooting was accidental.
The victim was rushed to the hospital for treatment.
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The woman has been taken into custody for questioning, but it is unknown if she will face charges just yet.
Oklahoma is just three outs away from steamrolling through the right side of the bracket and knocking out Georgia to reach the championship finals.
To prepare, let’s take a look at what arms we should expect for the Sooners just like we did for the North Carolina earlier.
The Sooners have leaned heavily on their freshmen pitching trio in Cord Rager, Xander Mercurius and Nick Wesloski throughout Omaha. The first two went at least seven innings, while Wesloski tossed 5.2 innings on Wednesday. Even though they used relievers LJ Mercurius and Jackson Cleveland in the first two games, neither pitched more than two innings nor allowed a run.
If LJ, who entered for Wesloski on Wednesday, finishes the game, he will have gone 3.1 innings.
That sets up Oklahoma very well to matchup with UNC, which went 3-0 and also hasn’t used many arms up to this point.
If OU does win, expect Rager, Xander Mercurius and Cleveland to be ready to go. Rager, who hasn’t pitched since their first round game against Alabama on Saturday, June 13, would have a full week of rest.
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