Trio of Oklahoma State Baseball Stars Set for Potential Selection in MLB Draft

The Oklahoma State Cowboys baseball team could have at least three players selected in the MLB draft that starts on Saturday.

Oklahoma State Cowboys logo. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Oklahoma State Cowboys are used to sending players to Major League Baseball. This year is no different.

The 2026 MLB draft will begin on Saturday as part of a two-day, 20-round draft that will be held around All-Star weekend activities in Philadelphia. The first four rounds of the draft will be on Saturday, and the rest of the draft will be on Sunday.

Based on prospect rankings, at least three Cowboys could be selected over the two-day draft, with outfielder Kollin Ritchie the most likely player to be taken ahead of the rest.

Oklahoma State’s Potential MLB Selections

Oklahoma State Cowboys infielder Kollin Ritchie. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Ritchie has been ranked just outside the Top 100 by most draft rankings, which means he could be selected as early as the fourth round. He’s one of the top collegiate power hitters in the draft. He’s also a draft-eligible junior, which means he has the option to return to Oklahoma State for another season. Before he started college, he was selected in the 19th round of the 2023 MLB Draft by the Baltimore Orioles.

He had one of the best powers seasons in OSU history, as his 31 home runs led the team and put him second all-time in a single season behind Pete Incaviglia. He batted .326 and drove in 75 runs. He helped fuel Oklahoma State’s offense, which hit the second-most home runs of any team in college baseball behind only Georgia.

Another outfield, Alex Conover, is another draft-eligible junior who could be selected and has the option to return. Conover is ranked inside the Top 200 in most draft rankings, which means he could be taken in rounds six through eight.

He led the Cowboys in batting average last season at .357. He also slammed 14 home runs and drove in 37 RBI as his offensive numbers took a big jump from 2025. His batting average went up by nearly 100 points. Before he came to OSU, he played a year at Cowley (Okla.) Junior College.

Pitcher Hudson Barrett, a left-hander, is on the borderline of being selected in the Top 10 rounds, as some ranking services put him just outside the Top 300. That’s an important line for draft picks, as the Top 10 rounds have slot bonuses while the remaining 10 rounds only require teams to offer a minimum bonus.

Last year he went 6-1 with a 2.58 ERA in 13 games, including nine starts, as he struck out 64 and walked 15 in 45.1 innings. Being a left-hander, that could boost his stock with scouts. That was after arm surgery curtailed his 2024 and 2025 seasons.