Riggio Shaves, Signs with Yankees and Oklahoma State Draftees are All Signed

STILLWATER – Josh Holliday knows exactly where he needs help in rebuilding his roster for next baseball season in the Big 12 as the 2023 MLB Draft resulted in all seven of the Oklahoma State players selected signing big league contracts. There was an eighth player as well as Ethan Bosacker of Xavier had announced prior to the MLB Draft he was going to Oklahoma State through the transfer portal, but the Kansas City Royals had another idea selecting him in the 13 round. Add on two undrafted free agents that signed in this season’s most valuable player in catcher Chase Atkinson signing with the St. Louis Cardinals and first baseman David Mendham signed with the Ottawa Titans of the professional independent Frontier League.

The good news for Holliday and the Oklahoma State program is that they did not lose any of their recruiting class to the MLB Draft. That means the Cowboys may be young but that is a talented class of young players coming for the 2023-24 school year. 

Second baseman and an electric player in the Oklahoma State program Roc Riggio came down close to the deadline. Riggio was selected with pick No. 129 that had a slotted value of $506,800. Riggio did better than that according the Jim Callis of MLB.com the Yankees gave him a signing bonus of $693,000. 

We think Riggio is worth it.

The Cowboys that says he know has an “Empire State of Mind” was good from the beginning in Stillwater and this season besides showing a sensational glove, Riggio hit .335 with 17 doubles,3 triples, 18 home runs, and a team high 66 runs scored with 61 RBI. He will look good in Yankees pinstripes.

The top pick of all the Cowboys was inconsistent, but talented pitcher Juaron Watts-Brown. He was selected with pick No. 89 that had a monetary value slotted of $771,500. Watts-Brown signed last week for a cool $1,002,785. The now million-dollar arm pitched a no-hitter for Long Beach State in the 2021 season before transfering to OSU.

Watts-Brown at Oklahoma State had a 5.03 ERA but kept his strike out high averaging 13.9 per nine innings pitched. That gets MLB scouts attention plus he has a plus slider 

Nolan McLean will reportedly remain a two-way player in the minor leagues for the New York Mets. McLean, who had injury issues the past two seasons at Oklahoma State was brilliant when he played, at the plate and on the mound. He opened this past season as the closer and had a nation leading six saves when he suffered a knee injury. He came back and pitched as a started late in the year showing his versatility. 

The 6-4, 214-pound former standout high school quarterback had 34 strike outs in 30 innings pitched and hit 36 home runs, some of those tape measure shots over his three seasons. His draft slot was $747,600, but he signed relatively quick and we still think got more than that value.

Cowboys shortstop Marcus Brown signed early after being selected No. 138 by the Washington Nationals. Brown hit .273 last season with 9 home runs and 36 RBI. He has been a consistent producer over his entire career in Stillwater.  

Other Cowboys signing with MLB teams were Brian Hendry as the pitcher was selected with pick No. 312 by the New York Yankees.

Isaac Stebens is a Stillwater native that came on to be the closer after the injury midseason to Nolan McLean. Stebens was picked No. 478 by the Boston Red Sox.