Oklahoma State Professional Pitchers Under Rob Walton

(This article was written by Kyle Alan)

When Josh Holliday hired Rob Walton as pitching coach ahead of the 2013 season, it marked the beginning of a very successful period for Cowboy baseball. The following 12 seasons would see the team make at least an appearance in regional play every year, the construction of one of the nicest collegiate baseball stadiums in America in O’Brate Stadium, and the team’s most recent College World Series appearance in 2016. 

Now that the man known as “The Wizard” has officially retired, it’s only fitting to look back at some of the players who took the mound under his tutelage and went on to become major leaguers.

1. Jason Hursh – The first pitcher drafted under the Holliday/Walton administration. After going 6-5 over 16 starts for the Cowboys in his final season in Stillwater, Hursh was taken in the first round, 31st overall by the Braves in 2013, his contract including a $1.7 million signing bonus. Used in the bullpen, Hursh would make his MLB debut in 2016 for the Braves and make 11 appearances, with one victory between 2016 and 2017.
2. Koda Glover – A reliable arm out of the Cowboy bullpen who saw time as the closer in 2015. He recorded 5 saves and a 2-2 record in 19 appearances before being selected in the eighth round by the Nationals, his contract including a $200,000 signing bonus. Glover moved quickly through the minor leagues and made his debut for Washington in 2016, finishing the season with a 2-0 record. Between 2016-2018 Glover made a total of 63 appearances out of the bullpen, highlighted by nine saves.
3. Thomas Hatch – Hatch was one of 11 total Cowboys drafted following the College World Series appearance in 2016. Hatch was a third-team All-American; one of eight All-American pitchers under Walton and the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year in 2016 after compiling a 9-3 record with four complete games in 19 starts. Hatch was drafted in the 3rd round by the Cubs with a contract that included a $573,000 signing bonus. Hatch made his MLB debut with the Blue Jays in 2020, finishing the season with a 3-1 record. As of the 2025 season, Hatch has appeared in 39 games for both the Blue Jays and Pirates and is currently in the Royals organization.
4.  Jonathan Heasley – Heasley saw 80 innings of work in 2018, making 15 starts with one complete game. His efforts earned him a 13th round selection to the Royals, earning a contract with a $257,000 signing bonus. Heasley would become a major leaguer in 2021, where he made three starts for the Royals, finishing with a 1-1 record. His most recent major league stint came in 2024 with the Orioles, where he appeared in two games.
5. Peyton Battenfield – Battenfield was the first of four Cowboy pitchers to be drafted in 2019, two of whom have appeared on Major League rosters. Battenfield went 4-3 with 5 saves in his final season with the Cowboys, earning him a 9th round pick by the Astros, with a contract that included a $148 thousand signing bonus. Battenfield would be called into MLB action in 2023 with the Cleveland Guardians, where he made six starts and pitched a total of 34.2 innings.
6. Brady Basso – Basso was the second of two Cowboy pitchers in the 2019 draft class to reach the Major Leagues, after being selected in the 16th round by the Athletics and signing a contract that included a $75 thousand signing bonus. In his final season with the Cowboys, Basso had two wins in 5 starts, also recording a save in that time. Basso’s Major League debut came in 2024 with the Athletics in a season where he made four starts for Oakland, as well as three appearances out of the bullpen, finishing with a 1-1 record. Basso is currently on the 60-day IL for the Athletics, though at the time of this writing he has been assigned to single A to begin his rehab from injury.
7. Justin Wrobleski – An 11th round pick by the Dodgers in 2021, Wrobleski signed a contract with a $197,000 signing bonus. Wrobleski went 3-2 in eight starts in his final collegiate season, and very quickly rose through the Dodgers minor league system, playing in both AA Tulsa and AAA Oklahoma City in 2024, before being called up later in the season. Wrobleski made six starts in 2024 for Los Angeles, finishing with a 1-2 record. So far in the 2025 season, Wrobleski has pitched for both Oklahoma City and Los Angeles, making three starts for the Dodgers, and is still listed on the active roster.
8. Victor Mederos – A 6th round pick by the Angels in 2022, signing a contract with a signing bonus of $227,000. Mederos won 4 games in 13 starts in his final season with the Cowboys and had a total of 66 innings of work. Another quick riser through the farm system, Mederos made his MLB debut in 2023 with the Angels, making three appearances out of the bullpen. He made four more appearances in 2024 and one so far this season and is currently at AAA Salt Lake City.

HM – Nolan McLean – McLean was drafted as a two-way player in 2023 by the Mets in the 3rd round, signing a contract with a hefty $747,000 signing bonus attached. While McLean was loved by Cowboy fans for his incredible defense and hitting abilities, his arm was equally as impressive, winning him All-Big 12 honors as an outfielder and a pitcher. Since being drafted, he has transitioned into pitching full-time within the Mets organization and was promoted to AAA earlier this season, where he currently has a 2.71 ERA and has been named the number 69 overall prospect in baseball in the most recent edition of Baseball America. It is widely believed he will be the next Cowboy pitcher to make it to the show.