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University of Oklahoma Athletics
Witherspoon Selected 15th Overall, Three Sooners Chosen on Day One of MLB Draft
July 13, 2025 | Baseball
NORMAN — Junior right-handed pitcher Kyson Witherspoon became OU's second top-15 draft pick in the last four years as the Jacksonville, Fla., product went 15th overall to the Boston Red Sox in the first round of Sunday's MLB Draft.
Witherspoon is OU's 22nd first-rounder in program history and fourth under head coach Skip Johnson.
Oklahoma signee Eli Willits, son of associate head coach Reggie Willits and younger brother of current OU shortstop Jaxon Willits, went No. 1 overall to the Washington Nationals. At 17 years old, Willits became the third-youngest player ever to be selected with the first pick.
Also selected on Day One was junior right-handed pitcher Malachi Witherspoon with the 62nd pick of the second round by the Detriot Tigers and junior catcher Easton Carmichael in the third round with the 82nd pick to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
"It's super exciting for our program," said head coach Skip Johnson after the first day of the draft. "It shows the development piece of our program. We're going to miss all three of them, there's no doubt about that. But that's what we do at OU, you get these guys prepared for Major League Baseball. Sometimes you want them to stay four years but you know they're only going to stay three because they're that good."
OU's three selections in the first three rounds ties for the most draft picks through three rounds in program history, equaling the 2022, 1983 and 1975 teams.
With Kyson Witherspoon's selection at No. 15 overall, Oklahoma has produced four first rounders in the last eight drafts (also Cade Horton by the Chicago Cubs at No. 7 in 2022, Cade Cavalli by the Washington Nationals at No. 22 in 2020 and Kyler Murray by the Oakland Athletics at No. 9 in 2018), all under head coach Skip Johnson. OU has produced 43 draft picks since Johnson's hiring in 2018, including 29 pitchers.
Kyson Witherspoon was OU's highest MLB Draft selection since Horton went seventh overall in 2022, and was the eighth-highest Sooner ever taken in the regular June amateur draft.
A consensus first team All-American, Golden Spikes Award semifinalist and All-SEC First Team honoree, Witherspoon was dominant on the mound as Oklahoma's ace in 2025. The righty ranked first in the SEC and 22nd nationally in ERA (2.65), third in the league and 11th in the country in victories (10) and fifth and sixth in the conference and nation, respectively, with 124 strikeouts. The OU ace held a 10-4 record in 16 starts with a 124-to-23 strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.39) that ranked first in the SEC and 18th nationally. His 1.01 WHIP was good for second in the conference and 21st in the NCAA and his 11.75 strikeouts per nine innings were among the league and nation's leaders.
"We're super proud of Kyson," said head coach Skip Johnson. "Him being a first-round pick shows you the elite work ethic and mental ability that he has. He's a great leader and better person. I'm super excited him going to a great organization in the Boston Red Sox. I think he can get up (to the major league) pretty quick."
K. Witherspoon finished his two-year OU career ranked 18th in program history for career strikeouts with 214. His 10 single-season wins in 2025 ranked 14th in school history and 124 single-season strikeouts was 13th all-time.
Twin brother Malachi Witherspoon went in the second round to the Detroit Tigers, marking the second set of twins to get drafted out of Oklahoma, joining Ryan and Damon Minor (1996). If both Witherspoons make it to the Major League, they would become just the 11th set of twins to play in the bigs and the first set of twins to make it to The Show after being selected in the same year of the draft since the Minor's in 1996.
M. Witherspoon made 36 appearances through two seasons in Norman, moving into a starter role as a junior in 2025 and compiling 91 strikeouts, second on the team only to his brother. An NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team selection this season, Witherspoon finished the year with at least seven strikeouts in six of his last seven starts. As a closer for the Sooners in 2024, he led the team with five saves to go with 29 strikeouts.
"I'm excited for Malachi to go to the Tigers and overjoyed for him and his family on a special night," said Johnson. "He's going to be a great piece for them, he's going to continue to develop. With both the Witherspoon twins, it's just a testament to who they are as men and how they came in and left a mark on our program with how they went about their business."
A three-year starter at catcher for the Sooners, Carmichael became OU's third draft pick of the night with the 82nd pick in the third round to Pittsburgh.
Carmichael, a two-time All-American and first-team selection in 2025, departed Norman ranked in the program top 20 in several categories including career RBIs (7th, 174), home runs (11th, 30), exra-base hits (11th, 80), total bases (11th, 385) and hits (16th, 232). His 17 home runs in 2025 ranked 11th in single-season school history.
"Easton was a leader, a three-year starter and impact bat for us," continued Johnson. "His leadership behind the plate was phenomenal. He's going to continue to get better defensively and was already one of the best defensive catchers in college baseball this past season."
Carmichael had his best season for the Sooners as a junior in 2025, pacing the team in nearly every offensive category including 17 home runs, 62 RBIs and a .329 batting average. The catcher became the first Sooner to claim All-America honors in consecutive seasons since Casey Bookout in 1998-99. Carmichael and Kyson Witherspoon became the first pair of Sooners to collect first team All-America honors in the same season since Jon Gray and Matt Oberste were both first team selections in 2013.
The 2025 MLB Draft concludes Monday with Rounds 4-20 beginning Monday morning at 10:30 a.m. CT on MLB.com.
Season ticket deposits for 2026 Oklahoma Baseball are available now via SoonerSports.com/tickets.
For updates and more information on Oklahoma Baseball, follow the Sooners on X/Twitter and Instagram (@OU_Baseball) and like Oklahoma Baseball on Facebook.
Players Mentioned
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Sunday, June 01
