Big 12 Baseball Tournament 2017: Top Players to Watch in Postseason Battle
The Big 12 baseball tournament begins Wednesday in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NCAA title contenders Texas Tech and TCU highlight the eight-team field, but the conference lacks major individual star power.
Only one of Baseball America's top-200 prospects for MLB's upcoming draft will lace up at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. Then again, a minefield of future stars fell to the later rounds, and several intriguing Big 12 talents have shined this season.
Let's highlight three players to watch in the double-elimination tournament. The full bracket is available on Big12Sports.com.
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Evan Skoug, C, TCU
The lone top-200 prospect mentioned above, Evan Skoug is ranked No. 74 overall and fifth among catchers as of May 4's update. A strong tournament showing would cap off a torrid May, further enhancing his draft stock.
Since star slugger Luken Baker suffered a hairline fracture, Skoug has filled the Horned Frogs' power void. Down the stretch, he socked six homers in a seven-game window and 10 with the sample expanded to 18.
"It's the best baseball he's ever played," coach Jim Schlossnagle told Carlos Mendez of Forth Worth Star-Telegram. "He's an All-American right now, that's for sure."
After finishing with a conference-high 16 home runs, the junior can lead TCU to its third Big 12 title in four years. Despite his contributions, the school ranks sixth in slugging percentage (.411) among the tournament's eight teams.
Skoug overcame a slow start to repair his prospect status and fuel TCU's championship hunt. He's now the marquee name to monitor in Oklahoma City.
Morgan Cooper, SP, Texas
Although he missed all of 2015 recuperating from Tommy John surgery, the Washington Nationals selected Morgan Cooper in the 34th round last year. According to MLB.com's Bill Ladson, assistant general manager Kris Kline felt the Texas Longhorns starter warranted the risk.
"I believe he is going to be really good someday," Kline said. "He is more than just a 34th-rounder."
Kline was right. Instead of signing, Cooper stayed in school and registered a Big-12 best 96 strikeouts in 77.1 innings. Only Texas Tech's Steven Gingery (1.82) and TCU's Jared Janczak (2.14) posted a lower ERA than the Texas junior's 2.33.
MLB teams can't wait as long to snag him this year. While Baseball America isn't as impressed, ESPN Insider Keith Law ranked Cooper No. 37 overall. In late January, Hero Sports' Christopher Crawford said the righty "showed top-30 pick stuff," and Cooper has since enjoyed the strong season, which Crawford theorized could yield such a high draft slot.
Texas' pitching staff must carry the No. 6 seed. Its 3.14 ERA comfortably leads the conference, but the offense ranks last in runs scored (280) and batting average (.251).
Garrett McCain, OF, Oklahoma State
Garrett McCain is demanding attention by hitting .395/.496/.560 for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. The athletic outfielder has safely stolen all 19 of his attempts and nearly drawn more walks (28) than strikeouts (30). He's also a human magnet, already hit by 13 pitches this season.
The breakout junior has performed even better within the conference. Against Big 12 opponents, he recorded 36 hits and 13 walks in 22 games.
As showcased by the school's Twitter page, he also covers significant ground in the outfield:
For all his results, however, McCain isn't receiving much draft buzz. There's little hype for a prospect who hit his first collegiate home run this season, and he's not quite a masher now with four.
Nevertheless, the dynamic outfielder could make top-seeded Texas Tech's life difficult on Wednesday. If he keeps reaching base with regularity, McCain may lead the Cowboys to an unlikely run.
Statistics from Big12Sports.com and team websites.
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