May 3, 2021
Scott Hood
Staff Writer
The big school regionals are across the state this week and for the first time in nearly two years we have elimination baseball in the spring. After a packed spring of covering high school baseball and many of the top prospects on each team at all levels, PBR takes an in-depth look at each team in every 6A regional. Each team is spotlighted with a look at their team profile and outlook as well as a few of their impact players who have stood out this spring and players to watch as they enter the postseason.
UNION
OVERALL RECORD: 27-10
DISTRICT RECORD: 12-2
Union was able to capture the District title this season in a tough field on the backs of multiple underclassmen performing at a high level.A team without a ton of power, Union is able to scratch runs across with their good team speed and ability to play small ball effectively.What makes them tough is they rarely beat themselves and have shown up in some big games this Spring with some clutch starting pitching down the stretch.
IMPACT PLAYERS
Jadyn McNealy, SS, 2022 – The Junior short stop has provided good on-base skills all season for Union and plays solid defense at shortstop with good actions and arm strength.
Avery Ortiz, 3B, 2023 – The Sophom*ore has the most bat speed on the team and has shown the ability to handle good pitching.Will also be counted to work on the mound out of the bullpen where he has shown a mid 80’s fastball in the past.
TJ King, RHP, 2023 – The Sophom*ore pitcher has been the Ace of the staff all season while really finding himself as of late after getting off to a slow start.When he is on, King works the fastball in the mid 80’s with good life and will show some quality off speed with a ton of competitiveness on the mound.
GUYS TO KEEP AN EYE ON
Canyon Keller, RHP/INF, 2022
Tatum Hayworth, RHP/INF, 2023
SAPULPA CHIEFTAINS
OVERALL RECORD: 19-15
DISTRICT RECORD: 6-8
The Chieftains have had a bit of a streaky season with the wins and losses coming in bunches on both ends.One thing they have going for them is their ability to compete at a high level.They have shown their ability to play up with the higher ranked teams knocking off a few along the way and they play with a tough mindset.Having a younger roster this year, the Chieftains were able to get a lot of their underclassmen up to Varsity speed early on in the season which should pay dividends come playoff time.
IMPACT PLAYERS
Logan Rains, OF/RHP, 2022 – The Junior is one of the more toolsy players we have seen all season.When the raw tools play up, Rains can do damage on both sides of the ball showing game power with the bat as well as working the fastball up into the upper 80’s on the mound.
Jack Blevins, INF/RHP, 2024 - The Freshman has had a really impressive season for the Chieftains on both sides of the ball.The coaching staff trusts him in the middle of the order where his left-handed swing has shown the ability handle good pitching as well as being one of the better competitors in the area on the mound.
GUYS TO KEEP AN EYE ON
Conner Burch, LHP, 2022
Josh Holt, INF, 2021
BARTLESVILLE BRUINS
OVERALL RECORD: 22-12
DISTRICT RECORD: 8-6
The Bruins have put together a very respectable season in 2021 finishing 4thin their District with some big wins along the way.They have to like their chances in a Regional setting with a front-line arm in Jakob Hall and a couple of other options that have shown the ability to compete.Their offense has shown the ability to put up runs by driving in double digit runs in (9) games this season making them a dangerous team come postseason time.
IMPACT PLAYERS
Jakob Hall, SS/RHP, 2021 – The Senior ace and shortstop will be key for the Bruins and their run to a state tournament.With one of the firmer fastballs in the state, Hall has shown the ability to rack up the strike outs in a hurry.He’s also the main cog in the middle of the lineup with a smooth right-handed stroke and plays very solid defense at short.
Preston Berg, RHP, 2022 – The Junior sinker-baller has shown his ability to pound the zone with both his low to mid 80’s fastball, a tight slider in the low 70’s, and a tumbling split changeup with good downward action.Berg likes to work quickly on the mound and can get a lot of weak contact early in counts.
GUYS TO KEEP AN EYE ON
William Parsley, OF/LHP, 2021
Zeb Henry, INF/RHP, 2023
PUTNAM CITY WEST PATRIOTS
OVERALL RECORD: 5-32
DISTRICT RECORD: 0-14
The Patriots have had a tough season in 2021 but they do sport one of the younger rosters in the State with 9 Freshman and Sophom*ores on the Varsity roster.All is not lost however, as the bats have started to come alive in the last week of the season averaging nearly 11 runs a game in their last 5 games and they will look to carry that momentum into this week’s Regional play.
GUYS TO KEEP AN EYE ON
SAM HERNANDEZ, C, 2024
NATE GRESHAM, SS, 2021
NICK ELMHORST, OF, 2024
