Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboy baseball signs strong crop of Oklahoma talent
December 13, 2005 | Cowboy Baseball
Anderson has announced the signing of three Oklahoma high school players and one of the state's former prep stars to Oklahoma State's 2006 recruiting class. Left handed pitchers Brett Anderson of Stillwater and Chris Armstrong of Owasso inked with the Cowboys and were joined by Westmoore catcher Eric Walker and Cowley County Community College infielder Brad Miller.
“We earmarked some kids, and this is the best group of Oklahoma kids that we've signed in one group,” said Anderson, who is in his third year as Oklahoma State's head coach. “We got two outstanding pitchers — the two top guys in the state — and we feel like we got the sleeper in the state in Eric Walker. And Brad Miller, in our estimation, is the best junior college player in the country.”
Anderson did not have to go far to secure Oklahoma's top high school pitcher. His son, Brett, is a 6-foot-4, 215 pounder and the ace of the Stillwater High staff. Brett is coming off a junior season in which he went 4-1 with a 0.68 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 41 innings. As a sophomore for the Pioneers, Anderson was 9-1 with a 1.37 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 66.1 innings.
Among Anderson's many honors is a spot on the 2004 USA Baseball Youth National team, where he helped pitch Team USA to a silver medal in the '04 Junior Pan American Games. He also pitched on the 2005 USA Junior National Team and was 2-0 for silver-medal winning Team USA at the '05 COPABE “AAA” Pan American Junior Baseball Championships.
Armstrong, a 5-10, 200 pounder, has also compiled an impressive group of statistics during his career at Owasso High. In three seasons, the southpaw is 29-3 with an ERA barely over 2.00. As a junior, Armstrong was 9-2 with a 1.45 ERA and racked up 129 strikeouts in 75 innings. He also recorded two no-hitters in 2005 and batted .444. Adding to Armstrong's accomplishments is a streak from March 2003-April 2005 where he won 26-straight decisions.
In Walker, the Cowboys signed a versatile, 6-3, 195-pound athlete who compiled a .314 batting average to go along with five homers and 32 RBI as a junior at Westmoore High last season. Walker was named to The Oklahoman's 2005 All-State team and was on the Oklahoma Junior Sunbelt roster last summer.
The lone signee from Oklahoma not still in high school is Miller, who played at Latta High in Ada, Okla. before starring at Cowley County (Kan.) Community College in 2005. As a freshman for the Tigers last season, the 6-0, 185-pound Miller batted .379 with eight home runs and 77 RBI. His 77 RBI were just five shy of current Cleveland Indian Travis Hafner's school record and tied him for third at the NJCAA Division I level in 2005. Miller also pitched at Cowley County and was 8-2 with a 2.45 ERA in 68.2 innings.
Following his standout freshman season, Miller was named the Jayhawk Conference Freshman of the Year and was a first-team all-conference pick. He was an honorable mention NJCAA All-American and was drafted in the 39th round of the 2005 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft by Milwaukee.
With each of the four signees, the possibility of being drafted next spring is high, and Anderson and Armstrong are coveted southpaws who are potentially first-round draft choices. But that doesn't deter Oklahoma State's head coach from thinking all four could one day be Cowboys.
“All these kids have a chance to get drafted, and that's something you deal with,” Anderson said. “But if you don't go after those type guys, you never get those guys in your program. It's important to get top shelf guys, and all these guys are winners and have had a lot of success.
“It's an important group to try and solidify the state. We want to try and win the state first, and with this group I think we did.”
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