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After hitting a speed bump to begin his first season at the University of Oklahoma, the way left-hander Cade Crossland punctuated his year for the Sooners provided a glimpse of how effective scouts believe the 21-year-old can be.

Hampered by a back muscle he strained during fall practice, Crossland twirled a season-high seven innings, allowed one run, which was unearned, and struck out nine batters in an NCAA regional win over Nebraska that kept the Sooners’ season alive. The strong outing capped a junior season for Crossland during which he held a 6.32 ERA and struck out 84 batters in 68 1/3 innings. The strong start in a pivotal game highlights some of the intrigue that made him a fourth-round pick by the Cardinals in this year’s MLB draft.

A member of Oklahoma’s starting rotation in 2025 following a standout season with Weatherford (Texas) Junior College in 2024, Crossland was picked by the Cardinals on Monday with the 120th overall pick in the draft. The 21-year-old was one of 17 draft picks made by the Cardinals on the second and final day of this year’s first-year player draft.

The Cardinals finished off the draft by taking outfielder Cameron Nickens (17th round), pitchers Dylan Driessen (18th round) and Liam Best (19th round), and O’Fallon, Missouri native catcher Chase Heath with their 20th round pick.

Crossland was the first pitcher taken by the Cardinals in Rounds 4-20 after they kicked off the draft by using their first-round pick (fifth overall) to take left-hander Liam Doyle out of Tennessee and the right-hander Tanner Franklin, also out of Tennessee, 72nd overall on Sunday during Day 1.

During Day 2, the Cardinals right-handers drafted included Ethan Young (fifth round), Payton Graham (seventh round), Ty Van Dyke (10th round), Kaden Echeman (12th round), Jake Shelagowski (13th round), Anthony Watts (14th round) and Alex Breckheimer (16th round).

University of Hawaii outfielder Matthew Miura (sixth round, 180th overall) was the first position player the Cardinals selected on Day 2. The Cardinals also took shortstop Ryan Weingartner (eighth round), third baseman Michael Dattalo (ninth round), shortstops Jalin Flores (11th round) and Trevor Haskins (15th round).

While with Oklahoma, the 6-foot-1, 205-pound Crossland flashed a fastball that hovered in the lower 90s and peaked at 98 mph, per Baseball America’s scouting report of the lefty. Though he did not generate as much swing-and-miss with the fastball, he often used it to set up a change-up that is seen as his strongest secondary pitch.

Crossland’s change-up, which was graded a 60 on Baseball America’s scale of 20-80, is viewed as an above average pitch. It sits in the lower 80s and proved to be weapon against both lefties and righties. His ability to locate it at the bottom of the strike zone got swings and misses and ground balls against hitters in the SEC.

The change-up helped Crossland strike out 26.6% of the batters he faced this past season. His overall control, which was graded a 50 by Baseball America and seen as improved since his troubling freshman season at Division II Ouachita Baptist University in 2023, kept his walk rate to 10.4% over his 16 games (13 starts).

Crossland was one of two right-handed pitchers the Cardinals drafted on Day 2 that was hampered by an injury in 2025.

Graham, the club’s seventh round pick from Gonzaga University, had his junior year limited to one start before needing season-ending Tommy John surgery. Graham, 21, pitched primarily out of the bullpen during his first two seasons for the Bulldogs where he flashed a fastball that reached 98 mph, a cutter that gets up to 90 mph and a slider in the lower 80s, per Baseball America.

Graham, who ranked as Baseball America’s No. 75 draft prospect earlier this year, struck out seven batters in five innings during his lone outing this past season. Coming into the year, he totaled 67 strikeouts in 60 1/3 innings between his freshman and sophomore season and posted a 1.99 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 22 2/3 innings as a starter in the Northwoods collegiate summer league last year.

Although he possesses five pitches that include a curveball and a change-up, scouts believe the 6-foot-2, 220-pound right-hander could gain more consistency if he shortens his repertoire as his below-average strike-throwing has led to a 13.6% career walk rate.

Miura, the Cardinals’ first position player drafted on Day 2, played primarily center field for Hawaii, where his strong bat-to-ball skills led him to a team highs in batting average (.338) and hits (72). The 21-year-old right-handed hitter’s discipline aided him to a Big West-leading 46 walks, giving him seven more walks than the next-closest player in his conference. His 20 strikeouts kept him to a strikeout-to-walk ratio that ranked 13th in the nation. He was charged with two errors in 255 chances in the field.