- Full name Cade Crossland
- Born 02/01/2004 in
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: L / Throws: L
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Drafted in the 4th round (120th overall) by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2025 (signed for $729,500).
View Draft Report
School: Oklahoma Drafted/Committed: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.5
BA Grade: 45/High
Crossland dominated with Weatherford (Texas) JC in 2024 when he struck out 100 batters in 68.1 innings. He transferred to Oklahoma for the 2025 season where he moved right into the team’s starting rotation and posted a 6.32 ERA over 13 starts in 68.1 innings, with a 26.6% strikeout rate and 10.4% walk rate. Listed at 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, Crossland is a solidly filled-out lefthander who has a loose and easy arm action and throws from a three-quarters slot. He sits in the low 90s with a fastball that has a lot of natural armside running life and topped out at 98 mph this spring. It’s not a swing-and-miss heater, but he uses it to set up his standout changeup. Crossland uses his above-average mid-80s changeup heavily against both lefties and righties. Like the fastball, Crossland imparts a lot of armside life on the pitch and generally does a nice job spotting it at the bottom of the zone where he generates whiffs and groundballs. He throws a low-80s breaking ball that blends in shape between a sweeping slider and more of a curveball with depth and typical three-quarters shape. Crossland is a solid strike-thrower.
Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 45 | Curveball: 45 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 50.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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BA Grade/Risk: 45/Average
Adjusted Grade: 35
Track Record: Crossland began his college career at Division II Ouachita Baptist in Arkadelphia, Ark. Following his freshman season he transferred to Weatherford JC in Texas before committing to Oklahoma as a junior. In Crossland’s single season with the Sooners, he struggled at times with the jump to SEC competition but finished third on the team in strikeouts and provided a gutsy seven-inning performance against Nebraska in the Chapel Hill Regional. The Cardinals drafted Crossland in the fourth round in 2025 and signed him for $729,500.
Scouting Report: Crossland is a lefthander with prototype size and power throughout his frame and the ability to repeat his mechanics. He uses a semi-windup with a moderate arm swing and a three-quarters release. He’s a short-strider who doesn’t get down the mound, which boosts the height of his release. Crossland mixes four pitches in a four-seam fastball, curveball, slider and changeup. His primary two pitches are his fastball and a changeup, which accounted for more than 80% of his usage during his single season at Oklahoma. His fastball sits 92-93 mph and touches 98 with above-average ride and heavy armside run. Crossland’s changeup is his best pitch and was his most effective swing-and-miss pitch at Oklahoma. It has a strong combination of vertical and velocity separation off the fastball. Crossland mixes a curveball and slider in the low 80s but struggles to spin the ball consistently. He shows average control.
The Future: Crossland has an opportunity to grow into a back-end starter but is more likely rotation depth.
Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 45 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 50
Draft Prospects
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School: Oklahoma Drafted/Committed: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.5
BA Grade: 45/High
Crossland dominated with Weatherford (Texas) JC in 2024 when he struck out 100 batters in 68.1 innings. He transferred to Oklahoma for the 2025 season where he moved right into the team’s starting rotation and posted a 6.32 ERA over 13 starts in 68.1 innings, with a 26.6% strikeout rate and 10.4% walk rate. Listed at 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, Crossland is a solidly filled-out lefthander who has a loose and easy arm action and throws from a three-quarters slot. He sits in the low 90s with a fastball that has a lot of natural armside running life and topped out at 98 mph this spring. It’s not a swing-and-miss heater, but he uses it to set up his standout changeup. Crossland uses his above-average mid-80s changeup heavily against both lefties and righties. Like the fastball, Crossland imparts a lot of armside life on the pitch and generally does a nice job spotting it at the bottom of the zone where he generates whiffs and groundballs. He throws a low-80s breaking ball that blends in shape between a sweeping slider and more of a curveball with depth and typical three-quarters shape. Crossland is a solid strike-thrower.
Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 45 | Curveball: 45 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 50. -
School: Oklahoma Committed/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.5
BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
Crossland is a 6-foot-1, 204-pound lefthander who struck out 100 batters in 68.1 innings with Weatherford (Texas) JC in 2024 and transferred to Oklahoma for the 2025 season. He has a fastball that sits in the low 90s and was up to 95 mph during the 2024 fall, and could have a plus changeup as his most advanced secondary. Crossland also has an upper-70s curveball in his repertoire, but will need to sharpen that and his control to boost his draft profile.
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School: Weatherford (Texas) JC Commit/Drafted: Oklahoma
Age At Draft: 20.5
Crossland is a 6-foot-2, 195-pound lefthander who is one of a handful of intriguing pitching prospects from Weather (Texas) JC, along with righthander Tanner Wiggins. Crossland has a chance for an average fastball in the low 90s as well as a solid changeup from the left side, though there are questions about his feel and consistency to spin a breaking ball as well as questions about the quality of his strikes. He missed plenty of bats this spring in junior college but his control might push him to the bullpen. Following the spring season Crossland pitched for Hyannis in the Cape Cod League where he struck out six and walked four in his first 5.1 innings. He could be a day three target for clubs but if he isn’t drafted and signed he’s committed to Oklahoma for the 2025 season.
