Auburn Baseball Ready for the Season
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Auburn Preview
Auburn, AL- With the conclusion of the big game this past Sunday, we are officially in baseball season. Auburn has a chance to do something great this season as it builds on its previous successes. The Auburn Baseball team is coming off hosting back-to-back regionals for the first time in program history and looks to continue that streak and more. Though the team was disappointed with the results, going 0-2 at home in the regionals; however, the Tigers did have a big haul of transfers getting them the #14 transfer class according to D1Baseball. We will get into the Transfers after we discuss the departures. Some of the key departures are Cole Foster, Bryson Ware, Kason Howell, Tommy Vail, Nate LaRue, and Chase Isbell. Cole Foster was a switch hitting starting short stop who hit .336 with 13 home runs and 13 doubles. Cole was an instrumental component in the road to Omaha in 2022. Bryson Ware was by far the offensive MVP for the Tigers batting .350, with 24 home runs, 11 doubles, and 63 RBI.
Auburn 🆚 EKU
It's all begins 𝗧𝗢𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗢𝗪.
📰 » https://t.co/7szLwevoYS
🎟️ » https://t.co/N0BxsX4vx0#WarEagle pic.twitter.com/pfxMV2mXp0— Auburn Baseball (@AuburnBaseball) February 15, 2024
Bryson was the starting third baseman who batted in the middle of the lineup. Kason Howell was a stalwart roaming centerfield for five years on the plains. He was was a huge factor on defense not as much last year on offense. He did hit .276 with 23 doubles. Nate LaRue emerged as one of the best defensive catchers in division 1 baseball. The major departures on the pitching side Tommy Vail and Chase Isbell. Vail catapulted to the Friday Night started behind a 5-2 record 3.76 ERA and an 81/42 strikeout to walk ratio. Chase Isbell was primarily used out of the pen. He had a 5.94 ERA, a 42/17 strikeout to walk ratio in 33.1 innings pitched. Most of these departures are now in the minor leagues. The transfers are led by Dylan Watts, Cooper Weiss, Deric Fabian, Carson Myers, Javon Hernandez, Mason Maners and Christian Hall. Watts is the No. 2 ranked Transfer player, according to http://D1Baseball.com.
Pen to paper. ✍️
Our 2024 early signing class is officially on board.
📰 » https://t.co/4xiQcCjbcH#WarEagle pic.twitter.com/43ibFnU5VY
— Auburn Baseball (@AuburnBaseball) February 15, 2024
He is a right-handed pitcher out of Tacoma Community College, who sits low to mid 90’s with a slider and a changeup that he has been able to locate. Weiss, Fabian, and Hernandez will all be in some sort of combination in the infield along with returner Caden Green. Each of these guys hit for average and have various levels of power. Weiss, out of Miami (OH), hit .305 with 12 homers and 15 doubles. In the last Saturday scrimmage, Weiss hit leadoff so his 17 stolen bases from a year ago will bode well in that regard. Fabian hit .289 in a limited role at Florida last year. He then hit .352 in the premiere summer league in the Cape Cod League. Javon Hernandez is another leadoff/nine-hole hitter batting .397 and seven homers, with 11 stolen bases. He added 33 walks and did not strike out much. Javon is transferring in from Jacksonville State and may play mostly at second base when he is in the game. Mason Maners out of Jacksonville State and Christian Hall out of UAB are two other position players and solid left-handed bats. Lastly, but not the least is Carson Myers from UAB. Myers is the son of former Auburn pitching coach and current High A pitching coach in the Pirates organization, Matt Myers. He is a lefty, like his father, who had a 3.52 ERA striking out 71 in 71.2 innings pitched. Now we get to the returning production. Ike Irish leads the way moving more to his position of catcher rather than him being plugged in wherever. He hit .361 as a freshman last year with six home runs and 24 doubles. I expect the average to stay up and the doubles to turn into home runs. Cooper McMurray returns as the starting first baseman. Coop hit .272 with 14 home runs and 6 doubles.
Arms for Opening Weekend. 💪#WarEagle pic.twitter.com/B6HSyP0lNm
— Auburn Baseball (@AuburnBaseball) February 14, 2024
Bobby Pierce or Bobby “Barrels” will roam a corner outfield position. Last year Pierce hit .343, five home runs, 10 doubles, and 63 RBI. Predictions on the season. Auburn will play 25 non-conference games with 30 games in the SEC. I believe Auburn will go 19-6 outside the SEC with a 16-14 record in the SEC. This will give an overall record of 35-20. I believe Auburn would end up third in the west and sixth place overall. Auburn has the potential to be very good this year. Butch has a knack for putting lesser talent to win and now he has some of the best overall talent with depth all around. I think this is an Omaha team with at least two wins.
