Tim Hudson Joins Auburn Coaching Staff

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Auburn on Wednesday will hire former All-Star Tim Hudson as its pitching/volunteer assistant coach, according to a source.

Hudson was one of the best players in program history, starring as a two-way player before going on to pitch in the big leagues for 17 years. As a senior at Auburn, he went 15-2, 2.97 with 165 strikeouts in 118.1 innings and hit .396/.430/.670 with 18 home runs.

Now, Hudson will join the coaching staff under head coach Butch Thompson, who was a pitching coach before taking over the program in the fall of 2015. Hudson is the second big leaguer on the Tigers staff, joining hitting coach Gabe Gross.

Hudson last year returned to Auburn to finish his degree, more than 20 years after he left school as a sixth-round pick in the 1997 draft. He spent time around the Tigers during the spring and relished their run to the College World Series. It was the Tigers’ first CWS appearance since 1997, his senior season.

Hudson will have a talented staff to work with, led by righthander Tanner Burns, a projected first-round pick. Burns has sometimes been compared to Hudson, as both are athletic, short righthanders.

Hudson is the latest former All-Star to join college coaching staffs as a volunteer assistant this offseason. Earlier this offseason, Troy Tulowitzki joined the Texas staff and Matt Holiday joined his brother Josh Holiday’s staff at Oklahoma State.

Hudson replaces Steve Smith, who last month left Auburn to become the head coach at Tennessee Tech.