2019 Preseason Top 25 Preview: No. 17 Auburn

Image credit: Will Holland (Photo by Cliff Welch)

Last Year: 43-23 (15-15 SEC); reached super regionals.
Final Ranking: No. 17.
Head Coach (record at school): Butch Thompson (103-82, three years).
Top 100 Draft Prospects: SS Will Holland (No. 18), RHP Davis Daniel (No. 94).

The Good News: Auburn is coming off the program’s best season in 20 years, reaching super regionals for the first time since 1999. The Tigers ultimately fell to Florida on a walk-off, extra-innings home run in the decisive third game in Gainesville, ending their season in dramatic fashion. From that team, Auburn returns shortstop Will Holland, who projects as a first-round pick this June. Also back are the Tigers’ trio of Freshmen All-Americans—righthander Tanner Burns, infielder Edouard Julien and outfielder Stephen Williams. Auburn brought in its third straight Top 25 recruiting class and got a boost when righthander Davis Daniel, who was a draft-eligible sophomore, opted to return to The Plains for his junior season.

The Bad News: The Tigers lost several key pieces from last year’s team, starting with ace Casey Mize, the first overall pick in the 2018 draft. Auburn must also replace five regulars from its lineup and reliable pitchers Calvin Coker and Andrew Mitchell. With those losses, Auburn will need some new players to step up. Some of the answers will come from this year’s recruiting class, highlighted by lefthander Garrett Wade, the Alabama Gatorade Player of the Year, and infielder Ryan Bliss. But Auburn also needs some returners to take a step forward, such as Daniel, who was inconsistent in the rotation last spring but broke out after a move to the bullpen. If he and Burns can lock down the front of the rotation, Auburn will still be formidable on the mound, even without Mize. 

Player To Know: Tanner Burns, RHP.

The highest ranked high school player in the 2017 draft class to make it to college, Burns immediately stepped into Auburn’s rotation and had a Freshman All-American season in 2018. He is coming off a strong summer with USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team and is one of the top prospects in the 2020 draft. With Mize gone, Auburn needs Burns to take on a bigger role and lead its pitching staff for the next two years.

Path To Omaha: Auburn has a high ceiling, but to get there, it’s going to need its young players to show that they can carry the load on their own. Burns, Daniel and righthander Cody Greenhill can anchor the pitching staff, but the Tigers need to find some consistent arms beyond that trio. Offensively, Holland, Julien and Williams form a strong core to build around, but they’ll need some help, especially to set the table. After getting off to fast starts the last couple of years thanks to a healthy slate of home games, Auburn is taking on a more difficult schedule this season. Between that and the turnover, the Tigers are likely to face some early season growing pains. But coach Butch Thompson is sure to get the most out of his team by the postseason and, if it all comes together, Auburn could again be playing deep into June.

2019 Lineup

 

Pos.	Name	Year	AVG	OBP	SLG	HR	RBI	AB
C	Matt Scheffler	Jr. (Transfer — Pierce (Wash.) JC
1B	Conor Davis	Jr.	.268	.371	.360	2	34	164
2B	Ryan Bliss	Fr. (HS — LaGrange, Ga.)
3B	Edouard Julien	So.	.275	.398	.556	17	69	207
SS	Will Holland	Jr.	.313	.406	.530	12	52	249
LF	Everett Lau	Jr. (Transfer — JC of San Mateo (Calif.)
CF	Kason Howell	Fr. (HS — Argyle, Texas)
RF	Stephen Williams	So.	.291	.409	.488	12	51	244
DH	Rankin Woley	Jr. (Transfer — Chattahoochee Valley (Ala.) JC.
	PITCHING	Year	W	L	ERA	IP	SO	SV
RHP	Tanner Burns	So.	7	4	3.01	87	77	0
RHP	Davis Daniel	Jr.	3	4	4.86	67	70	0
LHP	Garrett Wade	Fr. (HS — Hartselle, Ala.)
RP	Cody Greenhill	So.	6	3	2.30	59	55	5
RP	Jack Owen	So.	2	2	5.97	35	35	2