Prospect Report: Mason Auer Shows Array Of Skills
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Mason Auer‘s road to the Rays has been anything but linear.
The 21-year-old speedster was a two-way prospect out of high school, and was thought of more as a pitcher than a hitter. That changed once he matriculated to college, first at Missouri State—where he spent the fraction of a season before the pandemic hit—and then a year later at San Jacinto (Texas) JC, where he posted a 1.152 OPS with 11 doubles, 11 homers and 34 stolen bases in 37 tries.
After a stint with Frederick of the MLB Draft League, Auer was set to transfer to Oregon for his 2022 season, but the Rays popped him in the fifth round of the 2021 draft and immediately began reaping the benefits of a player with the beginnings of a dynamic power-speed combination.
The native Missourian is part of the Rays’ contingent in the Arizona Fall League, and on Wednesday he was part of Mesa’s offensive onslaught against Salt River. In the win, which came by a 19-8 score, Auer went 3-for-6 with two stolen bases and finished a home run short of the cycle.
The teams decided to cut the game short after eight innings, which cost Auer—who was slated to lead off the ninth for the Rafters—a chance to complete the feat.
“I thought about it,” Auer said, “but it was a long game.”
Auer’s hot start in the AFL is a continuation of a fantastic first full season as a pro. Between both Class A levels, he finished with an .859 OPS that was fueled by 21 doubles, 12 triples (tied for the minor league lead) and 15 home runs. He also swiped 48 bases in 55 attempts while helping both of his clubs win their league championship.
Auer has utilized plenty of video to identify and correct some of the flaws in his game. Specifically, he’s noticed that he’ll sometimes lunge during his swing, which leaves him off-balance and prone to making poor swing decisions.
To correct those tendencies, Auer has tried a variety of remedies. He’s swung a shorter bat, swung a fungo bat, swung with one hand and tested himself against specialized pitching machines.
The improvement process, of course, will continue not only through the Fall League, but into next year, when Auer is likely to get his first test at the highest levels of the minor leagues.
To prepare, he’ll continue getting as many reps as possible against as many different types of pitching as he can.
“I really focused on hitting a lot of offspeed stuff this offseason and really trying to hone in on that and try to see it better,” he said. “The more you see pitching, the better you’re going to be, so just seeing as much pitching as I can.”
Luis Matos, OF, Giants: San Francisco’s highest-ranked prospect in the AFL continued his blazing start by homering in his second straight game. With the blast, he joins Addison Barger (Blue Jays) and Jordan Lawlar (D-backs) as the only AFL players with multiple home runs.
Addison Barger, SS, Blue Jays: Barger got love from managers in the Northwest League this past season for his powerful throwing arm. On Wednesday, he showed plenty of power at the plate. The 22-year-old sixth-rounder from the 2018 draft clubbed a pair of no-doubters which accounted for half of Salt River’s hits in the team’s loss to Mesa. Barger’s breakout 2022 campaign saw him shoot from High-A to Triple-A while hitting 33 doubles, 26 home runs and producing a .933 OPS.
Jeferson Quero, C, Brewers: Though he went 0-for-4, Quero opened plenty of eyes with his defensive work. The 20-year-old backstop used a strong, powerful arm to catch three runners stealing. Each throw was on the money, including an especially excellent peg to third base that led teammate Moises Castillo‘s tag right onto Nick Gonzales‘ thigh.
| ORG | CLASS | PLAYER | AB | R | H | RBI | AVG | NOTES |
| WIN | Brandon McIlwain, OF | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0.400 | 2B (1), | |
| WIN | Connor Kokx, OF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.250 | ||
| WIN | Jackson Merrill, SS | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.273 | BB (3), E (2), | |
| WIN | Robert Hassell, CF | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.167 | ||
| WIN | David Fry, C | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.333 | HR (1), BB (1), | |
| WIN | Angel Martinez, IF | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.250 | SB (1), | |
| WIN | Luke Ritter, 2B | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | ||
| WIN | Kevin Kendall, SS | 6 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0.444 | ||
| WIN | Justyn-Henry Malloy, 1B | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.333 | 2B (1), BB (4), | |
| WIN | Nick Yorke, IF | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0.300 | BB (4), | |
| WIN | Logan Wyatt, 1B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.286 | ||
| WIN | Wilyer Abreu, RF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | BB (3), | |
| WIN | Heston Kjerstad, OF | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0.400 | 2B (2), | |
| WIN | Adrian Sugastey, C | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0.400 | 2B (1), | |
| WIN | Kyren Paris, SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | ||
| WIN | Luis Matos, OF | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0.357 | 2B (1), HR (2), | |
| WIN | Werner Blakely, SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.167 | BB (2), | |
| WIN | Lawrence Butler, 1B | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0.500 | 2B (2), HR (1), BB (1), | |
| WIN | Mason Auer, OF | 6 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0.364 | 2B (1), 3B (1), 2 SB (2), | |
| WIN | Ronny Simon, 2B | 6 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0.500 | ||
| WIN | Brennen Davis, CF | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0.222 | 2B (1), 2 BB (2), SB (1), | |
| WIN | Blake Hunt, C | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.250 | ||
| WIN | Jose Salas, SS | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.125 | BB (1), E (2), | |
| WIN | T.J. Rumfield, 3B | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0.375 | BB (2), | |
| WIN | Victor Mesa, CF | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0.111 | HR (1), BB (1), | |
| WIN | Joe Mack, C | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0.400 | BB (3), | |
| WIN | Tyler Hardman, 1B | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 0.462 | HR (1), BB (1), E (1), | |
| WIN | Gage Workman, SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | BB (1), | |
| WIN | Jordan Walker, 3B | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0.250 | 2 BB (3), CS (1), E (1), | |
| WIN | Warming Bernabel, SS | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.100 | ||
| WIN | Braxton Fulford, C | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | E (1), | |
| WIN | Mike Antico, LF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | ||
| WIN | Deyvison De Los Santos, 3B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 2 BB (2), | |
| WIN | Addison Barger, SS | 3 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 0.375 | 2 HR (2), BB (1), E (1), | |
| WIN | Parker Meadows, CF | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.214 | BB (1), SB (1), | |
| WIN | Colt Keith, 3B | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0.500 | 2B (1), BB (2), | |
| WIN | Je’Von Ward, OF | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.333 | 2B (1), BB (1), | |
| WIN | Alex Isola, C | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.143 | BB (1), | |
| WIN | Matt McLain, SS | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0.286 | BB (3), CS (1), | |
| WIN | Tyler Black, 2B | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | BB (1), | |
| WIN | Edouard Julien, 2B | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.167 | 2 BB (3), | |
| WIN | Zavier Warren, C | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.500 | BB (1), SB (1), | |
| WIN | Andy Pages, OF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.143 | BB (1), | |
| WIN | Moises Castillo, SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.375 | BB (1), | |
| WIN | Jeferson Quero, C | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | ||
| WIN | Blake Sabol, OF | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.500 | 2 BB (2), CS (1), | |
| WIN | Carlos De La Cruz, OF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.250 | ||
| WIN | Samad Taylor, 2B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.100 | 3B (1), | |
| WIN | Will Wagner, 2B | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0.364 | 3B (2), BB (2), | |
| WIN | Trevor Hauver, 2B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.400 | BB (3), | |
| WIN | Henry Davis, C | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.333 | 2B (2), SB (1), | |
| WIN | Aaron Zavala, OF | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.286 | BB (2), CS (1), E (1), | |
| WIN | Johan Rojas, CF | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0.385 | 2B (1), | |
| WIN | Nick Gonzales, 2B | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0.333 | 3B (1), CS (1), |
| ORG | CLASS | PLAYER | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | ERA | NOTES |
| WIN | Ty Adcock, RHP | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0.00 | ||
| WIN | Lenny Torres, RHP | 1.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0.00 | ||
| WIN | Mason Hickman, RHP | 1.0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4.50 | ||
| WIN | Christian Scott, RHP | 2.1 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 15.43 | ||
| WIN | Noah Denoyer, RHP | 2.2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 3.38 | ||
| WIN | Jack Kochanowicz, RHP | 2.1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0.00 | ||
| WIN | Nolan Hoffman, RHP | 1.2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5.40 | ||
| WIN | Ryan Zeferjahn, RHP | 1.1 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 20.25 | ||
| WIN | Sheldon Reed, RHP | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.00 | ||
| WIN | Shaine McNeely, RHP | 2.0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 13.50 | ||
| WIN | Ryan Cusick, RHP | 4.0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 0.00 | W (1-0) | |
| WIN | Sandy Gaston, RHP | 0.2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 27.00 | ||
| WIN | Tyler Mattison, RHP | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0.00 | ||
| WIN | Fineas Del Bonta-Smith, RHP | 2.0 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 18.00 | ||
| WIN | Blair Calvo, RHP | 0.2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 27.00 | ||
| WIN | Anders Tolhurst, RHP | 0.2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 27.00 | L (0-1) | |
| WIN | Jack Anderson, RHP | 1.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 9.00 | ||
| WIN | Kyle Backhus, LHP | 1.1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6.75 | ||
| WIN | Chase Solesky, RHP | 4.0 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 6.75 | L (0-1) | |
| WIN | Francis Peguero, RHP | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0.00 | ||
| WIN | Vincent Timpanelli, RHP | 1.0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 18.00 | ||
| WIN | Tanner Dodson, RHP | 1.2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 5.40 | ||
| WIN | Matt Ruppenthal, RHP | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0.00 | ||
| WIN | Jonathan Sprinkle, RHP | 0.2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 40.50 | ||
| WIN | T.J. Sikkema, LHP | 3.0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 6.00 | ||
| WIN | Taylor Lehman, LHP | 2.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0.00 | W (1-0) | |
| WIN | Brett Schulze, RHP | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0.00 | Sv (1) |
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