Auburn’s 2024 season, which ended with a 27-26 record and an 8-22 SEC mark, wasn’t what coach Butch Thompson wanted.
But the resilient Thompson’s Auburn tenure has given him perspective. The last time the Tigers went 8-22 in the league, they made an regional the next year. And Thompson’s worst SEC season since (the 10-20 mark of 2021) resulted in a College World Series appearance the next.
That’s probably one of the reasons Thompson is excited about flipping the page to 2025.
“We had a challenging season last year, but… I’m still able to tell our people and supporters that have been amazing to us (that we) really saw program growth within the last year,” Thompson says. “I’m able to tell them our goals. We’re trying to host three out of four regionals at Plainsman Park. We’re trying to go to three out of six World Series and get back to Omaha.
“So that’s really our goal. We went through enough last year to turn the page like everybody should do.”
It’s been a pretty good decade for Auburn, which had one of Thompson’s aces (Casey Mize) picked first overall in the 2018 MLB Draft. Mize is one of many of Thompson’s players to make his big-league debut in the last five years.
“Since 2020, Auburn has had 11 (MLB) debuts, which is second in this amazing conference. … When you can say you’re second in this league in anything.. that’s saying something.”
That’s not all. The Tigers spent much of the offseason getting caught up in the facilities arm race.
“We just had a $30 million facility renovation that’s kind of incredible,” Thompson says.
As for this year, Thompson’s put together a good blend of experience and perhaps the best freshman class of his tenure, leaving the Tigers poised to be more competitive in the league this year.
“We have 19 returners with 21 new players, so I think this is a great way for us to bounce back because the two things I think everybody’s looking for—to see if your program’s intact—is, ‘Is the locker room together?’” Thompson says.
“And I believe what’s coming is a pretty nice roster. … This group’s worked hard for us. Our coaches have done a great job. Our coaching staff stayed intact.
“And, I mean, we’re ready.”
THE LINEUP
The Tigers return two of the league’s best bats in catcher Ike Irish and first baseman Cooper McMurray, to which they add three quality Division I transfers who’ll probably start, a potential impact freshman and a couple of returning sophomores who showed flashes of being able to play at this level a year ago.
“I think we’re pretty deep,” Thompson says.
Irish, the No. 18 prospect for the 2025 MLB Draft according to MLB Pipeline, has hit .343/417/582 with 20 home runs and 35 doubles over 490 plate appearances at Auburn. This year, he’ll catch more after being behind the dish in 25 games for the Tigers and 17 more in the Cape Cod League.
“He’s just got that hit gene because he’s a Major League hitter and he’s been that way before he got to Auburn,” Thompson says. “The guy broke our doubles record as a true freshman. … I’m not sure he’s ever given an at-bat away. … Every pitch is personal to him. And I always tell the troops, everyone else around him, ‘That’s how you need to have an at-bat.’”
“We made him earn (the catching position,” Thompson continues. “And that’s why I think he’s going to have a big year. I think he could be a top-10 overall-type pick because I think people are going to be impressed with the catching.”
McMurray, Auburn’s starter at first, has hit .276/.434/594 between two seasons as a starter at Auburn and another at Kansas. He’s mashed 37 career home runs and driven in 124 runs.
“Played good defense for us,” Thompson says. “So having him back for a third year is a big deal for us.”
Returnees Eric Guevara and Deric Fabian will likely start in the infield—perhaps at second and third, respectively—with South Florida transfer Eric Snow slotted between them.
“We’re good up the middle defensively with Ike there and whether you’ve got Snow or Fabian or Guevara or anybody in the middle,” Thompson says.
Guevera played a lot in the second half of Auburn’s season—he didn’t play until March 26, and Thompson estimates he participated “at 75%” due to an ACL issue.
“We think he can play all three infield positions,” Thompson says. “What he had to go through last year, I hope there’s a return on our investment for him in our ball club this year. … I think we saw a shell of him last year.”
Fabian, a Florida transfer and the brother of former Gator first-rounder Jud Fabian, returns for a fourth season of college ball. He’s hit .248/.351/.399 over 361 career plate appearances at his two stops and can also play short. “Fabian’s like a coach on the field. … Kind of streaky with the bat,” Thompson says. “The consistency with his at-bats could make a difference because I think we’re a better team with him on the field.
Snow’s shown improvement between his freshman and sophomore seasons, making the all-star team in the Cape last season.
“Athletic, really has some power to the pull side,” Thompson says. “So he’s kind of short, stocky, but well-built and can really play the shortstop position, we think.”
Part of the reason for Thompson’s confidence in his defense is a belief that he has two center fielders in sophomore Cade Belyeu and East Carolina transfer Bristol Carter, both sophomores.
Belyeu, who earned freshman all-SEC honors last season, mashed eight home runs in 95 at-bats and has the body of a big-leaguer.
“It’s a 6-four frame, but he glides,” Thompson says.
Carter was a second-team freshman all-American per Perfect Game and fielded .980 for the Pirates.
Thompson wants the Tigers to be better at the infield and outfield corners. Freshman Chris Rembert, who was a top-200 prospect out of high school and was good enough to be drafted, may be part of that solution.
“He played second and some outfield for us (in the fall),” Thompson says. “We believe in that bat. We believe in the hard work and character of a freshmen we think can help us now.” Samford transfer Lucas Steele, a career .280/384/.578 hitter over 492 plate appearances there, is likely Auburn’s DH. Between summer and collegiate stops, he’s played catcher, first, third and left.
Dmarion “Bub” Terrell, another highly-regarded freshman, could also see some outfield time. Fall ball was an adjustment for Terrell, but the ability—Baseball America ranked him the 12th-best high-schooler to get to campus—is there, as evidenced by his 10 home runs and 18-for-19 in stolen bases at Alabama’s Thompson High.
Thompson believes he has another future MLB catcher in blue-chip freshman Chase Fralic, who could play some third base this season.
“He’s really straight to the baseball, has present power,” Thompson says.
Returning sophomore Cale Stricklin, the rare freshman who walked (eight) more than he struck out (five) last season, will also see time behind the dish.
Addison Klepp, another quality freshman recruit, is a shortstop who may see time other places on the infield.
Jett Johnson, who got lost in the shuffle of Texas A&M’s elite outfield last season, could see time at a corner outfield spot. He’s a two-way player who was also a top-200 recruit in high school and had a great summer as a hitter in the Cape.
THE PITCHING
Thompson’s looking for better numbers than the 5.94 ERA, 213 walks and 69 hit batsmen that his 2024 staff produced in 451 1/3 innings last season. HIs goal is for each pitcher to throw strikes at least 70% of the time.
On paper, it looks like a more talented staff that last year’s thanks to two experienced SEC transfers who might start, two more potentially special freshmen and a host of bullpen arms who’ve pitched a ton at Auburn, including a closer who had a breakout summer in the Cape.
Florida transfer Cade Fisher, who ran hot and cold for the Gators throughout a season that ended with a College World Series run, might be the Friday night guy. Fisher has a career 5.30 collegiate ERA spanning 108 2/3 innings, with 124 strikeouts and 42 walks.
“He has done a nice job, a coveted recruiting piece in the portal that we went after,” Thompson says.
LSU transfer Sam Dutton will likely start for Auburn after he was a key bullpen arm in Baton Rouge. Dutton complied a 6.02 ERA with 76 strikeouts and 25 walks while having a significant role in each of his three collegiate seasons.
“Been a reliever but he’s pretty high on my pedestal right now,” Thompson says. “He’s gone from two pitches to four. … He’s throwing the highest strike percentage on our team right now. … He’s probably earned a bigger role maybe than what he’s had in the past.”
The two freshmen who could get starts are Christian Chatterton and Jackson Sanders. MLB Pipeline rated Chatterton the No. 148 prospect for last year’s draft.
“Christian Chatterton is a guy that can absolutely pitch now if he continues to act the way he does,” Thompson says.
Sanders’ stuff commanded immediate respect in Auburn’s inter-squad work. He was the valedictorian at Valley High in Opelika, Ala.
“An amazing freshman with one of those dynamic fastballs,” Thompson says. “It’s heavy. It has life. Our guys hate hitting off him—our old guys. And whenever I’ve got old guys complimenting a young pitcher… then you feel like that guy has got a chance to do something for you.”
Returnee Hayden Murphy’s Auburn numbers for the last two years—34 2/3 innings, a 7.79 ERA, 28 strikeouts, 16 walks—were unremarkable. But Murphy, who was the No. 170 prospect for the 2022 draft by Baseball America, lit it up in the Cape this summer with 28 strikeouts and only six walks in 18 2/3 innings.
“Just thought he sky was the limit when he walked in the door. … Had an amazing fall,” Thompson says. “He’s kind of fearless right now. I believe in his fastball. We picked up that cutter. … We think he could finish a game for us, and that would change our world. I think we had eight or nine one-run losses in the conference last year.”
Five other bullpen returnees threw at least two-dozen innings each last year.
Side-arming righty John Armstrong has a 4.63 ERA over 89 1/3 career innings with 100 strikeouts and 11 home runs allowed.
“So low a resting heart rate. …He has a ton of experience,” Thompson says.
Lefty Carson Myers made eight starts among his 14 appearances last season. He’s thrown 147 1/3 career innings between Auburn and UAB with a 4.64 ERA and 133 strikeouts.
“I think he has a chance to be better. He threw a ton for us last year but I think he’s best suited in the middle of the game. Maybe not the biggest swing and miss but if you can get a lefty to come in and really lean on the strike zone and get two or three innings to start getting to the back end, I think that would be a huge role.”
Dylan Watts—an 18th-round pick by the Brewers in the 2023 draft—started five of his 15 appearances at Auburn last year after being an all-conference pick thanks to a 3-0 record and a 0.23 ERA at Tacoma Community College in 2023.
Parker Carlson led Auburn with 22 appearances (all in relief) and has thrown 47 1/3 career innings with 53 strikeouts, all for the Tigers.
Cam Tilly is another returning Auburn arm who came to The Plains with tons of promise (No. 125 for the ’23 draft per MLB Pipeline, and 208 by Baseball America) but could take a big step forward this season.
“Has been pretty exciting. … 68 percent strikes,” Thompson says. “He’s throwing beautifully and the sky’s the limit for him. He’s a huge piece for us. His he a set-up (man)? Is he a piggy-back?” “You really need four-inning guys.”
Griffin Graves, the No. 79 high school prospect in the 2023 class per Perfect Game, should see the field this season.
“A lefty that just couldn’t throw strikes for us last year, but he’s so talented, and he’s in about that 60-66% range right now for throwing strikes,” Thompson says.
Auburn added one of the country’s premier closers in Mason Koch (pronounced “cook”), who has a 3.83 career era over 44 2/3 innings between Creighton and Nebraska.
“Plus slider, a lot of strikes,” Thompson says. “I think a lot of our league fought for him, tired to get him to come, once that name populated the portal. He’s had a little bit of risk and we did a little procedure back in November. So I think realistically, I don’t think we’re going to see him until SEC play. Four weeks into it is our target right now for him.”
Thompson says that Connor Gatwood, MLB Pipeline’s No. 156 prospect for last year’s draft, has nearly touched 100 since arriving on campus. The Angels took Gatwood in the 19th round last season.
The Tigers added another transfer with closing experience in Cal Baptist’s Ryan Hetzler, who saved four games as a freshman last season.
POTENTIAL STRENGTHS
Most teams would love to have Irish and McMurray as a starting point for a lineup, and Belyeu performed at an elite level over half a freshman season and a short summer stint, too. The rest of the lineup is less proven but the Tigers seem to have depth and perhaps a good lefty-righty balance to make for some platoon options where one player doesn’t emerge. Judging by draft positions and rankings out of high school, Auburn doesn’t lack for talent on the mound, and few (if any) SEC bullpens return the number of experienced arms that the Tigers have. Finally, there’s Thompson, who’s rebuilt the Tigers into a successful program and has shown a knack for a rebound after a tough campaign like Auburn had last season.
POTENTIAL WEAKNESSES
The Tigers seem to have options just about everywhere, but they may not be the known commodities other teams have. Thompson sums it up well when it comes to his pitching. “We have some depth on this pitching staff,” he says.”I just—who can be a front-end guy to match the other schools? That’s still a question mark.” While the oddities brought on by the extra Covid year, eligibility changes and all the strangeness brought on by this decade, the Tigers may be a little younger (a lot of the roster is high-school class of ’22, ’23 and ’24 players) than the older part of the league, where 24- and even 25-year-olds hold down prominent roles.
FINAL ANALYSIS
In a loaded SEC where the league power rankings often resemble the national rankings, how do the Tigers stack up? This looks like a regional team if a murderous schedule doesn’t eat Auburn alive the way it did last year, and don’t count the Tigers out of bigger things. Nobody expected the Tigers to make the College World Series when the Tigers went 14-16 in the league and were a regional 2-seed, or in 2022, when Auburn was 10-20 the year before. If the depth of pitching comes together and the big bats meet expectations, there’s no reason this team couldn’t end the season at the level of those.