Auburn baseball preview
AUBURN | A look at the Auburn Tigers baseball team heading into the 2021 season.
2020 record/RPI: 13-5 (168)
2019 record/RPI: 38-28, 14-16 SEC (11)
Coach: Butch Thompson (6th season at Auburn, 154-115)
Rank in preseason polls: 37 (CB), 17 (PG), 23 (D1), NR (BA), NR (USAT)
Rank in conference forecasts: 6th in SEC West
Last NCAA tournament appearance: 2019 (advanced to CWS)
Home field: Plainsman Park (4,096)
Left: 315 (with a 30-foot wall), left center: 385, center: 385, right center: 360, right: 331
2020 recap/2021 outlook
There was a lot of confidence and anticipation going into 2020 after Auburn had advanced to an NCAA Regional in 2017, Super Regional in 2018 and the College World Series in 2019 for the first time since 1997.
The Tigers got off to a hot 5-0 start before getting swept at home by UCF. They bounced back to win eight consecutive games before losses to Georgia Tech and Wofford heading into conference play.
The series against Texas A&M never took place after the rest of the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rankin Woley, who moved from first to third to start the season, had a .412 average with eight doubles, two home runs and 22 RBI. Catcher Matt Scheffler also hit .412 while Ryan Bliss batted .377 with seven doubles, two home runs and 17 RBI while not committing an error in 58 chances at shortstop.
Woley and Bliss are back while Scheffler signed with the Seattle Mariners organization.
Cody Greenhill had a dominating half-season as Auburn's closer, finishing 5-0 with a 0.00 ERA with 17 strikeouts and one walk in 12.2 innings. Greenhill is moving into a starting role for 2021.
Two of AU’s weekend starters from 2020 were drafted in Tanner Burns, taken 36th overall by the Cleveland Indians, and Bailey Horn taken in the fifth round by the Chicago White Sox.
The third weekend starter, Jack Owen, returns after starting 21 games over the past three seasons compiling a 9-5 record with a 3.76 ERA. He dislocated a finger on his throwing hand during a preseason scrimmage and will miss the first couple of weeks of the season.
| Pos | Player, Cl. (B/T) |
|---|---|
|
C |
Nate LaRue, So. (R/R) .294/.350/.353, 17 AB, 1 2B, 0 HR, 2 RBI Ready to step into starting role after serving as a backup in 2020. Will likely platoon with Ryan Dyal. |
|
1B |
John Samuel Shenker, Jr. (R/R) .318/.516/.364, 22 AB, 1 2B, 0 HR, 6 RBI Concentrated on football for a few years before playing both sports in 2020. Has been one of AU's best hitters during preseason practice. |
|
2B |
Brody Moore, Jr. (R/R) .339/.415/.393, 56 AB, 1 2B, 0 HR, 9 RBI Has played six different positions in his first two seasons at Auburn. |
|
3B |
Rankin Woley, Gr. (R/R) .412/.487/.618, 68 AB, 8 2B, 2 HR, 22 RBI Can hit for power and a high average in the middle of AU's order. |
|
SS |
Ryan Bliss, Jr. (R/R) .377/.412/.597, 77 AB, 7 2B, 2 HR, 17 RBI Brings power and a steady defense to the middle infield. Rarely strikes out. |
|
LF |
Judd Ward, Sr. (L/R) .315/.365/.507, 73 AB, 6 2B, 2 HR, 17 RBI Brings strong arm and range to the outfield and plenty of pop in the leadoff position. |
|
CF |
Kason Howell, Jr. (R/R) .359/.419/.539, 39 AB, 7 2B, 0 HR, 6 RBI Injury cost him seven games last season. Covers lots of ground in OF, has gap power. |
|
RF |
Steven Williams, Sr. (L/R) .275/.400/.525, 40 AB, 4 2B, 2 HR, 12 RBI Got off to a slow start last season but capable of carrying team during a weekend series. Brings plenty of power to middle of order. |
|
DH |
Bryson Ware, So. (R/R) Junior college transfer who has hit for a lot of power during fall and preseason practice. |
|
Res |
Ryan Dyal, RFr. (L/R) Sat out last season recovering from Tommy John surgery. Has a lot of power from the left side. Will likely platoon with LaRue and DH. |
|
Res |
Tyler Miller, Jr. (L/R) .229/.333/.286, 35 AB, 0 2B, 0 HR, 5 RBI Junior college transfer played a limited role in 2020 but could earn much more playing time this season in the OF, IF or DH. |
|
Res |
Josh Hall, So. (L/R) The transfer from Ole Miss is a base stealing specialist and could be used as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement in the outfield. |
Auburn returns all three outfield starters with 321 career starts between Steven Williams, Judd Ward and Kason Howell.
Williams, who will start in right field along with providing depth at catcher, ranks second among active SEC players in with 140 career hits, 23 home runs and 99 RBI.
Howell brings great range to centerfield and can drive the gaps at the plate with 15 doubles his first two seasons. Ward has strong arm in left field with 11 career outfield assists, and is also a powerful bat in the leadoff position.
Depth in the outfield will come from Ole Miss transfer Josh Hall, who is the team’s fastest player and junior college transfer Bobby Pierce.
Bliss and Woley return in the infield as preseason first-team All-SEC players. Bliss will man shortstop again while Woley could play third or first. Brody Moore will likely start at second base with talented freshman Cole Foster and Garrett Farquhar also in the mix.
First base, designated and catcher are all positions up for grabs this season. John Samuel Shenker, who plays tight end on the football team, is a favorite to start at first or DH as is power-hitting JUCO transfer Bryson Ware. Tyler Miller, who has hit the ball well during fall and preseason, is also in the mix at both positions along with the outfield as well Brayton Brown, Johnny Ceccoli and Cam Hill, who will also serve as a bullpen pitcher.
The catcher position will likely be a platoon between the right-handed hitting Nate LaRue and left-hander Ryan Dyal.
| Pos | Player, Cl. (R/LHP) |
|---|---|
|
SP1 |
Cody Greenhill, Sr. (RHP) 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 12.2 IP, 17 K, 1 BB, 2 SV Moving into the weekend rotation after serving as AU's closer the past two seasons. |
|
SP2 |
Richard Fitts, Jr. (RHP) 1-0, 2.77 ERA, 13 IP, 16 K, 5 BB Increased his fastball to 97-98 mph in offseason. Was a key starter and reliever during AU's 2019 run to the CWS. |
|
SP3 |
Mason Barnett, So. (RHP) 0-0, 3.52 ERA, 7.2 IP, 16 K, 3 BB Will be in starting rotation until Jack Owen returns from injury. Slated to replace Greenhill as AU's closer this season. |
|
CL |
Blake Burkhalter, So. (RHP) 0-0, 2.08, 4.1 IP, 3 K, 3 BB Gained a little experience as a true freshman last season but ready to step into a bigger role in 2021. |
|
RP |
Carson Skipper, Jr. (LHP) 0-0, 1.00 ERA, 9.0 IP, 12 K, 3 BB Was AU's top middle reliever making a team-high seven appearances. |
|
RP |
Jack Sokol, Fr. (RHP) The true freshman has impressed during preseason practice and will get an early opportunity. |
|
RP |
Cam Hill, Fr. (LHP) Another impressive true freshman that should be a key reliever this season and perhaps a future weekend starter. |
|
RP |
Carson Swilling, Fr. (RHP) Despite a number of veteran returning in the bullpen, Swilling is a third true freshman that should play early this season. |
|
RP |
Seb Thomas, So. (RHP) 0-0, 1.17 ERA, 7.2 IP, 6 K, 4 BB Had a team-high seven appearances as a freshman. Hard-throwing righty. |
|
RP |
Brooks Fuller, Jr. (LHP) 1-1, 2.25 ERA, 8.0 IP, 7 K, 1 BB Veteran who can work out of the bullpen and/or as a midweek starter. |
|
INJ |
Jack Owen, Sr. (LHP) 3-1, 3.43 ERA, 21.0 IP, 25 K, 5 BB Veteran SEC weekend starter who should return to the starting rotation within a couple of weeks. |
Richard Fitts, Greenhill and Mason Barnett will open the season as the weekend starters while Owen recovers from his injury. Fitts was 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA last season but has been regular hitting the high 90’s on his fastball during the preseason and has become a legit first-round MLB draft prospect.
Barnett, who is expected to move into the closer role when Owen returns, had a 3.52 ERA with 16 strikeouts and three walks in 7.2 innings out of the bullpen last season.
The Tigers should have a deep and effective bullpen led by Carson Skipper, who had a 1.00 ERA in a team-high seven appearances in 2020. Blake Burkhalter could fill the closer’s role while Barnett is starting while Jack Sokol, Hill, Carson Swilling, Seb Thomas and several others will get early looks out of the bullpen.
Brooks Fuller and Trace Bright could be AU’s midweek starters or fill an important role in the bullpen. AU returns several other experienced bullpen pitchers in Peyton Glavine, Hayden Mullins and Will Morrison.