Auburn baseball is set on another trip to Omaha this year and will rely on solid pitching to fuel its quest.
[autotag]Joseph Gonzalez[/autotag] and [autotag]Chase Allsup[/autotag] are expected to anchor the Tigers’ weekend rotation and hope to celebrate another successful season by being selected in the 2024 MLB draft. D1Baseball projects both players to go high in this summer’s draft, as they have included them in their updated Top 200 D1 College Prospects rankings. Gonzalez sits at No. 163 while Allsup checks in at No. 179.
Allsup saw his role change as a sophomore in 2023, going from a solid relief option to a weekend starter. In 20 appearances last season, Allsup struck out 49 batters while issuing 33 walks in 49.1 innings of work. He earned the starting nod in eight games last season, with his longest outing coming against Missouri on April 19, where he struck out seven batters and allowed three hits of shutout baseball over 7.0 innings.
As for Gonzalez, he hopes to make a comeback after missing most of last season due to a nagging shoulder injury. He made one start last season, a winning effort over Indiana on opening day. He tossed 5.0 innings of two-hit baseball while keeping the Hoosiers off the board. He boasts a career ERA of 4.08 with 85 strikeouts and 25 walks issued in 37 total appearances.
The Tigers open the season Friday at Plainsman Park against Eastern Kentucky. First pitch of the season opener is set for 6 p.m. CT.
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