Cole Foster – Syndication Server

Chase Allsup selected by Orioles in MLB Draft

Allsup is the first Auburn Tiger off the board in the 2024 MLB draft.

Former Auburn right-hander [autotag]Chase Allsup[/autotag] was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the fourth round of the 2024 MLB Draft on Monday afternoon. The three-year Tiger pitcher joins the Orioles after posting a 6-5 record and 5.11 earned run average over 56 career games on the Plains.

Although Allsup was never quite able to capture dominance on the mound over his collegiate career, the Dothan, Alabama native continuously flashed an above-average, high-velocity fastball, and devastating slider that helped him accumulate a 10.1 SO/9 during his time as a Tiger.

While Baltimore’s major league rotation is fairly set with American League All-Star starter Corbin Burnes leading the pack, Allsup’s live arm could allow him to rise quickly up the minor league ladder as a bullpen arm. If the former Tiger is able to develop other offerings on the mound he could challenge for a spot at the back end of the Orioles rotation as soon as 2025.

Allsup is the sixth Tiger over the last six seasons to be drafted within the first five rounds of the MLB draft. He joins [autotag]Sonny DiChiara[/autotag], [autotag]Trace Bright[/autotag], [autotag]Mason Barnett[/autotag], [autotag]Blake Burkhalter[/autotag] (2022), and [autotag]Cole Foster[/autotag] (2023). The slot value at No. 127 overall is $562,000.

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Cooper Weiss named semifinalist for Brooks Wallace Award

Auburn graduate senior short stop Cooper Weiss was named a semifinalist for the Brooks Wallace Award on Thursday.

Auburn graduate senior shortstop [autotag]Cooper Weiss[/autotag] was named a semifinalist for the Brooks Wallace Award on Thursday. The award, which honors the nation’s top shortstop, has now been cut to just 29 players including Weiss.

The Fort Myers, Florida native is one of 4 SEC infield captains to be named on the list. He is also the third Tiger to reach the semifinal round in the last four years, joining [autotag]Ryan Bliss[/autotag] (2021) and [autotag]Cole Foster[/autotag] (2023) on a decorated list of recent Auburn short stops.

Despite playing in his first season on the Plains, Weiss quickly became a team leader on and off the field. The 24-year-old has started all but one of Auburn’s 51 games this season, collecting 50 hits in 50 games and 180 total at-bats. He is also near the top of almost every major offensive team category with 41 runs scored, 10 doubles. 8 home runs, and 35 runs batted in.

While the senior has been above average with his bat, the real difference-making comes from his legs. Weiss has stolen an SEC-high 27 bags this season. Auburn’s shortstop has stolen as many as 4 bases in a game twice, and stolen at least 2 bags on 8 occasions. Weiss has been caught 7 times, for a solid-but-not-great 79% success rate.

Weiss will look to cap off a great 2024 season by helping his Tigers win 2 more games to complete an end-of-season sweep over rival Alabama on Saturday and Sunday from Plainsman Park.

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Auburn baseball vs. Eastern Kentucky: How to watch, stream this weekend’s season-opener at Plainsman Park

Auburn’s journey to Omaha begins this weekend at Plainsman Park.

Auburn baseball hosts Eastern Kentucky this weekend to kick off the 2024 season at Plainsman Park. If you are wondering how to watch the action live, you have come to the right place.

The Auburn Tigers are hoping to get back to the College World Series this season, and the best way to do that will be to earn a series win over Eastern Kentucky. To do so, head coach Butch Thompson will need to break in a few newcomers.

Players such as Bobby Peirce and Cooper McMurray return to their usual positions. However, the likes of [autotag]Kason Howell[/autotag], [autotag]Cole Foster[/autotag], and [autotag]Bryson Ware[/autotag] have since departed the program, which will lead to several transfers getting their first chances to prove themselves with their new club.

Another exciting factor for Auburn this season is the return of Joseph Gonzalez to the weekend rotation. Gonzalez, who pitched just one game last season before a shoulder injury sidelined him for the remainder of the season, will pitch in Saturday’s middle game of the series.

Below, you will find everything you need to know for this weekend’s series between Auburn and Eastern Kentucky such as a broadcast guide, ticket prices, and Auburn’s projected starting lineup.

Auburn claims top-25 ranking in Baseball America’s preseason poll

Solid pitching and a great transfer portal haul will make Auburn extremely competitive in 2024.

Auburn baseball is poised for another successful season in 2024.

The Tigers have earned a spot in another preseason poll, this time from Baseball America. The publication has included Auburn in its preseason top 25 by giving them the No. 23 slot.

Auburn will need to replace key pieces such as [autotag]Nate LaRue[/autotag], [autotag]Bryson Ware[/autotag], and [autotag]Cole Foster[/autotag], but has a great returning cast led by [autotag]Ike Irish[/autotag], [autotag]Bobby Peirce[/autotag], and [autotag]Chris Stanfield[/autotag]. Pitching-wise, the Tigers will be anchored by [autotag]Joseph Gonzalez[/autotag], who returns from a shoulder injury that sidelined him for most of the 2023 season.

Returning pitching, as well as a solid transfer portal haul, is what will make Auburn competitive this season says Baseball America.

The Tigers must replace a lot offensively, but brought in some exciting players through the transfer portal to bolster the offense. On the mound, Opening Day starter [autotag]Joseph Gonzalez[/autotag] is back and healthy after missing nearly all of last season. If he recaptures his exceptional 2022 form and [autotag]Chase Allsup[/autotag] makes a successful transition to the rotation, watch out for the Tigers.

Auburn is one of eight teams from the SEC that earned a top-25 ranking by Baseball America. Defending College World Series champion LSU is the conference’s highest-ranked team at No. 2 and is followed by Arkansas (No. 3), Florida (No. 4), Vanderbilt (No. 7), and Tennessee (No. 8) in the top 10. Texas A&M and South Carolina also grabbed a preseason ranking at No. 11 and No. 12 respectively.

Preseason projection. 📈#WarEagle pic.twitter.com/9FadDK56HL

— Auburn Baseball (@AuburnBaseball) January 29, 2024

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Chase Isbell signs deal with Kansas City Royals

Isbell was the lone pitcher from Auburn’s bullpen to be selected in the 2023 MLB Draft.

Three Auburn players, [autotag]Cole Foster[/autotag], [autotag]Bryson Ware[/autotag] and [autotag]Chase Isbell[/autotag], heard their names called in the MLB Draft. One player, [autotag]Nate LaRue[/autotag] was picked up as a free agent.

Additionally, five players who were signed with the Tigers were drafted.

The Royals selected Isbell in the 15th round with the 439th overall pick. Isbell received a signing bonus worth $150,000. Greg Walker of Royals Review believes that Isbell’s command will allow him to find a place in a professional bullpen.

At 6’3”, 210, Isbell served as a power righty out of the Auburn bullpen and frequently worked multiple innings. He has a fastball at 93-96 that he’ll throw at the top of the zone. He pairs that with a tight, late-breaking slider at 86-88. The slider is a true out pitch so with better overall command, Isbell could find a role in a major league bullpen.

In two seasons with the Tigers, Isbell posted a 5.54 ERA, a 4-2 record, two saves and 65 strikeouts to 31 walks in 52 innings of work.

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Bryson Ware signs contract with Philadelphia Phillies

Ware is on the move to professional baseball after hitting a school-record 24 home runs in 2023.

Auburn baseball’s single-season home run leader is moving to professional baseball.

Infielder Bryson Ware was taken with the No. 253 selection of the MLB draft by the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies signed their 10th-round pick to a deal valued at $187,100 which includes a $152,500 signing bonus.

A blog titled Phillies Minor Thoughts says that Ware has intrigue as a prospect, and could be viewed as more than just an organization filler.

Ware struggled his first two years at Auburn after transferring from junior college, but broke out in a big way in 2023. He hit .350/.438/.731 with 24 home runs as a senior. He primarily played third base this season and has played around the diamond. According to Baseball America he posted some top end exit velocities to go with the home run power. The Phillies have not been afraid drafting college players coming off of big years with big exit velocity numbers.

In three seasons with the Tigers, Ware hit .297, scored 125 runs, recorded 135 hits, hit 31 home runs, posted 110 RBI, and stole 14 bases.

Two members of the Auburn baseball team joined Ware in being drafted, [autotag]Cole Foster[/autotag] and [autotag]Chase Isbell[/autotag]. One, [autotag]Nate LaRue[/autotag], signed a free-agent deal after.

Five players signed to the Auburn baseball program were also signed.

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Cole Foster signs contract with San Francisco Giants

Foster will make the move to the Giants organization after agreeing to a deal earlier this week.

Three members of the Auburn baseball team heard their name called and one more was signed through free agency. Additionally, five players who were signed to the Auburn program were drafted.

Infielder [autotag]Cole Foster[/autotag] was selected by the San Francisco Giants with the 85th overall pick in the third round.

The Giants signed the Auburn shortstop to a deal with a $820,900 pick value and a $747,500 signing bonus. Foster could make a move to a full-season league quickly says Melissa Lockard of The Athletic.

A well-rounded player, Foster doesn’t have one standout tool but he’s a good athlete who has power potential from both sides of the plate and enough defensive chops that he will be able to contribute at a few positions in the infield. Holmes noted on Monday that Foster was relatively new to switch-hitting in high school, but that he had grown more comfortable swinging from both sides of the plate over the past three years. Foster has Power 5 conference experience and should be able to jump into a full-season league quickly.

In three seasons with the program, Foster hit .305, scored 102 runs, recorded 128 hits, hit 22 home runs, posted 97 RBI, and stole seven bases.

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Seattle Mariners sign Colt Emerson above slot value

Auburn baseball’s top signee of the 2023 class is bypassing the Plains and heading to the pros.

Auburn baseball had five signees from the 2023 class selected in the MLB draft last week. One of those has chosen the professional route.

The Seattle Mariners agreed to terms with the No. 22 overall selection, infielder [autotag]Colt Emerson[/autotag]. Emerson, Auburn’s top signee of the class, signed a deal with the Mariners for $3.8 million, which is above that slot’s designated value.

The Mariners signing Emerson to a deal above average was expected reported MLB.com.

As expected, the Mariners went over-slot to bring in the high-school bat, who was committed to Auburn University, like they did last year when selecting Cole Young, another lefty-swinging shortstop. An average runner with solid arm strength, Emerson is a steady defender at shortstop but probably will move to a different position in pro ball.

Emerson is the first Auburn signee to sign a deal with a major league club. [autotag]Cole Foster[/autotag] (San Francisco Giants), [autotag]Bryson Ware[/autotag] (Philadelphia Phillies) and [autotag]Chase Isbell[/autotag] (Kansas City Royals) were members of the 2023 roster who were drafted but have not agreed to terms. Each club has until 5 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 25, to come to terms with its draft picks. If a player has exhausted his collegiate eligibility, he can sign at any time up until one week prior to the next year’s draft.

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Nate LaRue signs free agent deal with Toronto Blue Jays

LaRue hit .202 with 13 home runs and 69 RBI in four seasons at Auburn.

Dreams came true for three members of Auburn baseball’s 2023 roster this week, as their names were called during the 2023 Major League Baseball draft.

Infielders [autotag]Cole Foster[/autotag] and [autotag]Bryson Ware[/autotag], as well as pitcher [autotag]Chase Isbell[/autotag], were selected by Major League clubs this week, and a fourth has signed a deal as a free agent.

Following the draft, the Toronto Blue Jays reached an agreement with Auburn catcher [autotag]Nate LaRue[/autotag]. The Blue Jays originally drafted LaRue out of high school in 2019, but LaRue elected to join the Tigers’ baseball program.

In four seasons on the Plains, LaRue hit .202 with 13 home runs and 69 RBI. Behind the plate, he fielded at a .994 clip with just six errors. Over the last two seasons, he appeared in 105 games with 87 starts.

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Kansas City Royals select Chase Isbell in 15th round of MLB draft

Isbell struck out 65 batters over the last two seasons at Auburn, posting a 4-2 record.

The third player of Auburn’s 2023 roster has been selected in the 2023 MLB draft.

A day after infielders [autotag]Cole Foster[/autotag] and [autotag]Bryson Ware[/autotag] were taken by the San Francisco Giants and Philadelphia Phillies respectively, right-hander [autotag]Chase Isbell[/autotag] was taken in the 15th round by the Kansas City Royals, ultimately wrapping up Auburn’s selections.

Isbell has been a staple of Auburn’s bullpen since transferring into the program from Samford in 2022. He saw the most action of his Auburn career in 2023 when he appeared in 23 games. He struck out 42 batters over 33.1 innings of work while posting an ERA of 5.34 and a record of 3-1.

Isbell was one of eight Auburn representatives to be selected in the 2023 MLB draft. Joining Isbell, Foster, and Ware, transfer commit Sam Mongelli was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Four signees were also selected: Colt Emerson (Seattle Mariners), Kevin McGonigal (Detroit Tigers), Bjorn Johnson (Milwaukee Brewers), and Dylan Watts (Milwaukee Brewers).

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