AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn begins fall baseball practice Thursday with coach Butch Thompson focused neither on the progress of 2018 nor the promise of 2019.
No comparison, he said, to last year's super regional appearance or how Auburn might stack up in the SEC next spring.
"That singular focus as we enter fall practice is the development of each individual connecting the synergy to the team with our coaches and our players," Thompson said. "Hopefully habits and foundations form to forge the best possible team in the present window with no comparison to last year's ballclub, our rivals, our league, etc. Basically, how good can we get and how can we grow in this window of fall practice."
Replacing eight seniors, including No. 1 overall MLB draft pick Casey Mize, the Tigers welcome 18 new players, including six left-handers among eight new pitchers. Of Auburn's 19 pitchers, 10 are southpaws.
"It will be the first time in my career I can remember having more lefties than righties on the mound," Thompson said.
Shortstop Will Holland is the lone returning infield starter. Steven Williams, one of four freshman All-Americans in 2018, will practice at catcher during the fall.
"It was fun last year playing the best baseball I've ever played," said Holland, who hit .313 with 12 home runs and 52 RBI as a sophomore last season. "I just try to focus on the things I need to work on, strengthen my weaknesses and get better at my strengths."
Holland and Tanner Burns both competed this summer for USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team, with Burns, another freshman All-American, logging an outing in Havana, Cuba.
"I was around a lot of great people and a lot of great coaches," Burns said. "Playing baseball out of the country for the first time was a really cool experience."
A season-long member of Auburn's weekend rotation, Buns struck out 77 batters last season, the most by a Tiger freshman in a decade.
"Sometimes I had doubts that I don't belong here, but now I feel like I belong, playing with the USA team and now coming into this year," he said. "Being in that role last year was a good opportunity for me. Mainly, it gave me a lot of confidence rolling into this year."
Pitcher Davis Daniel returns for his junior season after passing up a second opportunity to play professional baseball.
"This is where I wanted to be," said Daniel, one of several juniors who are providing leadership. "The young guys seem willing to follow and ready to get to work."
Daniel, Burns and Cody Greenhill, a freshman All-American in 2018, return as key members of Auburn's pitching staff, with key positions up for grabs.
"I view it as a great opportunity for us and the new guys," Daniel said. "Everybody is going to have their fair shot, so they need to give it their best."
"I want us to not be complacent," Thompson said, reiterating his determination to avoid comparing the team he'll develop this fall with its predecessor. "With this ballclub and 18 new players, we basically need to focus on the task at hand, the present of this fall and see how good we can get individually and collectively."
The Tigers schedule for the opening weekend of fall practice at Plainsman Park is as follows.
Thursday – 2:45 p.m. (practice)
Friday – 2:45 p.m. (practice); 4 p.m. (scrimmage)
Saturday – 11 a.m. (practice); 1 p.m. (scrimmage)
Sunday – 1 p.m. (practice)
Auburn will also host a pair of fall exhibition games against Western Carolina Saturday, Oct. 27 at 2 p.m. CT and against Samford Friday, Nov. 2 at 5 p.m. All fall practices and scrimmages are free and open to the public.
Season tickets for the 2019 Auburn baseball season can be reserved by joining Tigers Unlimited as a Billy Hitchcock member or renewing your membership. Fans can contact Tigers Unlimited by phone at 1-855-282-2010 ext. 2 or by emailing tuf@auburn.edu. To process a donation online, click here.
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer
