Auburn in the Pros: Nov. 8

by George Nunnelley
Auburn in the Pros: Nov. 8Auburn in the Pros: Nov. 8
Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

MLB

Richard Fitts (Boston Red Sox)
2024 MLB (4 games/starts): 0-1, 1.74 ERA, 20.2 IP, 19 H, 6 R/ 4 ER, 7 BB, 9 K, .250 B/AVG
2024 MiLB (24 games/23 starts): 9-5, 4.17 ERA, 116.2 IP, 112 H. 59 R/ 54 ER, 37 BB, 111 K, .253 B/AVG

Fitts started the season with Triple-A Worcester and registered 111 strikeouts in 116.2 innings. He debuted with the Boston Red Sox on Sept. 8, becoming Auburn’s 62nd big leaguer, including the 11th in the last five seasons. Fitts did not allow an earned run in the first three games of his major league career, becoming the second pitcher in MLB history to deliver 5.0+ innings without allowing an earned run in each of his first three starts. Making four starts in the big leagues, Fitts finished the season with a 1.74 ERA in 20.2 IP.

Bailey Horn (Boston Red Sox)
2024 MLB (18 games): 1-1, 6.50 ERA, 18.0 IP, 22 H, 14 R/ 13 ER, 10 BB, 13 K, .293 B/AVG
2024 MiLB (30 games/1 start): 4-3, 4.54 ERA, 29.2 IP, 31 H, 22 R/ 20 ER, 24 BB, 50 K, .214 B/AVG

Horn started the season with 21 appearances in Triple-A, highlighted by a 12-game stretch with Worcester that included a 1.69 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 16.0 innings. Following his hot stretch, he earned a promotion to Boston, making his MLB debut with the Red Sox on June 29. He bounced back-and-forth between Worcester and Boston for the remainder of the season, earning his first big-league win against the Yankees on July 26. He made five appearances for the Red Sox between August 12-18, and each of his last 12 appearances were scoreless or one-run outings.

Edouard Julien (Minnesota Twins)
2024 MLB (94 games): .199/.292/323, 36 R, 53 H, 9 2B, 0 3B, 8 HR, 21 RBI, 33 BB, 6 SB
2024 MiLB (49 games): .242/.395/.409, 33 R, 45 H, 8 2B, 1 3B, 7 HR, 20 RBI, 46 BB, 6 SB

Julien bounced back-and-forth between Triple-A St. Paul and the Twins this season, hitting a combined 15 home runs with 41 RBI. It marked his second straight season at the big league level after debuting a serving as a mainstay in the lineup in 2023. Julien hit a three-run home run to propel the Twins to a 4-3 win over Tampa Bay on Sept. 5, highlighting a six-game span from Sept. 2-7 during which he went 5-for-15 with three runs, a double, home run and three RBI.

Casey Mize (Detroit Tigers)
2024 MLB (22 games/20 starts): 2-6, 4.49 ERA, 102.1 IP, 121 H, 57 R/ 51 ER, 29 BB, 78 K, .290 B/AVG
2024 MiLB (4 games/starts) 0-0, 2.63 ERA, 13.2 IP, 10 H, 4 R/4 ER, 4 BB, 17 K, .204 B/AVG

Outside of a four-game rehab assignment with Triple-A Toledo, Mize bounced back Tommy John Surgery and turned in a 4.49 ERA in 22 games and 20 starts for the Tigers. The hottest team in baseball in the last two months of the season, Mize turned in back-to-back starts of 5.0+ innings and three earned runs in his first two appearances after being reactivated. He struck out four batters in 2.0 innings against Tampa Bay on Sept. 26 and was a member of the Tigers Wild Card roster.

Josh Palacios (Pittsburgh Pirates)
2024 MLB (23 games): .224/.333/.343, 10 R, 15 H, 2 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 10 BB, 1 SB
2024 MiLB (59 games): .288/.361/.500, 36 R, 61 H, 22 2B, 1 3B, 7 HR, 31 RBI, 23 BB, 6 SB

Palacios was another former Tiger to bounce back-and-fourth between Triple-A and the big leagues this season, ultimately collecting 76 hits, including 24 doubles, across the two levels. The fourth-year big leaguer made his season debut with Pittsburgh prior to the All-Star break and homered in back-to-back games on July 8-9. After getting injured at the end of July, Palacios was back to full health in September and collected multiple hits seven times in 13 games from Sept. 4-20. He was called back up to Pittsburgh prior to the end of the season and hit a two-run double in his final game on Sept. 29. 

Daniel Robert (Texas Rangers)
2024 MLB (4 games): 1-0, 3.18 ERA, 5.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R/ 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, .273 B/AVG
2024 MiLB (35 games): 4-2, 2.70 ERA, 43.1 IP, 22 H, 15 R/13 ER, 12 BB, 52 K, .144 B/AVG

Robert started the season lights out with Triple-A Round Rock, turning in a 2.35 ERA and 0.68 WHIP in 25 appearances and 30.2 innings pitched with the club. He did not allow an earned run and only four hits across 19.0 innings pitched from May 22-July 4 and was named the Rangers Minor League Pitcher of the Month for June. For his efforts, Roberts was called up to the Rangers on July 8 and became the 61st big leaguer in program history. He was sent back to Round Rock after three big-league appearances, but was recalled by the Rangers at the end of the season and earned his first MLB win in his final appearance on Sept. 27.

Keegan Thompson (Chicago Cubs)
2024 MLB (24 games): 2-1, 2.67 ERA, 30.1 IP, 19 H, 12 R/ 9 ER, 18 BB, 36 K, .224 B/AVG
2024 MiLB (20 games): 2-1, 2.96 ERA, 27.1 IP, 15 H, 11 R/9 ER, 10 BB, 38 K, .161 B/AVG

A fourth-year big leaguer and seventh-year pro, Thompson was an effective contributor at both the Triple-A and big league levels in 2024, turning in a combined 2.81 ERA in 44 appearances across the two levels. Despite spending time some on the injured list at the end of June, Thompson nailed down two saves in two opportunities and registered a pair of holds with Chicago. The right hander allowed just two earned runs in his final 15 appearances and 17.2 innings pitched with Chicago, and his 2.67 ERA and .178 batting average against at the big league level were both career bests.

Trey Wingenter (Chicago Cubs)
2024 MLB (7 games): 0-0, 9.72 ERA, 8.1 IP, 13 H, 9 R/ 9 ER, 4 BB, 6 K, .351 B/AVG
2024 MiLB (38 games): 5-5, 2.98 ERA, 48.1 IP, 40 H, 22 R/ 16 ER, 22 BB, 75 K, .222 B/AVG

Back to health for the second season after logging only 7.0 professional innings from 2019-22, Wingenter picked up four wins, two saves, and posted a solid 3.31 ERA with 48 strikeouts over 32.2 innings in 26 appearances for Triple-A Toledo (Detroit) before being traded to Boston on July 6. He was activated by the Red Sox on July 9 and appeared in six games for Boston. In August, he was claimed by the Cubs and assigned to Triple-A Iowa, where he turned in a 2.79 ERA in eight appearances during the month before being called up to Chicago to finish the season in September.

Triple-A

Ryan Bliss (Tacoma Rainiers – Seattle Mariners)
2024 MLB (33 games): .222/.290/.397, 10 R, 14 H, 3 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 5 BB, 5 SB
2024 MiLB (93 games): .269/.377/.456, 67 R, 97 H, 25 2B, 3 3B, 12 HR, 54 RBI, 61 BB, 50 SB

After a breakthrough 2023 season in which he was named to the Futures Game and an Arizona Fall League Rising Star, Bliss was the first of four Auburn players to make their MLB debut in 2024. He was called up to Seattle on May 27 and collected his first big league hit on June 1 and first big league homer June 7. His hottest stretch in the big leagues came from June 20-22, going 7-for-9 with three doubles, a triple and four RBI while collecting three hits in two of the three games. The former All-American returned to Tacoma at the end of July and hit .288 in the final two months of the season. Bliss also led the Pacific Coast League with 50 stolen bases, marking his second straight season with 50 or more bags.  

Tanner Burns (Columbus Clippers – Cleveland Guardians)
2024 MiLB (51 games): 5-3, 4.59 ERA, 68.2 IP, 57 H, 41 R/ 35 ER, 47 BB, 70 K, .225 B/AVG

In his first season as a relief pitcher, Burns ranked 12th in minor league baseball with 51 appearances and recorded 10 holds with three saves. The former first round pick saved his best for last, turning in a 2.70 ERA in 10 appearances and 13.1 innings during August before following it up with a 3.72 ERA and .100 batting average against in eight appearances in September, helping lead Columbus to the International League Championship Series. Burns’ season was highlighted by recording a save with a clean ninth inning and finishing off a combined no-hitter on Sept. 19.

Garrett Cooper (Norfolk Tides – Baltimore Orioles)
2024 MLB (36 games): .206/.267/.299, 6 R, 22 H, 5 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 11 RBI, 7 BB, 0 SB
2024 MiLB (20 games): .310/.393/.521, 22 R, 37 H, 3 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 24 RBI, 9 BB, 0 SB

After playing for the Cubs and the Red Sox at the beginning of the year, his eighth MLB season, Cooper was signed by the Orioles and assigned to Triple-A Norfolk, where he hit .310 in 20 games played. In his first week with the club, Cooper was named the International League Player of the Week after homering four times with 10 RBI in four games from July 2-5. He hit .372 with 18 RBI in July before being placed on the injured list but returned in September and went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI in his final game of the season.

Davis Daniel (Salt Lake Bees – Los Angeles Angels)
2024 MLB (6 games/starts): 1-4, 6.23 ERA, 30.1 IP, 39 H, 22 R/21 ER, 6 BB, 28 K, .307 B/AVG
2024 MiLB (22 games/21 starts): 9-7, 5.42 ERA, 118.0 IP, 139 H, 74 R/71 ER, 34 BB, 122 K, .289 B/AVG

Another one of Auburn’s 11 former players to play in the big leagues in 2024, Daniel made 14 starts with Triple-A Salt Lake to begin the season before being recalled by the Angels on June 27. The fourth-year pro made his season debut that night, turning in 8.0 scoreless inning with eight strikeouts. Between Triple-A and MLB, the right hander registered career highs in wins (10) and innings (148.1) with 150 combined strikeouts.

Will Holland (St. Paul Saints – Minnesota Twins)
2024 MiLB (41 games): .299/.438/.556, 32 R, 35 H, 10 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, 20 RBI, 17 BB, 13 SB

Prior to being sidelined for the remainder of the season with an injury at the end of June, Holland had turned in his best professional season to date, registering career highs in average, OBP, SLG and OPS (.984) in 41 games with Triple-A St. Paul. His .299 average registered 70 points higher than his previous career best. A versatile player, Holland appeared defensively at both middle infield positions and all three outfield spots and committed just four errors in 130 chances.  

Tyler Miller (Worcester Red Sox – Boston Red Sox)
2024 MiLB (98 games): 240/.296/.358, 39 R, 82 H, 23 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 42 RBI, 26 BB, 2 SB

Miller was promoted twice in 2024, starting the season with High-A Greenville before advancing to Double-A Portland and finishing the year with Triple-A Worcester. The fourth-year pro had an impressive start to the season, earning South Atlantic League Player of the Week honors on April 29 after hitting .500 with two doubles, a home run, and four RBI in five games the week prior. Despite the whirlwind of three promotions, he maintained a steady batting average and collected a career-high 23 doubles.

Ryan Watson (Sacramento River Cats – San Francisco Giants)
2024 MiLB (28 games): 3-1, 2.83 ERA, 35.0 IP, 25 H, 11 R/ 11 ER, 13 BB, 36 K, .205 B/AVG

Watson turned in a 3-1 record with a 2.38 ERA in 17 appearances between Double-A and Triple-A in the Orioles organization before being traded to San Francisco in August. Seven of his 10 appearances with Triple-A Sacramento were scoreless outings, and the fourth-year pro and former Orioles Minor League Pitcher of the Year saved his best for last as he turned in a 2.70 ERA in six appearances in September, ending the year with four straight scoreless outings.

Double-A

Mason Barnett (Midland Rockhounds – Oakland Athletics)
2024 MiLB (26 games/25 starts): 9-8, 4.20 ERA, 133.0 IP, 121 H, 69 R/ 62 ER, 49 BB, 161 K, .240 B/AVG

After being named a MiLB Organizational All-Star for the Royals in 2023, Barnett picked up in 2024 where he left off the year prior as he registered 10 strikeouts in 5.0 innings in his third start of the season on April 18. The third-year pro was traded to the Athletics prior to the trade deadline and went 4-2 with a 2.61 ERA with 52 strikeouts in 41.1 innings with Double-A Midland. In his last four starts, including a pair in the postseason, the organization’s No. 6 prospect according to MLB Pipeline went 3-0 with a 0.75 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 24.0 innings. He struck out eight or more batters in five of his last seven starts and ranked eighth in MiLB with 161 strikeouts.

Trace Bright (Bowie Baysox – Baltimore Orioles)
2024 MiLB (27 games/starts): 0-11, 4.18 ERA, 112.0 IP, 106 H, 58 R/ 52 ER, 60 BB, 120 K, .252 B/AVG

Rated by MLB Pipeline as the Orioles’ No. 12 prospect, Bright spent the entire 2024 season with the Bowie Baysox and helped the club a new-single season franchise record by recording the 1,305th strikeout of the year on Sept. 14. Bright started all 27 of his appearances and ranked second on the team in strikeouts (120) and innings (112.0). His strikeout total was good for eighth in the Eastern League, and he fanned five or more batters in 16 of his 27 starts.  

Calvin Coker (Erie SeaWolves - Detroit Tigers)
2024 MiLB (41): 3-4, 3.20 ERA, 56.1 IP, 51 H, 22 R/ 20 ER, 24 BB, 28 K, .244 B/AVG

After spending his first six professional seasons in Oakland’s organization, Coker was selected by Detroit in the second round of the Rule 5 Draft last December and served as one of Erie’s steadiest relievers in 2024. He ranked third on the team with five saves and tied for fourth with 41 appearances, the second most of his career. The side-armer saved his best for last as he didn’t allow a run in his last five appearances and 7.0 innings.  

Nate LaRue (New Hampshire Fisher Cats – Toronto Blue Jays)
2024 MiLB (12 games): .133/.278/.233, 2 R, 4 H, 3 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 2 RBI, 6 BB, 1 SB

LaRue made his season debut with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on Sept. 1 after recovering from a stint on the 60-day IL. Including a rehab assignment, he appeared in a total of 12 games, going 4-for-13 with three doubles in his first six contests before not appearing in August and returning in September.  

Brody Moore (Springfield Cardinals – St. Louis Cardinals)
2024 MiLB (108 games): .260/.319/.332, 60 R, 105 H, 16 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 37 RBI, 32 BB, 30 SB

After playing in 108 games for High-A Peoria, Moore was called up to Double-A Springfield at the end of September but did not appear for the Cardinals before the end of the season. The third-year pro registered career highs in every offensive category including average, runs, hits, doubles, homers and RBI. He led Peoria in games, runs, hits, and stolen bases while ranking third in doubles and heated up with the weather, hitting .315 between July and August, including a career-best, four-hit performance on August. 30.

Blake Rambusch (Arkansas Travelers – Seattle Mariners)
2024 MiLB (69 games): .277/.400/.320, 42 R, 57 H, 5 2B, 2 3B, 0 HR, 18 RBI, 34 BB, 25 SB

After starting the season on the 60-day IL, Rambusch began a rehab assignment in May and was assigned to Double-A Arkansas on June 11. He had an outing the next day and remained consistent for the rest of June, hitting .283 for the month. After an up-and-down July, Rambusch raised his average at the end of the August and finished the season on a hot streak, hitting .464 (13-for-28) in September. He went a combined 7-for-8 in two games on Sept. 10-11.

Carson Skipper (Hartford Yard Goats – Colorado Rockies)
2024 MiLB (49 games): 9-3, 2.45 ERA, 58.2 IP, 51 H, 19 R/ 16 ER, 18 BB, 79 K, .226 B/AVG

After not allowing a run in his first 14 appearances of the season, Skipper turned in a career year in 2024 and was ultimately named a Northwest League Postseason All-Star for his efforts. The left-hander logged a 7-1 record and 1.40 ERA in 34 appearances with High-A Spokane before being promoted to Hartford on July 19. He adjusted to the higher level in his first six appearances but finished strong with a 2.61 ERA in his final nine appearances and 10.1 innings in August and September. He fanned 12.12 batters per 9.0 innings and walked just 2.76 batters per 9.0 innings for the season.

High-A

Blake Burkhalter (Rome Emperors – Atlanta Braves)
2024 MiLB (16 games/starts): 3-4, 3.00 ERA, 72.0 IP, 69 H, 26 R/ 24 ER, 18 BB, 69 K, .256 B/AVG

Burkhalter began the year on the IL as he continued to come back from Tommy John surgery and was activated by Rome on June 9 after a two-start rehab assignment. After logging a 2.70 ERA with 17 strikeouts and one walk in 20.0 innings in his first fully healthy month in July, Burkhalter began August with 7.0 scoreless innings before ending the month with a career-high 11 strikeouts in 6.0 scoreless innings. He turned in another 7.0 inning start and earned a win on Sept. 4 and earned the start in the team’s first postseason game on Sept. 10, allowing one run in 5.0 innings.

Sonny DiChiara (Tri-City Dust Devils – Los Angeles Angels)
2024 MiLB (98 games): .237/.354/.404, 51 R, 81 H, 21 2B, 0 3B, 12 HR, 60 RBI, 57 BB, 2 SB

Playing in his third pro season after being named the 2022 SEC Co-Player of the Year, DiChiara started the year with Triple-A Salt Lake but spent the majority of the season with the Island Empire 66ers and Tri-City Dust Devils. With the first half of his season highlighted by a two-homer, five-RBI game on June 25 and a walk-off grand slam on July 19 with Island Empire, DiChiara was promoted to Tri-City on July 30. He hit .333 with five doubles, four homers and 19 RBI in 29 games with the club, including .342 in August and .438 in September.

Cole Foster (Eugene Emeralds – San Francisco Giants)
2024 MiLB (77 games): .213/.293/.318, 37 R, 63 H, 17 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 41 RBI, 23 BB, 7 SB

Entering his first full season of pro ball, Foster played the first 56 games of the year with Single-A San Jose, tallying 20 extra-base hits and driving in 36 runs, highlighted by a six-RBI effort on June 20. He was then promoted to High-A Eugene on July 3 and wasted no time in making himself at home with his new club as he homered in his second game. Foster played both middle infield positions at both levels and logged nearly 700 innings in the field.  

Peyton Glavine (Wilmington Blue Rocks – Washington Nationals)

Glavine was placed on the 60-day IL on March 20 and did not appear in 2024. The fourth-year pro has turned in a 3.15 ERA in 26 career appearances.

Chase Isbell (Quad Cities River Bandits – Kansas City Royals)
2024 MiLB (33 games): 4-3, 2.84 ERA, 50.2 IP, 26 H, 21 R/16 ER, 14 BB, 64 K, .200 B/AVG

Also entering his first full season of pro ball, Isbell was one Kansas City’s most serviceable minor league relievers. The right hander turned in a miniscule 0.79 ERA and 0.62 WHIP in 13 appearances with Single-A Columbia before being promoted to High-A Quad Cities on June 10. Isbell’s last outing with Columbia was an eight-out save, and he earned a win in his third outing with Quad Cities. He didn’t allow an earned run in 23 of his 33 outings, including his last four appearances and 7.0 innings.

Hayden Mullins (Greenville Drive – Boston Red Sox)
2024 MiLB (22 games/17 starts): 4-5, 3.94 ERA, 89.0 IP, 73 H, 48 R/39 ER, 42 BB, 118 K, .223 B/AVG

Enjoying his first fully healthy season since being drafted, Mullins spent the entire 2024 season with High-A Greenville. His best month came in June when he posted a 2.45 ERA and struck out 33 batters over 22.0 innings, and the southpaw finished the season with 118 strikeouts in 89.0 innings pitched, good for 11.93 strikeouts per 9.0 innings. Mullins led Greenville in both strikeouts and innings and fanned eight or more batters on four occasions, including a 10-strikeout performance on June 13.

Jack Owen (Lansing Lugnuts - Oakland Athletics)
2024 MiLB (35 games): 3-1, 7.41 ERA, 51.0 IP, 75 H, 43 R, 42 ER, 17 BB, 33 K, .339 B/AVG

A fourth-year pro, Owen registered three wins and a hold in a career-high 35 relief appearances. The left handers best month of the season came in May when he earned a pair of wins and turned in a 3.60 ERA in 10.0 innings of work. Eight of his last 14 appearances of the season were 2.0+ innings. He ended the year with a 4.35 ERA in his last six appearances and 10.1 innings.  

Tommy Vail (Winston-Salem Dash – Chicago White Sox)
2024 MiLB (26 games/10 starts): 5-4, 1.69 ERA, 69.1 IP, 35 H, 15 R/ 13 ER, 36 BB, 100 K, .148 B/AVG

Vailed signed a free agent contract with the White Sox on March 29 and made an instant impact with the organization as he ultimately turned in a 1.69 ERA across two levels and struck out 12.98 batters per 9.0 innings. Vail started the season in Single-A but was promoted to High-A Winston Salem after 14 games, including a near-perfect April in which he didn’t allow a run and struck out 19 batters with three walks in 12.0 innings. Vail recorded 10 strikeouts and earned the win in his first outing with Winston-Salem and registered a 0.45 ERA with 30 strikeouts in 20.0 innings in July. Outside of his first four appearances in April, he didn’t have an ERA higher than 3.00 in any month.

Bryson Ware (Jersey Shore BlueClaws – Philadelphia Phillies)
2024 MiLB (102 games): .226/.314/.377, 47 R, 82 H, 17 2B, 4 3B, 10 HR, 52 RBI, 39 BB, 14 SB

In his first full pro season, Ware played 75 games with the Clearwater Threshers before earning a promotion to the High-A Jersey Shore BlueClaws. Eight of his nine home runs came between May 17 and July 4, highlighted by a two-homer, five-RBI performance against Dunedin to cap off the hot streak on July 4. In 27 games with the BlueClaws, Ware upped his average to .293 with 29 hits, including six doubles, four triples and a homer. He hit .310 in August, highlighted by seven hits in three games from Aug. 15-17 and a four-hit performance on August 22.

2024 Draftees & Signees

The following former players were either selected in the 2024 MLB Draft or signed as an undrafted free agent but did not make their professional debuts prior to the end of the minor league season.

Chase Allsup: Selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the fourth round
Tanner Bauman: Selected by the New York Yankees in the ninth round
Will Cannon: Selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 12th round
Christian Herberholz: Signed by the Baltimore Orioles as an undrafted free agent
Cooper Weiss: Signed by the San Diego Padres as an undrafted free agent