Baseball News: 2-12-2026
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Dudley Dent
Feb 12, 2026, 8:11:56 AM (2 days ago) Feb 12
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Auburn Baseball News: 2-12-2026
Strength In Numbers: A look at Auburn baseball position players for 2026:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/auburn-baseball-opens-the-season-on-friday-against-youngstown-state-273969900/
'One of a kind': Auburn baseball, softball to honor 'Helmet Guy':
https://auburntigers.com/news/2026/02/11/one-of-a-kind-auburn-baseball-softball-to-honor-helmet-guy
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Strength In Numbers: A look at Auburn baseball position players for 2026
By Jason Caldwell
Pitching and defense are always going to be close to the heart of Auburn coach Butch Thompson. Both are core fundamentals of the game and have to be done well to win at a high level, but the game has also changed a whole lot in the last 25 years. It's not quite to the level of the Gorilla Ball years of the late 1990's in the Southeastern Conference, but scoring runs is a huge part of having success on the baseball diamond and that showed up in a big way for Auburn last season.
The Tigers finished the year 41-20 overall, went 17-13 in SEC play and earned a national seed in the NCAA Tournament. A big reason why was the ability to score runs. Last season Auburn scored six or more runs in 42 games and won 35 of those. When they didn't reach six, the Tigers were just 6-13.
The good news is that this Auburn team should be able to swing the bat with the return of talented sophomores Chris Rembert, Chase Fralick and Bub Terrell, juniors Eric Guevara, Bristol Carter and Cade Belyeu, senior Lucas Steele along with transfers like Todd Clay and Logan Gregorio.
That's nine players, but there are more that will be in the mix for playing time this season for the Tigers. With true freshman Ethin Bingaman likely to get a shot to show what he can do very early in the season along with fellow freshman Mason McCraine, Thompson said you can expect some different looks for the Tigers the first few weeks as they look for the right combination for this year's team.
"We will let the players start making the lineup out in regards to a season," Thompson said. "We'll do that on the pitching mound, we'll do that the same way positionally because we feel like we've got 13 or 14 guys, not just nine guys. We've got to play some guys offensively and defensively to see where we're at."
How that lineup looks will likely be different at times this weekend, but you can pencil in Rembert, Fralick, Terrell and Guevara. We know Rembert will be at second base and Fralick behind the plate, but Terrell could be in the outfield or first base while Guevara could play shortstop or his usual spot at third base.
From there things could look very different for this team from day to day. Ryne Farber is a guy that is expected to get a look at shortstop and when he's on the field it would mean Guevara shifting to third base. When Guevara is at short it would be Clay at third base and either Terrell, Brandon McCraine or even Bingaman at first base.
Another name to keep an eye on is true freshman catcher Taylor Belza. He's a left-handed hitter and while he won't supplant Fralick behind the plate, he could be the second guy up because of his strong defensive skills and a bat that continues to get better.
In the outfield things could also look very different. Terrell is going to be in the lineup somewhere everyday. If he's not at first it will be in the outfield. With veterans like Belyeu and Carter returning, the Tigers have two strong options. Mason McCrain could see time in the outfield as could Bingaman. One of the interesting names to watch is Steele. He has worked some in left field and could be an option for the Tigers if they want to get his bat in the lineup along with Gregorio.
Auburn opens the season on Friday at 5:30 p.m. against Youngstown State at Plainsman Park. Game two is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Saturday with the final game of the series set for 2 p.m. on Sunday. All three games will be streamed at SEC Network+.
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'One of a kind': Auburn baseball, softball to honor 'Helmet Guy'
By Jeff Shearer
Throughout Opening Weekend on The Plains, Auburn baseball and softball will pay tribute to a super fan best known for his love for Auburn, his booming voice and his choice of headgear.
The Helmet Guy, as Mike Cooper was affectionately known among Auburn fans.
A 1974 Auburn University industrial design graduate, Cooper passed away last August at the age of 77.
Auburn baseball will honor Cooper by wearing helmet stickers this season featuring Cooper’s initials and his trademark helmet. Fans attending Friday’s season opener against Youngstown State will receive Helmet Guy commemorative mini helmets.
“One of a kind,” baseball coach Butch Thompson said of Cooper. “We get to begin our season by honoring one of our most faithful fans I’ve ever seen in starting my four decades of college baseball.”
Thompson referenced Cooper during the Auburn Diamond Club’s 25th preseason banquet, calling him a “great friend that loved Auburn baseball and absolutely a difference maker.”
An Auburn Diamond Club member, Cooper annually concluded the preseason banquet by leading attendees in enthusiastic “Let’s Go Auburn!” and “War Eagle!” cheers, like those he led for decades at Plainsman Park and Jane B. Moore Field.
Cooper’s allegiance to Auburn extended beyond its spring sports.
“Anything that has that AU on it, and at the heart of it, Mike would yell for,” Thompson said.
Traveling an hour and a half from Clanton, Alabama, with his wife, Nancy, with whom he shared 51 years of marriage, Cooper frequently cheered at both baseball and softball games on the same day when both programs played at home.
“When you have a passionate fanbase, you need big personalities to be a big part and lead it,” softball co-head coach Chris Malveaux said. “When people think about memories at Jane B. Moore Field, they think a lot about what Mike – the “Helmet Guy” – brought to the table.”
The Malveauxes’ first season on the Plains ended up being Cooper’s last one supporting Auburn softball.
“There was never a question when he was in the stadium,” Chris Malveaux said. “You always knew where he was at. You always heard him. You always heard his passion, and It rubbed off on so many people.
“I’m sure the fans were able to feed off of it, but our players appreciated it more than anything. They knew that he was always going to bring energy because he cared about them.”
Auburn’s co-head softball coaches appreciate having known Cooper beyond his raucous cheers.
“Talking to him away from the field, you could just see it in his eyes and by how he talked about our program,” Chris Malveaux said. “He would get teary-eyed when he talked about softball or baseball players and how much he loved those kids and wanted those kids to be taken care of. He loved watching them compete and do what they do. It’s almost like the perfect fan.”
Strength In Numbers: A look at Auburn baseball position players for 2026:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/auburn-baseball-opens-the-season-on-friday-against-youngstown-state-273969900/
'One of a kind': Auburn baseball, softball to honor 'Helmet Guy':
https://auburntigers.com/news/2026/02/11/one-of-a-kind-auburn-baseball-softball-to-honor-helmet-guy
***************************
Strength In Numbers: A look at Auburn baseball position players for 2026
By Jason Caldwell
Pitching and defense are always going to be close to the heart of Auburn coach Butch Thompson. Both are core fundamentals of the game and have to be done well to win at a high level, but the game has also changed a whole lot in the last 25 years. It's not quite to the level of the Gorilla Ball years of the late 1990's in the Southeastern Conference, but scoring runs is a huge part of having success on the baseball diamond and that showed up in a big way for Auburn last season.
The Tigers finished the year 41-20 overall, went 17-13 in SEC play and earned a national seed in the NCAA Tournament. A big reason why was the ability to score runs. Last season Auburn scored six or more runs in 42 games and won 35 of those. When they didn't reach six, the Tigers were just 6-13.
The good news is that this Auburn team should be able to swing the bat with the return of talented sophomores Chris Rembert, Chase Fralick and Bub Terrell, juniors Eric Guevara, Bristol Carter and Cade Belyeu, senior Lucas Steele along with transfers like Todd Clay and Logan Gregorio.
That's nine players, but there are more that will be in the mix for playing time this season for the Tigers. With true freshman Ethin Bingaman likely to get a shot to show what he can do very early in the season along with fellow freshman Mason McCraine, Thompson said you can expect some different looks for the Tigers the first few weeks as they look for the right combination for this year's team.
"We will let the players start making the lineup out in regards to a season," Thompson said. "We'll do that on the pitching mound, we'll do that the same way positionally because we feel like we've got 13 or 14 guys, not just nine guys. We've got to play some guys offensively and defensively to see where we're at."
How that lineup looks will likely be different at times this weekend, but you can pencil in Rembert, Fralick, Terrell and Guevara. We know Rembert will be at second base and Fralick behind the plate, but Terrell could be in the outfield or first base while Guevara could play shortstop or his usual spot at third base.
From there things could look very different for this team from day to day. Ryne Farber is a guy that is expected to get a look at shortstop and when he's on the field it would mean Guevara shifting to third base. When Guevara is at short it would be Clay at third base and either Terrell, Brandon McCraine or even Bingaman at first base.
Another name to keep an eye on is true freshman catcher Taylor Belza. He's a left-handed hitter and while he won't supplant Fralick behind the plate, he could be the second guy up because of his strong defensive skills and a bat that continues to get better.
In the outfield things could also look very different. Terrell is going to be in the lineup somewhere everyday. If he's not at first it will be in the outfield. With veterans like Belyeu and Carter returning, the Tigers have two strong options. Mason McCrain could see time in the outfield as could Bingaman. One of the interesting names to watch is Steele. He has worked some in left field and could be an option for the Tigers if they want to get his bat in the lineup along with Gregorio.
Auburn opens the season on Friday at 5:30 p.m. against Youngstown State at Plainsman Park. Game two is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Saturday with the final game of the series set for 2 p.m. on Sunday. All three games will be streamed at SEC Network+.
****************************
'One of a kind': Auburn baseball, softball to honor 'Helmet Guy'
By Jeff Shearer
Throughout Opening Weekend on The Plains, Auburn baseball and softball will pay tribute to a super fan best known for his love for Auburn, his booming voice and his choice of headgear.
The Helmet Guy, as Mike Cooper was affectionately known among Auburn fans.
A 1974 Auburn University industrial design graduate, Cooper passed away last August at the age of 77.
Auburn baseball will honor Cooper by wearing helmet stickers this season featuring Cooper’s initials and his trademark helmet. Fans attending Friday’s season opener against Youngstown State will receive Helmet Guy commemorative mini helmets.
“One of a kind,” baseball coach Butch Thompson said of Cooper. “We get to begin our season by honoring one of our most faithful fans I’ve ever seen in starting my four decades of college baseball.”
Thompson referenced Cooper during the Auburn Diamond Club’s 25th preseason banquet, calling him a “great friend that loved Auburn baseball and absolutely a difference maker.”
An Auburn Diamond Club member, Cooper annually concluded the preseason banquet by leading attendees in enthusiastic “Let’s Go Auburn!” and “War Eagle!” cheers, like those he led for decades at Plainsman Park and Jane B. Moore Field.
Cooper’s allegiance to Auburn extended beyond its spring sports.
“Anything that has that AU on it, and at the heart of it, Mike would yell for,” Thompson said.
Traveling an hour and a half from Clanton, Alabama, with his wife, Nancy, with whom he shared 51 years of marriage, Cooper frequently cheered at both baseball and softball games on the same day when both programs played at home.
“When you have a passionate fanbase, you need big personalities to be a big part and lead it,” softball co-head coach Chris Malveaux said. “When people think about memories at Jane B. Moore Field, they think a lot about what Mike – the “Helmet Guy” – brought to the table.”
The Malveauxes’ first season on the Plains ended up being Cooper’s last one supporting Auburn softball.
“There was never a question when he was in the stadium,” Chris Malveaux said. “You always knew where he was at. You always heard him. You always heard his passion, and It rubbed off on so many people.
“I’m sure the fans were able to feed off of it, but our players appreciated it more than anything. They knew that he was always going to bring energy because he cared about them.”
Auburn’s co-head softball coaches appreciate having known Cooper beyond his raucous cheers.
“Talking to him away from the field, you could just see it in his eyes and by how he talked about our program,” Chris Malveaux said. “He would get teary-eyed when he talked about softball or baseball players and how much he loved those kids and wanted those kids to be taken care of. He loved watching them compete and do what they do. It’s almost like the perfect fan.”
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