Baseball News: 2-11-2026
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Dudley Dent
Feb 11, 2026, 8:32:07 AM (3 days ago) Feb 11
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Auburn Baseball News: 2-11-2026
Highlighting Auburn's pitching plans for opening weekend at Plainsman Park:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/butch-thompson-talks-about-auburns-plans-on-the-mound-against-youngstown-state-273779049/
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Highlighting Auburn's pitching plans for opening weekend at Plainsman Park
By Jason Caldwell
When the Auburn Tigers take the field for opening weekend beginning Friday at 5:30 p.m. against Youngstown State, the guy on the mound will be Virginia Tech transfer Jake Marciano. A lefty that coach Butch Thompson and his staff targeted to potentially be a key starter in 2026, Marciano has come in and earned the right to get the ball first, Thompson said. Behind him will be a couple of homegrown players in sophomore LHP Jackson Sanders and redshirt sophomore RHP Alex Petrovic. Both have been good in the preseason, but Thompson said they'll give the ball to Marciano right out of the gate.
"We've been excited since he's gotten here," Thompson said of Marciano. "All his benchmarks have been healthy. As I've been advertising, nothing's changed. We're staying committed to how we wanted these players to earn it, the strike percentage. Jake, just a fastball to both sides, he can texture pitches, has a change up to go with it. So Jake, we feel convicted and it was kind of a 100% consensus within our coaching staff."
A player that won't be available this weekend but will likely be in the rotation is junior LHP Griffin Graves. Pitching well to end last season, Graves has been good in the preseason but will miss a start with a muscle strain.
"Feel like the guy that's closest to clicking at his heels was Griffin Graves, who is going to have to miss his first weekend with at lat pull," Thompson said. "So that would be the first thing I was thinking if I was a fan paying attention, where's Graves and we feel like we need another week. He's still throwing and I'm just thankful. This time of year is a very dangerous ramp up time 100%, and he actually did it on the mound in one of our squad games, and you're thinking elbow, shoulder, the worst, and for that up being a lat pull is thankful but it does cost him time here, especially this first weekend."
One of the most talented players in Auburn's freshman class a season ago, Sanders pitched in 15 games in relief, finishing with a 5.29 ERA in 17 innings. Now he'll get his shot to show what he can do in a starting role this weekend for the Tigers. Then it will be Petrovic, who has pitched well when healthy his first two seasons.
"Jackson Sanders has probably done the most and come the furthest rising out of the ashes of all the competition to take that two spot for opening weekend," Thompson said. "Then Alex Petrovic, the pitching captain, has just driven a high strike percentage and when healthy's been great. It's his ability to stay healthy that has been a challenge and why we haven't pitched him more."
This is the first weekend of what could still very much be a competition for the weekend positions this season. With several more candidates available to throw and likely to see action because of how early it is, Thompson said there are plenty of other guys to keep in mind.
"In no way, shape, form or fashion, should our people forget about a Christian Chatterton or Dre Alvarez, or any of these other guys like Drew Whelan that we believe in because all our guys are trained about 65, 70 pitches going into the season," Thompson said. "You really need two guys that are built up in pitch count for each game, and so I wouldn't be surprised whatsoever to see a Whalen, Chatterton, Alvarez, you know, for the starters to pass the baton to three really good guys in that realm."
Maybe the other biggest question on the mound for the Tigers is who will finish games? Last year's closer Ryan Hetzler is back after recording 8 saves and finishing with a 2-1 record and an ERA of 3.86. After getting a look as a starter, the second-year player is still expected to be on the back end of games for the Tigers. Along with him will be Michigan State transfer LHP Garrett Brewer, who has been one of the top guys at Auburn since arriving in the fall. Thompson said both of those guys will get a look this weekend along with Jett Johnston. True freshman Ethin Bingaman is also a possibility in addition to seeing time on the field, potentially at first base.
"Hetzler had the eight saves and we believe in him, and he was our highest strike percentage guy on the whole team," Thompson said. "He walks into the season at 78% strikes in the fall and the preseason. The players really believe in the first opportunity to help Hetzler is a left-handed version, Garrett Brewer from Michigan State.
"Who else has thrown the best here, since we've been back to preseason? Jet Johnston has thrown his highest strike percentage four consistent outings of doing the same thing. Really, the four most consistent outings of his time being here. He's seen enough. He's been with us long enough to to make a difference. So we'll have to overcome Griffin Graves's not being there, but I think from starters, valuable starters are coming behind them, guys that we believe in. Then a couple of guys that have thrown in the pen either for us or in the Big Ten."
Game times for the opening weekend are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Friday, 6 p.m. on Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Highlighting Auburn's pitching plans for opening weekend at Plainsman Park:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/butch-thompson-talks-about-auburns-plans-on-the-mound-against-youngstown-state-273779049/
****************************
Highlighting Auburn's pitching plans for opening weekend at Plainsman Park
By Jason Caldwell
When the Auburn Tigers take the field for opening weekend beginning Friday at 5:30 p.m. against Youngstown State, the guy on the mound will be Virginia Tech transfer Jake Marciano. A lefty that coach Butch Thompson and his staff targeted to potentially be a key starter in 2026, Marciano has come in and earned the right to get the ball first, Thompson said. Behind him will be a couple of homegrown players in sophomore LHP Jackson Sanders and redshirt sophomore RHP Alex Petrovic. Both have been good in the preseason, but Thompson said they'll give the ball to Marciano right out of the gate.
"We've been excited since he's gotten here," Thompson said of Marciano. "All his benchmarks have been healthy. As I've been advertising, nothing's changed. We're staying committed to how we wanted these players to earn it, the strike percentage. Jake, just a fastball to both sides, he can texture pitches, has a change up to go with it. So Jake, we feel convicted and it was kind of a 100% consensus within our coaching staff."
A player that won't be available this weekend but will likely be in the rotation is junior LHP Griffin Graves. Pitching well to end last season, Graves has been good in the preseason but will miss a start with a muscle strain.
"Feel like the guy that's closest to clicking at his heels was Griffin Graves, who is going to have to miss his first weekend with at lat pull," Thompson said. "So that would be the first thing I was thinking if I was a fan paying attention, where's Graves and we feel like we need another week. He's still throwing and I'm just thankful. This time of year is a very dangerous ramp up time 100%, and he actually did it on the mound in one of our squad games, and you're thinking elbow, shoulder, the worst, and for that up being a lat pull is thankful but it does cost him time here, especially this first weekend."
One of the most talented players in Auburn's freshman class a season ago, Sanders pitched in 15 games in relief, finishing with a 5.29 ERA in 17 innings. Now he'll get his shot to show what he can do in a starting role this weekend for the Tigers. Then it will be Petrovic, who has pitched well when healthy his first two seasons.
"Jackson Sanders has probably done the most and come the furthest rising out of the ashes of all the competition to take that two spot for opening weekend," Thompson said. "Then Alex Petrovic, the pitching captain, has just driven a high strike percentage and when healthy's been great. It's his ability to stay healthy that has been a challenge and why we haven't pitched him more."
This is the first weekend of what could still very much be a competition for the weekend positions this season. With several more candidates available to throw and likely to see action because of how early it is, Thompson said there are plenty of other guys to keep in mind.
"In no way, shape, form or fashion, should our people forget about a Christian Chatterton or Dre Alvarez, or any of these other guys like Drew Whelan that we believe in because all our guys are trained about 65, 70 pitches going into the season," Thompson said. "You really need two guys that are built up in pitch count for each game, and so I wouldn't be surprised whatsoever to see a Whalen, Chatterton, Alvarez, you know, for the starters to pass the baton to three really good guys in that realm."
Maybe the other biggest question on the mound for the Tigers is who will finish games? Last year's closer Ryan Hetzler is back after recording 8 saves and finishing with a 2-1 record and an ERA of 3.86. After getting a look as a starter, the second-year player is still expected to be on the back end of games for the Tigers. Along with him will be Michigan State transfer LHP Garrett Brewer, who has been one of the top guys at Auburn since arriving in the fall. Thompson said both of those guys will get a look this weekend along with Jett Johnston. True freshman Ethin Bingaman is also a possibility in addition to seeing time on the field, potentially at first base.
"Hetzler had the eight saves and we believe in him, and he was our highest strike percentage guy on the whole team," Thompson said. "He walks into the season at 78% strikes in the fall and the preseason. The players really believe in the first opportunity to help Hetzler is a left-handed version, Garrett Brewer from Michigan State.
"Who else has thrown the best here, since we've been back to preseason? Jet Johnston has thrown his highest strike percentage four consistent outings of doing the same thing. Really, the four most consistent outings of his time being here. He's seen enough. He's been with us long enough to to make a difference. So we'll have to overcome Griffin Graves's not being there, but I think from starters, valuable starters are coming behind them, guys that we believe in. Then a couple of guys that have thrown in the pen either for us or in the Big Ten."
Game times for the opening weekend are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Friday, 6 p.m. on Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.
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