Baseball News: 6-9-2026
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Dudley Dent
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Auburn Baseball News: 6-9-2026
Why Auburn HC Butch Thompson Remains Excited For Future After Season-Ending Loss:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/baseball/why-auburn-hc-butch-thompson-excited-for-future-after-super-regional
Ethin Bingaman earns First Team Freshman All-America honors:
https://auburntigers.com/news/2026/06/8/ethin-bingaman-earns-first-team-freshman-all-america-honors
South Alabama transfer pitcher looking for a title with the Tigers:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/south-alabama-transfer-zach-stevens-talks-about-his-commitment-to-auburn-287597024/
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Why Auburn HC Butch Thompson Remains Excited For Future After Season-Ending Loss
By Griffin Barfield
Auburn Tigers on SI
Compared to many of the other teams in the Super Regional round of college baseball, the Auburn Tigers had one major difference: experience.
Throughout their NCAA Tournament run, as well as down the stretch of the season, the Tigers relied on underclassmen and a handful of juniors to secure a top-four seed in the postseason in back-to-back seasons. While the narrative typically has experienced benefit teams at this stage, Auburn was flipping the script.
Until it couldn’t keep its season alive on Saturday, falling to Ole Miss, 5-3, at Plainsman Park.
“I do think it’s a benefit,” head coach Butch Thompson said on experience after the game. “I mean, some coaches will say you have to be old. I thought we were almost tricking that narrative there a little bit.”
After the 2024 season, a year in which the Tigers didn’t make the NCAA Tournament at all under Thompson, he decided to change how his team was going to work. So, he used a homegrown group that featured standout freshmen such as Chase Fralick, Chris Rembert, Brandon McCraine and Andreas Alvarez.
While doing this, Thompson would also add bits and pieces from the portal, mainly players that could continue to grow in the system. That’s what he got in Virginia Tech freshman Jake Marciano, who ended up being the team’s ace in 2026 for Auburn. It came together the right way, in all.
“We were just trying to trick the system, because when our back was against the wall after ’24, I tried to do something I thought was best for Auburn and not me, as the coach, is what’s the right way to build this?” he said. “And, that’s where we came with the young guys and the three freshmen All-Americans last year.”
There were issues within the Super Regional series that you don’t specifically point to experience, but it’s a simple association. Auburn was 1-of-10 with runners in scoring position in the elimination game and had a 2-0 lead on the Rebels early. Thompson thought if the team scored another run while up, the Tigers would’ve forced a third game on Sunday.
Reality had other ideas, and now the Auburn head coach is looking at retention for 2026, saying he will be “keeping them in mind first.”
“It’s an amazing sophomore class, and we had some freshmen help us again,” Thompson said, “and so, being true to those guys and taking care of those guys properly instead of them feeling like they got somebody over the top of them.”
The Tigers will be continuing to do it differently, having a “nucleus” that will continue to feature this group of players for at least the next year. The MLB Draft looms, and some of the players in the rotation or top of the order could be wooed to go to either of those places, but that will be Thompson’s main focus over the next several weeks.
“I want them to come. I want them to stay. I want them to grow, I want them to pursue it here, and we were trying to do a little bit differently,” he said. “So, maybe that’s what nipped us at the end.”
An SEC Championship, a College World Series appearance or a national championship will be the only three things that Auburn can shoot for now, and the Tigers have the players to do it. However, the reshaping of the roster will need to be positive for that to happen.
“We need to add complementary pieces that will fill in what we lost, and we would absolutely try to add value for us if it were this hard to get here, right?” Thompson said.
“We got a great nucleus of this ball club, and we’ll visit with these guys and keep moving forward, but excited for the future as well.”
******************************
Ethin Bingaman earns First Team Freshman All-America honors
Ethin Bingaman was named First Team Freshman All-America by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Monday.
With the recognition, Bingaman becomes Auburn’s 23rd freshman All-American, including the eighth under head coach Butch Thompson. He was previously recognized by the Southeastern Conference as a Second Team All-SEC and SEC All-Freshman Team performer.
A native of Redlands, California, Bingaman finished his freshman season with a .330 average (71-for-215) and team-leading 60 runs scored to go along with nine doubles, 15 home runs and 50 RBI. His 15 home runs are the fourth most by an Auburn freshman in program history, and his 50 RBI are good for sixth most.
In SEC play, Bingaman upped his average to a team-best .333 (35-for-105) with 27 runs, six doubles, seven home runs and 32 RBI. His RBI total was good for the most on the team, the most by a freshman in the league this season, and the most by an Auburn freshman in conference play in the stat crew era (1993-present).
In seven postseason games, Bingaman tied for the team lead with a .379 average (11-for-29) to go along with nine runs, two doubles, four homers and eight RBI. He was named a member of the Auburn Regional All-Tournament Team.
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South Alabama transfer pitcher looking for a title with the Tigers
By Jason Caldwell
Looking for more right-handed pitching help heading into the 2027 season, the Auburn Tigers went to the portal and added a commitment from in-state standout Zach Stevens on Monday. Playing his first three years at South Alabama, the Millbrook native is coming off a huge season for the Jaguars as he prepares to make the move to the Plains.
Looking for a place he could come in and not only compete for a spot, but also have a chance to win a championship, Stevens said that's what he found at Auburn after visiting last week.
"I had a pretty good year this year," the Stanhope-Elmore product tells Auburn Undercover. "I felt like I needed to develop a little bit more. It's everybody's dream to play in the SEC. Growing up in Alabama, it's either Alabama or Auburn. Those were my two picks and I went with Auburn. I think it's a great decision.
"I'm very, very excited. I think there's one goal. That's to bring a national championship back to Auburn. I did some research on who was coming back and who was leaving. What I came up with is that it seems like they needed a piece like me. We're going to bring a national championship back."
Making 37 appearances in three seasons at USA, Stevens started 10 games his first two seasons in Mobile but it's when he transitioned to a reliever that his game flourished. Pitching in 19 games last year with one start, Stevens finished 7-1 overall with two saves and an ERA of just 2.53. In 42.2 innings he allowed just 36 hits and a batting average of .224. He struck out 47 with 21 walks on the year. He went at least 2.0 innings in 12 of his 19 outings last season.
Now he joins a pitching staff that could potentially have some strong pieces returning. With starters Andreas Alvarez and Jake Marciano both sophomores last year along with Jackson Sanders, Auburn could have a strong trio to build around. Throw in true freshman LJ Cormier and that's four key players that could be back for the Tigers, not to mention several others that could return. There's also a chance you could get back Alex Petrovic and/or Ryan Hetzler, who both still have a year of eligibility remaining.
"One thing you can't teach is experience," Stevens said. "A freshman coming in doesn't have that, but a guy that has played at the Division I level for three years has had leverage innings and meaningful innings. Those are things you can't teach. They (Auburn coaches) kind of harped on that. They saw that I was a competitor. That's what they want on the mound."
With the potential of having another deep pitching staff next year, Stevens said he's just ready to come in and see what he can do to help the Tigers win.
"My mindset is to compete," he said. "If I do my best, number one it will make the team better. Number two, I'll fall where I'm supposed to be, whether that's late in the game or starting."
Auburn is expected to be one of the favorites to compete for a national championship next season. It's part of the trajectory of the program and one of the reasons why Stevens is now a Tiger.
"Auburn has been in the postseason a lot here recently," Stevens said. "Just needed a few key pieces that will get you to Omaha. It's a successful season going to Omaha, but if you're there you might as well win the whole thing."
Why Auburn HC Butch Thompson Remains Excited For Future After Season-Ending Loss:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/baseball/why-auburn-hc-butch-thompson-excited-for-future-after-super-regional
Ethin Bingaman earns First Team Freshman All-America honors:
https://auburntigers.com/news/2026/06/8/ethin-bingaman-earns-first-team-freshman-all-america-honors
South Alabama transfer pitcher looking for a title with the Tigers:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/south-alabama-transfer-zach-stevens-talks-about-his-commitment-to-auburn-287597024/
***************************
Why Auburn HC Butch Thompson Remains Excited For Future After Season-Ending Loss
By Griffin Barfield
Auburn Tigers on SI
Compared to many of the other teams in the Super Regional round of college baseball, the Auburn Tigers had one major difference: experience.
Throughout their NCAA Tournament run, as well as down the stretch of the season, the Tigers relied on underclassmen and a handful of juniors to secure a top-four seed in the postseason in back-to-back seasons. While the narrative typically has experienced benefit teams at this stage, Auburn was flipping the script.
Until it couldn’t keep its season alive on Saturday, falling to Ole Miss, 5-3, at Plainsman Park.
“I do think it’s a benefit,” head coach Butch Thompson said on experience after the game. “I mean, some coaches will say you have to be old. I thought we were almost tricking that narrative there a little bit.”
After the 2024 season, a year in which the Tigers didn’t make the NCAA Tournament at all under Thompson, he decided to change how his team was going to work. So, he used a homegrown group that featured standout freshmen such as Chase Fralick, Chris Rembert, Brandon McCraine and Andreas Alvarez.
While doing this, Thompson would also add bits and pieces from the portal, mainly players that could continue to grow in the system. That’s what he got in Virginia Tech freshman Jake Marciano, who ended up being the team’s ace in 2026 for Auburn. It came together the right way, in all.
“We were just trying to trick the system, because when our back was against the wall after ’24, I tried to do something I thought was best for Auburn and not me, as the coach, is what’s the right way to build this?” he said. “And, that’s where we came with the young guys and the three freshmen All-Americans last year.”
There were issues within the Super Regional series that you don’t specifically point to experience, but it’s a simple association. Auburn was 1-of-10 with runners in scoring position in the elimination game and had a 2-0 lead on the Rebels early. Thompson thought if the team scored another run while up, the Tigers would’ve forced a third game on Sunday.
Reality had other ideas, and now the Auburn head coach is looking at retention for 2026, saying he will be “keeping them in mind first.”
“It’s an amazing sophomore class, and we had some freshmen help us again,” Thompson said, “and so, being true to those guys and taking care of those guys properly instead of them feeling like they got somebody over the top of them.”
The Tigers will be continuing to do it differently, having a “nucleus” that will continue to feature this group of players for at least the next year. The MLB Draft looms, and some of the players in the rotation or top of the order could be wooed to go to either of those places, but that will be Thompson’s main focus over the next several weeks.
“I want them to come. I want them to stay. I want them to grow, I want them to pursue it here, and we were trying to do a little bit differently,” he said. “So, maybe that’s what nipped us at the end.”
An SEC Championship, a College World Series appearance or a national championship will be the only three things that Auburn can shoot for now, and the Tigers have the players to do it. However, the reshaping of the roster will need to be positive for that to happen.
“We need to add complementary pieces that will fill in what we lost, and we would absolutely try to add value for us if it were this hard to get here, right?” Thompson said.
“We got a great nucleus of this ball club, and we’ll visit with these guys and keep moving forward, but excited for the future as well.”
******************************
Ethin Bingaman earns First Team Freshman All-America honors
Ethin Bingaman was named First Team Freshman All-America by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Monday.
With the recognition, Bingaman becomes Auburn’s 23rd freshman All-American, including the eighth under head coach Butch Thompson. He was previously recognized by the Southeastern Conference as a Second Team All-SEC and SEC All-Freshman Team performer.
A native of Redlands, California, Bingaman finished his freshman season with a .330 average (71-for-215) and team-leading 60 runs scored to go along with nine doubles, 15 home runs and 50 RBI. His 15 home runs are the fourth most by an Auburn freshman in program history, and his 50 RBI are good for sixth most.
In SEC play, Bingaman upped his average to a team-best .333 (35-for-105) with 27 runs, six doubles, seven home runs and 32 RBI. His RBI total was good for the most on the team, the most by a freshman in the league this season, and the most by an Auburn freshman in conference play in the stat crew era (1993-present).
In seven postseason games, Bingaman tied for the team lead with a .379 average (11-for-29) to go along with nine runs, two doubles, four homers and eight RBI. He was named a member of the Auburn Regional All-Tournament Team.
****************************
South Alabama transfer pitcher looking for a title with the Tigers
By Jason Caldwell
Looking for more right-handed pitching help heading into the 2027 season, the Auburn Tigers went to the portal and added a commitment from in-state standout Zach Stevens on Monday. Playing his first three years at South Alabama, the Millbrook native is coming off a huge season for the Jaguars as he prepares to make the move to the Plains.
Looking for a place he could come in and not only compete for a spot, but also have a chance to win a championship, Stevens said that's what he found at Auburn after visiting last week.
"I had a pretty good year this year," the Stanhope-Elmore product tells Auburn Undercover. "I felt like I needed to develop a little bit more. It's everybody's dream to play in the SEC. Growing up in Alabama, it's either Alabama or Auburn. Those were my two picks and I went with Auburn. I think it's a great decision.
"I'm very, very excited. I think there's one goal. That's to bring a national championship back to Auburn. I did some research on who was coming back and who was leaving. What I came up with is that it seems like they needed a piece like me. We're going to bring a national championship back."
Making 37 appearances in three seasons at USA, Stevens started 10 games his first two seasons in Mobile but it's when he transitioned to a reliever that his game flourished. Pitching in 19 games last year with one start, Stevens finished 7-1 overall with two saves and an ERA of just 2.53. In 42.2 innings he allowed just 36 hits and a batting average of .224. He struck out 47 with 21 walks on the year. He went at least 2.0 innings in 12 of his 19 outings last season.
Now he joins a pitching staff that could potentially have some strong pieces returning. With starters Andreas Alvarez and Jake Marciano both sophomores last year along with Jackson Sanders, Auburn could have a strong trio to build around. Throw in true freshman LJ Cormier and that's four key players that could be back for the Tigers, not to mention several others that could return. There's also a chance you could get back Alex Petrovic and/or Ryan Hetzler, who both still have a year of eligibility remaining.
"One thing you can't teach is experience," Stevens said. "A freshman coming in doesn't have that, but a guy that has played at the Division I level for three years has had leverage innings and meaningful innings. Those are things you can't teach. They (Auburn coaches) kind of harped on that. They saw that I was a competitor. That's what they want on the mound."
With the potential of having another deep pitching staff next year, Stevens said he's just ready to come in and see what he can do to help the Tigers win.
"My mindset is to compete," he said. "If I do my best, number one it will make the team better. Number two, I'll fall where I'm supposed to be, whether that's late in the game or starting."
Auburn is expected to be one of the favorites to compete for a national championship next season. It's part of the trajectory of the program and one of the reasons why Stevens is now a Tiger.
"Auburn has been in the postseason a lot here recently," Stevens said. "Just needed a few key pieces that will get you to Omaha. It's a successful season going to Omaha, but if you're there you might as well win the whole thing."
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