Baseball News: 7-6-2026
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Dudley Dent
Jul 6, 2026, 8:10:16 AM (yesterday) Jul 6
to Tiger Tracks
Auburn Baseball News: 7-6-2026
Fralick, Sanders earn spot on USA Baseball Collegiate National Team:
https://auburntigers.com/news/2026/07/5/fralick-sanders-earn-spot-on-usa-baseball-collegiate-national-team
Tiger trio tabbed D1 Baseball Freshman All-America:
https://auburntigers.com/news/2026/07/2/tiger-trio-tabbed-d1-baseball-freshman-all-america
MLB Draft to determine next step for Auburn baseball:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/auburn-will-be-keeping-a-close-eye-on-the-mlb-draft-next-weekend-288137098/
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Fralick, Sanders earn spot on USA Baseball Collegiate National Team
Following 11 days of training camp that included workouts, practices and exhibition games, Chase Fralick and Jackson Sanders earned a spot on the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, USA Baseball announced Sunday.
The 2026 Collegiate National Team will compete in the inaugural World Collegiate Baseball Championship at Taichung City Intercontinental Baseball Stadium in Taichung City, Taiwan, from July 11-15.
Fralick and Sanders earned two spots on the 28-man final roster are the second duo to represent Auburn on the Collegiate National Team, marking the Tigers’ 12th and 13th representatives all-time. Auburn is one of six programs with multiple representatives this summer, joining Florida, Mississippi State, Oregon, Texas and UCLA.
Fralick started all eight exhibition games for the Stars during training camp and was one of seven players with multiple hits and multiple RBI while reaching base at a .333 clip. Sanders made three scoreless relief appearances for the Stars, allowing just two hits while striking out four. Also competing in training camp, unanimous Freshman All-American Ethin Bingaman played for the Stripes in all eight contests and led the team with four RBI while ranking second with seven hits.
The World Collegiate Baseball Championship format will feature five days of games, with three days of pool play followed by the semifinals and medal games. The U.S. will open its pool play slate on July 11 against Korea at 11:30 p.m. CT (11:30 a.m. local time), face Chinese Taipei on July 12 at 5:30 a.m. CT (5:30 p.m. local time), and then play Japan on July 13 at 11:30 p.m. CT (11:30 a.m. local time). The semifinals will be played July 14 and the finals, which will consist of gold- and bronze-medal games, will be held July 15.
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Tiger trio tabbed D1 Baseball Freshman All-America
Ethin Bingaman, Mason McCraine and LJ Cormier were named Freshman All-America by D1 Baseball Wednesday. Bingaman earned first-team honors at first base, while McCraine was named second-team outfielder and Cormier a second-team relief pitcher.
Auburn’s three Freshman All-America honors are the most in the country and tied for the second most in a single season in program history, trailing 2018 (four) and tied with 2008.
The honors are the fourth for Bingaman, who has also been named First Team Freshman All-America by Baseball America, NCBWA and Perfect Game, and the second for McCraine, who was previously named Second Team Freshman All-America by Baseball America. It’s the first recognition for Cormier, who becomes the 25th Freshman All-American in program history, including the 10th under head coach Butch Thompson.
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).
From right down the road in Salem, Alabama, McCraine turned in a .320 average (57-for-178) in 51 games played and was one of six players to drive in 40 or more runs with 42 on the year. He ranked second among everyday position players with a .426 on-base percentage and third with a .556 slugging percentage while scoring 45 runs with 14 doubles, two triples and eight home runs.
In seven NCAA tournament games, Bingaman and McCraine tied for the team lead with a .379 average (11-for-29) and combined to score 17 runs while adding seven doubles, a triple and six home runs with 15 RBI.
Cormier, who previously became Auburn’s first freshman pitcher to earn ABCA All-Region honors since Finley Woodward in 1995, led the team with a 2.50 ERA in a team-high 21 appearances and led Auburn relievers in strikeouts (63) and innings pitched (50.1). He posted a 2-0 record, logged a pair of saves and held opponents to a .194 average against, the lowest among Auburn’s qualified pitchers. Of his 36 hits allowed only nine were for extra bases, and 12 of his 21 appearances were scoreless outings while he allowed only one run in six more.
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MLB Draft to determine next step for Auburn baseball
By Jason Caldwell
Since losing infielders Kevin McGonigle and Colt Emerson to the MLB Draft in 2023, the Auburn Tigers have been very fortunate with their signing classes in recent years. It may take some good fortune this time around for coach Butch Thompson and company with the 2026 draft one week away with several signees in the mix to be taken early when things kick off on July 11th.
How the draft goes for the Tigers may very well determine how much more portal shopping they do for the 2027 roster. Currently Auburn has seven portal commitments with the focus on keeping a strong sophomore and freshman group intact.
First up for Thompson and the Tigers is checking in with four key signees as the draft gets ready to begin. Pitcher/position player Coleman Borthwick, shortstop Jace Mataczynski, and pitchers AJ Rice and Ty Tillery make up the group that are considered the biggest draft threats from the signee class. That means in-home visits one last time before the drama of the draft begins.
"I will start Monday on a four-day pilgrimage to see these guys instead of just saying, 'Hey, I hope they come to school,' go sit down with people one more time in their living rooms," Thompson said. "Visit with them, take their positional coach, and we're going to work it that hard to button that up here this last week before the draft and let them know how much Auburn wants them to come."
In addition to the signees, Auburn has several current players that are expected to begin their pro careers following the draft. Those include infielders Chris Rembert and Eric Guevara along with pitchers Ryan Hetzler and Alex Petrovic. Those losses would be ones that Auburn is prepared for, but a loss or two in the draft could impact things. On the flip side, if Auburn gets fortunate then it could mean you're set. No matter what, Thompson said the coaches are prepared to be flexible.
"I would say a max of two," Thompson said. "But maybe one from either side. We'll see. That draft, I might just wake up, if (there's) a couple surprises, one or two surprises. You think you have a feel how things can go, but it never goes the way you expect."
"But I would say, if the right fit comes along, I think it's two or less, and most likely one. But I could see us grabbing a couple more people when the music stops, when the musical chairs and everything. But we don't need to add to the middle or the bottom, and it's really hard, especially after the draft. If something doesn't go our way in the draft, man, there's not much available July 20th. You would have to go to a different category, right, which is a little tricky.
"You might have to go more of the JUCO route. You might have to do whatever. But to find somebody that you think could be a plug-and-play July 20th is almost a fairy tale, unless there's a special circumstance. I think we're close, and I think we're waiting on the draft. And you'd rather be one over than one under, as the saying goes. But we're in good shape, and now that it's ended, we're in a strong reevaluation."
When the dust settles later in July, Auburn won't have a huge portal class, but that will probably change this time next year. With guys like Andreas Alvarez, Jake Marciano, Jackson Sanders, Chase Fralick, Bub Terrell, Brandon McCraine and Mason McCraine all draft eligible in 2027, Thompson said the portal will look a lot different for the Tigers next years.
"And everybody's disappointed, us not playing higher stakes in the portal this year," Thompson said. "Just relax. Three-hundred-sixty-five days, I'll give you all the portal excitement you want when this group comes through this year. If y'all want to play portal kings, we'll try to see if that's, probably looking like, that's part of the plan next year."
Fralick, Sanders earn spot on USA Baseball Collegiate National Team:
https://auburntigers.com/news/2026/07/5/fralick-sanders-earn-spot-on-usa-baseball-collegiate-national-team
Tiger trio tabbed D1 Baseball Freshman All-America:
https://auburntigers.com/news/2026/07/2/tiger-trio-tabbed-d1-baseball-freshman-all-america
MLB Draft to determine next step for Auburn baseball:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/auburn-will-be-keeping-a-close-eye-on-the-mlb-draft-next-weekend-288137098/
************************
Fralick, Sanders earn spot on USA Baseball Collegiate National Team
Following 11 days of training camp that included workouts, practices and exhibition games, Chase Fralick and Jackson Sanders earned a spot on the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, USA Baseball announced Sunday.
The 2026 Collegiate National Team will compete in the inaugural World Collegiate Baseball Championship at Taichung City Intercontinental Baseball Stadium in Taichung City, Taiwan, from July 11-15.
Fralick and Sanders earned two spots on the 28-man final roster are the second duo to represent Auburn on the Collegiate National Team, marking the Tigers’ 12th and 13th representatives all-time. Auburn is one of six programs with multiple representatives this summer, joining Florida, Mississippi State, Oregon, Texas and UCLA.
Fralick started all eight exhibition games for the Stars during training camp and was one of seven players with multiple hits and multiple RBI while reaching base at a .333 clip. Sanders made three scoreless relief appearances for the Stars, allowing just two hits while striking out four. Also competing in training camp, unanimous Freshman All-American Ethin Bingaman played for the Stripes in all eight contests and led the team with four RBI while ranking second with seven hits.
The World Collegiate Baseball Championship format will feature five days of games, with three days of pool play followed by the semifinals and medal games. The U.S. will open its pool play slate on July 11 against Korea at 11:30 p.m. CT (11:30 a.m. local time), face Chinese Taipei on July 12 at 5:30 a.m. CT (5:30 p.m. local time), and then play Japan on July 13 at 11:30 p.m. CT (11:30 a.m. local time). The semifinals will be played July 14 and the finals, which will consist of gold- and bronze-medal games, will be held July 15.
************************
Tiger trio tabbed D1 Baseball Freshman All-America
Ethin Bingaman, Mason McCraine and LJ Cormier were named Freshman All-America by D1 Baseball Wednesday. Bingaman earned first-team honors at first base, while McCraine was named second-team outfielder and Cormier a second-team relief pitcher.
Auburn’s three Freshman All-America honors are the most in the country and tied for the second most in a single season in program history, trailing 2018 (four) and tied with 2008.
The honors are the fourth for Bingaman, who has also been named First Team Freshman All-America by Baseball America, NCBWA and Perfect Game, and the second for McCraine, who was previously named Second Team Freshman All-America by Baseball America. It’s the first recognition for Cormier, who becomes the 25th Freshman All-American in program history, including the 10th under head coach Butch Thompson.
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).
From right down the road in Salem, Alabama, McCraine turned in a .320 average (57-for-178) in 51 games played and was one of six players to drive in 40 or more runs with 42 on the year. He ranked second among everyday position players with a .426 on-base percentage and third with a .556 slugging percentage while scoring 45 runs with 14 doubles, two triples and eight home runs.
In seven NCAA tournament games, Bingaman and McCraine tied for the team lead with a .379 average (11-for-29) and combined to score 17 runs while adding seven doubles, a triple and six home runs with 15 RBI.
Cormier, who previously became Auburn’s first freshman pitcher to earn ABCA All-Region honors since Finley Woodward in 1995, led the team with a 2.50 ERA in a team-high 21 appearances and led Auburn relievers in strikeouts (63) and innings pitched (50.1). He posted a 2-0 record, logged a pair of saves and held opponents to a .194 average against, the lowest among Auburn’s qualified pitchers. Of his 36 hits allowed only nine were for extra bases, and 12 of his 21 appearances were scoreless outings while he allowed only one run in six more.
***********************
MLB Draft to determine next step for Auburn baseball
By Jason Caldwell
Since losing infielders Kevin McGonigle and Colt Emerson to the MLB Draft in 2023, the Auburn Tigers have been very fortunate with their signing classes in recent years. It may take some good fortune this time around for coach Butch Thompson and company with the 2026 draft one week away with several signees in the mix to be taken early when things kick off on July 11th.
How the draft goes for the Tigers may very well determine how much more portal shopping they do for the 2027 roster. Currently Auburn has seven portal commitments with the focus on keeping a strong sophomore and freshman group intact.
First up for Thompson and the Tigers is checking in with four key signees as the draft gets ready to begin. Pitcher/position player Coleman Borthwick, shortstop Jace Mataczynski, and pitchers AJ Rice and Ty Tillery make up the group that are considered the biggest draft threats from the signee class. That means in-home visits one last time before the drama of the draft begins.
"I will start Monday on a four-day pilgrimage to see these guys instead of just saying, 'Hey, I hope they come to school,' go sit down with people one more time in their living rooms," Thompson said. "Visit with them, take their positional coach, and we're going to work it that hard to button that up here this last week before the draft and let them know how much Auburn wants them to come."
In addition to the signees, Auburn has several current players that are expected to begin their pro careers following the draft. Those include infielders Chris Rembert and Eric Guevara along with pitchers Ryan Hetzler and Alex Petrovic. Those losses would be ones that Auburn is prepared for, but a loss or two in the draft could impact things. On the flip side, if Auburn gets fortunate then it could mean you're set. No matter what, Thompson said the coaches are prepared to be flexible.
"I would say a max of two," Thompson said. "But maybe one from either side. We'll see. That draft, I might just wake up, if (there's) a couple surprises, one or two surprises. You think you have a feel how things can go, but it never goes the way you expect."
"But I would say, if the right fit comes along, I think it's two or less, and most likely one. But I could see us grabbing a couple more people when the music stops, when the musical chairs and everything. But we don't need to add to the middle or the bottom, and it's really hard, especially after the draft. If something doesn't go our way in the draft, man, there's not much available July 20th. You would have to go to a different category, right, which is a little tricky.
"You might have to go more of the JUCO route. You might have to do whatever. But to find somebody that you think could be a plug-and-play July 20th is almost a fairy tale, unless there's a special circumstance. I think we're close, and I think we're waiting on the draft. And you'd rather be one over than one under, as the saying goes. But we're in good shape, and now that it's ended, we're in a strong reevaluation."
When the dust settles later in July, Auburn won't have a huge portal class, but that will probably change this time next year. With guys like Andreas Alvarez, Jake Marciano, Jackson Sanders, Chase Fralick, Bub Terrell, Brandon McCraine and Mason McCraine all draft eligible in 2027, Thompson said the portal will look a lot different for the Tigers next years.
"And everybody's disappointed, us not playing higher stakes in the portal this year," Thompson said. "Just relax. Three-hundred-sixty-five days, I'll give you all the portal excitement you want when this group comes through this year. If y'all want to play portal kings, we'll try to see if that's, probably looking like, that's part of the plan next year."
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