Baseball News: 2-13-2026
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Dudley Dent
Feb 13, 2026, 8:16:05 AM (yesterday) Feb 13
to Tiger Tracks
Auburn Baseball News: 2-13-2026
No. 5 Auburn baseball opens 2026 season vs. Youngstown State:
https://auburntigers.com/news/2026/02/12/no-5-auburn-baseball-opens-2026-season-vs-youngstown-state
Top-5 Auburn Baseball Set to Launch 2026 Campaign on the Plains:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/news/top-5-auburn-baseball-set-launch-2026-campaign-on-the-plains
VIDEO: Butch Thompson, players preview 2026 baseball opener:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/auburns-butch-thompson-and-players-lucas-steele-and-jake-marciano-preview-this-weekends-season-opener-274116099/
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No. 5 Auburn baseball opens 2026 season vs. Youngstown State
No. 5 Auburn baseball opens its 2026 campaign with a three-game series against Youngstown State Friday through Sunday at Plainsman Park. First pitches are set for Friday at 5:30 p.m. CT, Saturday at 6 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.
“It’s time. It’s time to go out and play another team,” head coach Butch Thompson said. “Our preparation has been great. From where I stand as the head coach, this team has been as endearing and enjoyable as any I can remember. I’ve never enjoyed being on the field more with a team, and I’m ready to see where we’re at. I’m excited to start that journey and start playing somebody else.”
All three games will be broadcast on the Auburn Sports Network and can be heard locally on Wings 94.3 FM on Friday and Sunday and AU 100.3 FM Saturday. The games will also be broadcast digitally on SEC Network+.
A limited number of single-game tickets for all three games still remain and can be purchased here.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday – So. LHP Jake Marciano (0-0, 0.00) vs. Sr. LHP Braden Gebhardt (0-0, 0.00)
Saturday – So. LHP Jackson Sanders (0-0, 0.00) vs. Sr. RHP Jack Messmore (0-0, 0.00)
Sunday - R-So. RHP Alex Petrovic (0-0, 0.00) vs. R-Sr. RHP Brandon Mikos (0-0, 0.00)
QUICK HITTERS
Auburn begins its 77th season at Plainsman Park this weekend, marking the first ever meeting between the Tigers and Youngstown State.
The 2026 season marks the 11th for head coach Butch Thompson, who is the third longest-tenured head coach in program history and fourth longest-tenured head coach in the SEC.
The Tigers are 9-1 in season openers and 10-0 in home openers under Thompson.
Auburn enters the season a unanimous top-10 team in the preseason polls - No. 5 (Baseball America), No. 8 (NCBWA), No. 9 (D1 Baseball, Coaches) and No. 10 (Perfect Game).
The roster consists of 39 players, including 21 returners and 18 newcomers (9 freshmen, 9 transfers).
The quartet of Chase Fralick, Chris Rembert, Lucas Steele and Bub Terrell is the only returning quartet in the SEC to have each driven in 40 or more runs in 2025.
In the last four seasons, Auburn is a combined 122-27 (.819) when scoring six or more runs and 23-64 (.264) when scoring five or fewer runs.
Auburn went 28-8 at home in 2025, marking the most home wins since 2018 and tied for the fourth most in program history.
The team won all eight regular season home series in 2025, going a combined 19-5 in those games.
SCOUTING THE PENGUINS
Youngstown State begins its second season under head coach Trevor Charpie with a roster that consists of 38 players, including six true freshmen and 16 transfers.
Three Penguins were named to Perfect Game’s Preseason All-Conference Team, including infielder Misael Uriepero being named the Preseason Freshman of the Year.
Offensively in 2025, Youngstown State hit .279 as a team and scored 391 runs on 526 hits, including 110 doubles and 76 home runs. Senior outfielder Brayden Kuriger is a key returner in 2026, finishing last season with a .301 average, 18 extra-base hits and 43 RBI.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
For a one-stop show for all things surrounding an Auburn baseball game at Plainsman Park, visit the revamped Auburn baseball gameday page.
Notable for this weekend, parking will be limited due to the Parker McCollum concert going on at Neville Arena Friday night.
- Parking in the Neville Arena lot, coliseum lot and campus safety lot will be paid after 3:30 p.m. Passes can be purchased here.
- Parking in the athletics complex deck, stadium deck and Wire Road lot is free.
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Top-5 Auburn Baseball Set to Launch 2026 Campaign on the Plains
By Dre Gaines
Auburn Daily
Opening weekend has made landfall on the plains as the 5th-ranked Auburn Tigers host the Youngstown State Penguins for a three-game series at Plainsman Park to get the 2026 campaign started. First pitches are set for Friday at 5:30 p.m. CT, Saturday at 6 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m.
The probable pitching starters for each squad were announced by the team and are as follows:
Friday – (Auburn) So. LHP Jake Marciano (0-0, 0.00) vs. Sr. LHP Braden Gebhardt (0-0, 0.00)
Saturday – (Auburn) So. LHP Jackson Sanders (0-0, 0.00) vs. Sr. RHP Jack Messmore (0-0, 0.00)
Sunday - (Auburn) R-So. RHP Alex Petrovic (0-0, 0.00) vs. R-Sr. RHP Brandon Mikos (0-0, 0.00)
“It’s time. It’s time to go out and play another team,” head coach Butch Thompson said. “Our preparation has been great. From where I stand as the head coach, this team has been as endearing and enjoyable as any I can remember. I’ve never enjoyed being on the field more with a team, and I’m ready to see where we’re at. I’m excited to start that journey and start playing somebody else.”
Auburn is 9-1 in season openers and 10-0 in home openers under Thompson. This season also marks the 11th for head coach Thompson, who is now the third-longest-tenured head coach in program history and the fourth-longest-tenured head coach in the SEC.
What happens next for the Auburn Tigers? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Auburn Tigers news delivered to your inbox daily!
The Tigers are building on a solid foundation from last season, when they earned the honor of hosting a Super Regional tournament. With that foundation in place, Auburn enters the season a unanimous top-10 team in preseason polls, which includes No. 5 (Baseball America), No. 8 (NCBWA), No. 9 (D1 Baseball, Coaches) and No.10 (Perfect Game).
The full Tigers roster consists of 39 players, which includes 21 returners and 18 newcomers (9 freshmen, 9 transfers). The quartet of Chase Fralick, Chris Rembert, Lucas Steele and Bub Terrell is the only returning quartet in the SEC to have each driven in 40 or more runs in 2025.
For the Penguins offensively in 2025, Youngstown State hit .279 as a team and scored 391 runs on 526 hits, including 110 doubles and 76 home runs. Senior outfielder Brayden Kuriger is a key returner in 2026, finishing last season batting .301, with 18 extra-base hits and 43 RBIs.
Opening weekend is more than just the first three games on the schedule; it’s the first step toward Omaha aspirations for a program that believes it belongs among college baseball’s elite. With experience in the lineup, depth on the mound and a top-10 ranking to defend, Auburn has the pieces in place. Now, it’s about turning preseason expectations into postseason reality.
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VIDEO: Butch Thompson, players preview 2026 baseball opener
By Jason Caldwell
After coming just short of the goal of making it to the College World Series, Auburn coach Butch Thompson hasn't backed off his thoughts that the goal for the Tigers is to win a national championship. That journey starts on Friday when Auburn hosts Youngstown State in the first of three games at Plainsman Park. Game times for the weekend series are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Friday, 6 p.m. on Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. All three games can be streamed at SEC Network+.
Virginia Tech LHP transfer Jake Marciano will get the start on Friday night with sophomore LHP Jackson Sanders set for game two. Game three will be redshirt sophomore RHP Alex Petrovic. Thompson said he's excited to see all three with an opportunity to set the tone on opening weekend for the Tigers, but also the guys that are expected to pitch behind them this weekend.
"I'm excited for Marciano. I'm excited for Sanders, who has been in the program and got 15 appearances last year, to see him take the next step. To see how he's continued to throw more and more strikes has been great. I'm excited for our captain (Petrovic) to be right around 70 percent strikes, a guy that has had trouble with injury each year, to be put together and ready to go for this year. I'm just as excited about Drew Whalen. I'm just as excited about Andreas Alvarez. I'm just as excited about Christian Chatterton. Two of those three have been with us and we've invested in them. Andreas Alvarez started a Super Regional. We believe in those guys. Chatterton has finished a game to help us win a series at Tennessee."
Watch Thompson, Lucas Steele and Jake Marciano preview this weekend vs. Youngstown State.
https://youtu.be/O-0uUllNXyM
https://youtu.be/HzhLqEoeP9E
No. 5 Auburn baseball opens 2026 season vs. Youngstown State:
https://auburntigers.com/news/2026/02/12/no-5-auburn-baseball-opens-2026-season-vs-youngstown-state
Top-5 Auburn Baseball Set to Launch 2026 Campaign on the Plains:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/news/top-5-auburn-baseball-set-launch-2026-campaign-on-the-plains
VIDEO: Butch Thompson, players preview 2026 baseball opener:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/auburns-butch-thompson-and-players-lucas-steele-and-jake-marciano-preview-this-weekends-season-opener-274116099/
**************************
No. 5 Auburn baseball opens 2026 season vs. Youngstown State
No. 5 Auburn baseball opens its 2026 campaign with a three-game series against Youngstown State Friday through Sunday at Plainsman Park. First pitches are set for Friday at 5:30 p.m. CT, Saturday at 6 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.
“It’s time. It’s time to go out and play another team,” head coach Butch Thompson said. “Our preparation has been great. From where I stand as the head coach, this team has been as endearing and enjoyable as any I can remember. I’ve never enjoyed being on the field more with a team, and I’m ready to see where we’re at. I’m excited to start that journey and start playing somebody else.”
All three games will be broadcast on the Auburn Sports Network and can be heard locally on Wings 94.3 FM on Friday and Sunday and AU 100.3 FM Saturday. The games will also be broadcast digitally on SEC Network+.
A limited number of single-game tickets for all three games still remain and can be purchased here.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday – So. LHP Jake Marciano (0-0, 0.00) vs. Sr. LHP Braden Gebhardt (0-0, 0.00)
Saturday – So. LHP Jackson Sanders (0-0, 0.00) vs. Sr. RHP Jack Messmore (0-0, 0.00)
Sunday - R-So. RHP Alex Petrovic (0-0, 0.00) vs. R-Sr. RHP Brandon Mikos (0-0, 0.00)
QUICK HITTERS
Auburn begins its 77th season at Plainsman Park this weekend, marking the first ever meeting between the Tigers and Youngstown State.
The 2026 season marks the 11th for head coach Butch Thompson, who is the third longest-tenured head coach in program history and fourth longest-tenured head coach in the SEC.
The Tigers are 9-1 in season openers and 10-0 in home openers under Thompson.
Auburn enters the season a unanimous top-10 team in the preseason polls - No. 5 (Baseball America), No. 8 (NCBWA), No. 9 (D1 Baseball, Coaches) and No. 10 (Perfect Game).
The roster consists of 39 players, including 21 returners and 18 newcomers (9 freshmen, 9 transfers).
The quartet of Chase Fralick, Chris Rembert, Lucas Steele and Bub Terrell is the only returning quartet in the SEC to have each driven in 40 or more runs in 2025.
In the last four seasons, Auburn is a combined 122-27 (.819) when scoring six or more runs and 23-64 (.264) when scoring five or fewer runs.
Auburn went 28-8 at home in 2025, marking the most home wins since 2018 and tied for the fourth most in program history.
The team won all eight regular season home series in 2025, going a combined 19-5 in those games.
SCOUTING THE PENGUINS
Youngstown State begins its second season under head coach Trevor Charpie with a roster that consists of 38 players, including six true freshmen and 16 transfers.
Three Penguins were named to Perfect Game’s Preseason All-Conference Team, including infielder Misael Uriepero being named the Preseason Freshman of the Year.
Offensively in 2025, Youngstown State hit .279 as a team and scored 391 runs on 526 hits, including 110 doubles and 76 home runs. Senior outfielder Brayden Kuriger is a key returner in 2026, finishing last season with a .301 average, 18 extra-base hits and 43 RBI.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
For a one-stop show for all things surrounding an Auburn baseball game at Plainsman Park, visit the revamped Auburn baseball gameday page.
Notable for this weekend, parking will be limited due to the Parker McCollum concert going on at Neville Arena Friday night.
- Parking in the Neville Arena lot, coliseum lot and campus safety lot will be paid after 3:30 p.m. Passes can be purchased here.
- Parking in the athletics complex deck, stadium deck and Wire Road lot is free.
************************
Top-5 Auburn Baseball Set to Launch 2026 Campaign on the Plains
By Dre Gaines
Auburn Daily
Opening weekend has made landfall on the plains as the 5th-ranked Auburn Tigers host the Youngstown State Penguins for a three-game series at Plainsman Park to get the 2026 campaign started. First pitches are set for Friday at 5:30 p.m. CT, Saturday at 6 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m.
The probable pitching starters for each squad were announced by the team and are as follows:
Friday – (Auburn) So. LHP Jake Marciano (0-0, 0.00) vs. Sr. LHP Braden Gebhardt (0-0, 0.00)
Saturday – (Auburn) So. LHP Jackson Sanders (0-0, 0.00) vs. Sr. RHP Jack Messmore (0-0, 0.00)
Sunday - (Auburn) R-So. RHP Alex Petrovic (0-0, 0.00) vs. R-Sr. RHP Brandon Mikos (0-0, 0.00)
“It’s time. It’s time to go out and play another team,” head coach Butch Thompson said. “Our preparation has been great. From where I stand as the head coach, this team has been as endearing and enjoyable as any I can remember. I’ve never enjoyed being on the field more with a team, and I’m ready to see where we’re at. I’m excited to start that journey and start playing somebody else.”
Auburn is 9-1 in season openers and 10-0 in home openers under Thompson. This season also marks the 11th for head coach Thompson, who is now the third-longest-tenured head coach in program history and the fourth-longest-tenured head coach in the SEC.
What happens next for the Auburn Tigers? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Auburn Tigers news delivered to your inbox daily!
The Tigers are building on a solid foundation from last season, when they earned the honor of hosting a Super Regional tournament. With that foundation in place, Auburn enters the season a unanimous top-10 team in preseason polls, which includes No. 5 (Baseball America), No. 8 (NCBWA), No. 9 (D1 Baseball, Coaches) and No.10 (Perfect Game).
The full Tigers roster consists of 39 players, which includes 21 returners and 18 newcomers (9 freshmen, 9 transfers). The quartet of Chase Fralick, Chris Rembert, Lucas Steele and Bub Terrell is the only returning quartet in the SEC to have each driven in 40 or more runs in 2025.
For the Penguins offensively in 2025, Youngstown State hit .279 as a team and scored 391 runs on 526 hits, including 110 doubles and 76 home runs. Senior outfielder Brayden Kuriger is a key returner in 2026, finishing last season batting .301, with 18 extra-base hits and 43 RBIs.
Opening weekend is more than just the first three games on the schedule; it’s the first step toward Omaha aspirations for a program that believes it belongs among college baseball’s elite. With experience in the lineup, depth on the mound and a top-10 ranking to defend, Auburn has the pieces in place. Now, it’s about turning preseason expectations into postseason reality.
************************
VIDEO: Butch Thompson, players preview 2026 baseball opener
By Jason Caldwell
After coming just short of the goal of making it to the College World Series, Auburn coach Butch Thompson hasn't backed off his thoughts that the goal for the Tigers is to win a national championship. That journey starts on Friday when Auburn hosts Youngstown State in the first of three games at Plainsman Park. Game times for the weekend series are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Friday, 6 p.m. on Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. All three games can be streamed at SEC Network+.
Virginia Tech LHP transfer Jake Marciano will get the start on Friday night with sophomore LHP Jackson Sanders set for game two. Game three will be redshirt sophomore RHP Alex Petrovic. Thompson said he's excited to see all three with an opportunity to set the tone on opening weekend for the Tigers, but also the guys that are expected to pitch behind them this weekend.
"I'm excited for Marciano. I'm excited for Sanders, who has been in the program and got 15 appearances last year, to see him take the next step. To see how he's continued to throw more and more strikes has been great. I'm excited for our captain (Petrovic) to be right around 70 percent strikes, a guy that has had trouble with injury each year, to be put together and ready to go for this year. I'm just as excited about Drew Whalen. I'm just as excited about Andreas Alvarez. I'm just as excited about Christian Chatterton. Two of those three have been with us and we've invested in them. Andreas Alvarez started a Super Regional. We believe in those guys. Chatterton has finished a game to help us win a series at Tennessee."
Watch Thompson, Lucas Steele and Jake Marciano preview this weekend vs. Youngstown State.
https://youtu.be/O-0uUllNXyM
https://youtu.be/HzhLqEoeP9E
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