2018 Baseball Recruiting Thread

[ellitor 33,062]

I was going to wait til AU made a press release in November on the signing class before making this thread since accurate lists are so hard to find but I guess we will go ahead & use PerfectGame's list. They have the disclaimer on their site the lists may not be 100% accurate.

Player	Pos	Ht	Wt	B-T	High School	Hometown	ST	College
Anthony Seigler  Nat Rank  Subscribe	C	5-11	190	S-B	Cartersville	Cartersville	GA	Auburn
Ryan Bliss  Nat Rank  Subscribe	SS	5-9	165	R-R	Troup County	Lagrange	GA	Auburn
Devin Warner  Nat Rank  Subscribe	SS	6-2	205	S-R	Cartersville	Euharlee	GA	Auburn
Garrett Wade  Nat Rank  Subscribe	LHP	6-2	180	L-L	Hartselle	Hartselle	AL	Auburn
Jordan Armstrong  Nat Rank  Subscribe	RHP	6-2	175	R-R	Ola	McDonough	GA	Auburn
Dawson Sweatt  Nat Rank  Subscribe	LHP	6-2	180	R-L	Landmark Christian	Fayetteville	GA	Auburn
Ed Johnson  Nat Rank  Subscribe	SS	6-1	150	R-R	Hewitt-Trussville	Trussville	AL	Auburn
Jarret Eaton  Nat Rank  Subscribe	2B	5-9	150	L-R	St. Paul's Episcopal	Mobile	AL	Auburn
Carson Skipper  Nat Rank  Subscribe	LHP	6-1	180	L-L	Hewitt-Trussville	Trussville	AL	Auburn
Kason Howell  Nat Rank  Subscribe	OF	6-0	180	S-R	Liberty Christian	Lantana	TX	Auburn

Not on PerfectGame's list is Juco RHRP Blake Rivera & LHP Brooks Fuller

[AU64 10,122]

Thanks for posting the list...

I know that physical stats can be deceptive....but not much size in this group of guys....and pitcher-heavy list....hoping to see a bit more on the power front ...

[ellitor 33,062]

Blessed to say that I have committed to Auburn University so continue by education and baseball career! #WarEagle pic.twitter.com/x0IrJ3x7Oz

— BMO (@brody_moore2) August 2, 2017

[ellitor 33,062]

MIF & RHP per PerfectGame.

[Grumps 3,693]

20 hours ago, ellitor said:

I'm not sure how effective he will be wearing that uniform! Just a bit large!

[80Tiger 899]

On ‎7‎/‎28‎/‎2017 at 1:54 PM, AU64 said:

Thanks for posting the list...

I know that physical stats can be deceptive....but not much size in this group of guys....and pitcher-heavy list....hoping to see a bit more on the power front ...

Agree 64. Our current team seems somewhat average in size also. Baseball like everything else is turning into a big man sport. Every position need to have a power pop in their bat.

[mustache eagle 2,388]

2 hours ago, Grumps said:

I'm not sure how effective he will be wearing that uniform! Just a bit large!

Actually he just has long arms ... he's holding it closer to the camera so it just "looks" bigger.  Kinda like a big bass...

[auburnphan 6,050]

Bryan Matthews‏ @BMattAU  1m1 minute ago

More

Bryan Matthews Retweeted Liberty Baseball

Lantana (Texas) Liberty Christian OF Kason Howell has signed with Auburn. Hit .466 with 6 home runs, 36 RBIs and 27 stolen bases as a junior

[PowerOfDixieland 3,225]

On 11/8/2017 at 1:37 PM, auburnphan said:

Bryan Matthews‏ @BMattAU  1m1 minute ago

More

Bryan Matthews Retweeted Liberty Baseball

Lantana (Texas) Liberty Christian OF Kason Howell has signed with Auburn. Hit .466 with 6 home runs, 36 RBIs and 27 stolen bases as a junior

Kid can fly, will be a big addition to the outfield if he can hit SEC pitching.  Father is the D line coach and assistant baseball coach at his high school...family apparently lived in Auburn for three years.

[boomstick 1,315]

This is the most recent Perfect Game list. It includes a few names that Auburn didn't announce in November as part of this high school signing class and doesn't include a few known JUCO names. From what I can tell, the names not on the list that Auburn announced are: LHP Brooks Fuller (Auburn HS, son of former Auburn player/assistant coach Mark Fuller), RHP Blake Rivera (Central PC, JUCO Wallace-Dothan), and LHP Bailey Horn (McClennan College, JUCO in Texas). Troy Bearden and Will Morrison are the two HS players listed as commits by PG that Auburn didn't announce as signees, although Bearden's travel team's website shows him as a commitment also and Morrison recently committed March 2nd. This class is currently ranked 29th by Perfect Game.

Nat Rank	Name	Drafted/Signed	Pos	Ht	Wt	B T	High School	Hometown	St
67	Garrett Wade		LHP	6-2	190	L L	Hartselle	Hartselle	AL
91	Ryan Bliss		SS	5-9	165	R R	Troup County	Lagrange	GA
131	Devin Warner		SS	6-2	205	S R	Cartersville	Euharlee	GA
418	Troy Bearden		1B	6-2	225	R R	Next Level Academy	Trussvile	AL
492	Will Morrison		RHP	6-2	180	R R	Cullman	Cullman	AL
500	Richard Fitts		RHP	6-3	185	R R	Helena	Helena	AL
500	Brody Moore		SS	6-1	170	R R	Oneonta	Altoona	AL
500	Ed Johnson		SS	6-1	150	R R	Hewitt-Trussville	Trussville	AL
500	Carson Skipper		LHP	6-1	180	L L	Hewitt-Trussville	Trussville	AL
500	Dawson Sweatt		LHP	6-2	180	R L	Starrs Mill	Fayetteville	GA
500	Kason Howell		OF	6-0	180	S R	Liberty Christian	Lantana	TX
500	Jarret Eaton		2B	5-9	150	L R	St. Paul's Episcopal	Mobile	AL

Edited March 23, 2018 by boomstick

[boomstick 1,315]

Garrett Wade was named the Gatorade Alabama Player of the Year yesterday. 

http://www.waaytv.com/content/news/Hartselles-Garrett-Wade-named-Gatorade-Alabama-Player-of-the-Year-484015141.html

[boomstick 1,315]

We also added a commitment from Kyle Gray, a JUCO LHP from Texas. I believe Bailey Horn has been injured all year, and this might be a backup plan for Horn. 

http://www.buccaneersports.com/sports/bsb/2017-18/bios/gray_kyle_wro6

Edited May 30, 2018 by boomstick

[HitandRun5 28]

15 hours ago, boomstick said:

Garrett Wade was named the Gatorade Alabama Player of the Year yesterday. 

http://www.waaytv.com/content/news/Hartselles-Garrett-Wade-named-Gatorade-Alabama-Player-of-the-Year-484015141.html

The photo included with the attached article shows a Hartselle RHP. I’m not familiar w/ Garrett, so I don’t know if it is him or not, but everything I’ve read about him says he’s a LHP.  Haha. Regardless, congrats Garrett and War Eagle. 

Edited May 31, 2018 by HitandRun5

[boomstick 1,315]

4 hours ago, HitandRun5 said:

The photo included with the attached article shows a Hartselle RHP. I’m not familiar w/ Garrett, so I don’t know if it is him or not, but everything I’ve read about him says he’s a LHP.  Haha. Regardless, congrats Garrett and War Eagle. 

I saw that and got a good chuckle. The best player in the state who is a LHP and they can’t put even a left-handed player photo up. 

[boomstick 1,315]

We have another commit to add to the list. Rankin Woley, JUCO 2B at CVCC, was a former LSU player who transferred to CVCC in the fall. Had a great year at CVCC. 

http://www.acccathletics.com/sports/bsb/2017-18/teams/chattahoocheevalleycommunitycollege?view=lineup&r=0&pos=

[FUZZYAUFAN 134]

I looked at a couple mock drafts and did not see any of Auburn signees listed in the first couple rounds ( could have missed a name). Does Auburn expect anyone to get drafted and go pro. 

[boomstick 1,315]

1 minute ago, FUZZYAUFAN said:

I looked at a couple mock drafts and did not see any of Auburn signees listed in the first couple rounds ( could have missed a name). Does Auburn expect anyone to get drafted and go pro. 

The two I believe were most concerned about are Garrett Wade and Blake Rivera. Wade has been projected anywhere between 100-145. Rivera has been projected around the top 200. From most indications, it will take quite a bit of money to get Wade away from Auburn. For Rivera, I’m pretty concerned that he won’t be able to pass on the money. Having played two years somewhere, he may want to go ahead and start getting paid as opposed to waiting another year. 

 

[boomstick 1,315]

Picked up another JUCO commitment yesterday, this one a catcher, Matt Scheffler from Washington. 

 

Edited June 9, 2018 by boomstick

[aubiefifty 16,683]

Sports

'The ultimate leader ': Auburn signee Carson Skipper named All-Birmingham Player of the Year

Updated 6:30 AM; Posted 6:26 AM

Gallery: Carson Skipper: 2018 Birmingham Baseball Player of the Year

jbean@al.com

As Hewitt-Trussville ended its final practice before heading to Montgomery for the 2018 Class 7A baseball championship series, players quickly worked on routine field clean-up.

Where was Auburn signee and star pitcher Carson Skipper? Did his seniority and star status keep him from getting his hands dirty? Nope.

"We look out there and he's nailing nails into the tarp around home plate. That's who he is," Hewitt-Trussville coach Jeff Mauldin recalled. "He's a future SEC player at Auburn University, he's leading our team in every category that's on a piece of paper and he's the one nailing the nails in the tarp.

"That shows you his work ethic and how his parents have raised him to be humble and do what's expected of you and lead, whether it's pitching in the state championship game or putting the tarp down around home plate. That's his thing: Lead by example."

Skipper, a senior left-handed pitcher and first baseman, capped his high school career by leading the Huskies to a runner-up finish in 7A. He finished 9-3 with a 1.50 ERA and hit .406 with 16 doubles, eight triples, four homers and 49 RBIs.

For his performance, he is today named AL.com's All-Birmingham Player of the Year. He edged Homewood outfielder Josh Hall, who set AHSAA single-season and national career stolen base records, and Hoover's Sonny DiChiara, the area's top power hitter who also moonlighted as the Bucs' closer.

Skipper started his career as an eighth-grader in 2014, called up from the middles school squad to pitch against powerhouse Huntsville. He moved into Hewitt-Trussville's pitching rotation in 2015, led the Huskies to the state championship and was named MVP of the 7A championship series in 2016, went 8-1 with an 0.96 ERA in 2017, and led the Huskies back to the championship series this year.

Along the way, he compiled a career record of 31-8 with a 1.91 ERA, including 29 complete games. He recorded 318 strikeouts in 290 innings and issued only 58 walks.

 

"The ultimate leader for our team, the ultimate competitor," Mauldin said. "His presence on the field for us gave everybody on our team confidence we were going to win, whether he was playing first base or pitching or when he stepped into the box.

"He has this aura when he walks on the field that he's going to get the job done, no matter the situation, whether it's on the mound or getting a big hit."

St. Luke's star shortstop Jeremiah Jackson was named Alabama's 2018 Mr. Baseball by the Alabama Sports Writers Association on Sunday night in Montgomery

Mauldin and his staff quickly understood Skipper's pitching ability -- evidenced by his start as an eight-grader -- but they weren't sold on him as a hitter.

That changed as a sophomore, when he became a mainstay in the middle of the Huskies' lineup. In the 2018 playoffs, Skipper moved from the No. 3 to No. 2 spot in the lineup in an effort to get him more at-bats.

He hit .406 as a senior, but also showed plate discipline by walking 24 times to earn an on-base percentage of .586. He also finished 10-for-10 on stolen bases.

"He was born to pitch, but he made himself a hitter," Mauldin said. "Now, he may be born to do both."

Skipper signed with Auburn and could pitch, hit or do both during his college career. Mauldin sees bright days ahead for Skipper's college career.

ADVERTISING

"He's going there to get some stuff done. He's not done," Mauldin said. "Some kids, when they get that scholarship, it's, 'Yes, I've got what I've been working for.' That's not him. That's just part of the journey for him."

[boomstick 1,315]

Thanks for posting this. He’s a guy that I think can help us next hat probably isn’t getting as much publicity right now. He may not start, but I think he can give us some quality innings out if the pen. 

[SCTiger2011 1,277]

On 6/4/2018 at 12:16 PM, boomstick said:

The two I believe were most concerned about are Garrett Wade and Blake Rivera. Wade has been projected anywhere between 100-145. Rivera has been projected around the top 200. From most indications, it will take quite a bit of money to get Wade away from Auburn. For Rivera, I’m pretty concerned that he won’t be able to pass on the money. Having played two years somewhere, he may want to go ahead and start getting paid as opposed to waiting another year. 

 

Rivera signed a professional contract yesterday I believe.  Got paid 800k.  He gone.

[doc4aday 1,887]

We are getting a super young man on our baseball team no doubt. He could likely work his way into the bullpen rotation next year. Getting a left handed pitcher is a good thing for us. What has his fastball been clocked at?  Does anyone have his complete bios?  We are bringing top level talent into the program and this is what it takes for us to make it into the regionals and beyond. The future looks bright for Auburn baseball for years to come. We just need to nail Butch down for the long term. We do this, and then we can party like its 1999 every season!

[Tigerbelle 5,299]

Sounds like a great kid from a good family. Hope he does well at Auburn.

[boomstick 1,315]

4 hours ago, SCTiger2011 said:

Rivera signed a professional contract yesterday I believe.  Got paid 800k.  He gone.

Yep. They went almost $300K over slot value. They drafted him last year too. The Giants really liked him, and I don’t think they were willing to let him walk away again. 

I think he’s the only recruit we will lose to the draft. I think the only concern with the draft now is Davis Daniel. 

Edited June 14, 2018 by boomstick

[boomstick 1,315]

4 hours ago, doc4aday said:

We are getting a super young man on our baseball team no doubt. He could likely work his way into the bullpen rotation next year. Getting a left handed pitcher is a good thing for us. What has his fastball been clocked at?  Does anyone have his complete bios?  We are bringing top level talent into the program and this is what it takes for us to make it into the regionals and beyond. The future looks bright for Auburn baseball for years to come. We just need to nail Butch down for the long term. We do this, and then we can party like its 1999 every season!

He was 86-87 last summer. I’d guess he will play around 88-90 with the FB as a freshman.