AUBURN, Ala. – The Auburn Tigers get the 2025 baseball season underway Friday Feb. 14 with the first of a three-game set against the Holy Cross Crusaders. Coming off a less than stellar 2024 campaign, Head Coach Butch Thompson and the team have their focus set on returning to the top ranks of the Southeastern Conference.
This Auburn team features lots of new faces. Starting with newcomers on the mound, the Tigers brought in some impact transfers. Cade Fisher was a Freshman All-American at Florida in 2023, and he should be a key piece in Auburn’s starting rotation. Ryan Hetzler, a reliver from Cal Baptist, was an All-American last season according to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America. Mason Koch (Creighton) and Sam Dutton (LSU) are also guys that project to be impact pieces.
Freshmen on the bump include Jackson Sander, Christian Chatterton, Connor Gatewood, and Andreas Alvarez. That group features some big arms and some high ceilings, but at this point, it’s too early to tell what kind of impact they might have.
As for newcomers in the field, Bristol Carter, Lucas Steele, Eric Snow, Jett Johnston, and Andrew Dutton will all look to find their way into the lineup. Carter and Snow stand out as the two that could fill gaps. Carter hit .346 a year ago at Eastern Carolina, and Snow seems to be the best defensive infielder Auburn has.
Freshmen in the field include catcher Chase Fralick, middle infielder Chris Rambert, outfielder Bub Terrell, and utility guy Addison Klepsch.
Despite the struggles last season, Auburn has no shortage of returning players to keep an eye on. Catcher/Designated Hitter Ike Irish is one of the best hitters in the SEC, coming off a sophomore season in which he hit .319 with 14 homers. Outfielder Cade Belyeu made some noise his freshman year posting a 1.058 OPS on his way to an SEC All-Freshman team selection. First baseman Cooper McMurray is likely to be the Tigers’ cleanup man for the third season in a row. His 28 home runs in an Auburn jersey lead all active Tigers. His bat will be one to watch yet again in 2025.
Returning pitchers Carson Myers, Connor McBride, John Armstrong, and Hayden Murphy lead an experienced group, and with some new talent around them, they will look to improve on a 2024 campaign that left a lot to be desired.
Looking across the diamond at Holy Cross, the Crusaders of the Patriot League are also looking to improve on their 26-27 record from a year ago. Led by sixth year head coach and 2024 Patriot League Coach of the Year Ed Kahovec, the Crusaders punch above their weight.
Senior outfielder Jimmy King made the Second Team All-Patriot League last season, hitting .313 in conference play and stealing 21 bags, good for second in program history. The Tigers’ pitching staff will have to silence his bat and slow his running game to get off to a good start in the 2025 season.
Baseball is back on the Plains, and opening weekend should be a joy. The series between the Auburn Tigers and Holy Cross Crusaders starts Friday at 6 p.m. at Plainsman Park, and continues Saturday at 6 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. Tune in on the Auburn Sports Network or on SEC Network +.
