Tracking Auburn baseball players, commits taken in 2023 MLB Draft
AUBURN — Auburn baseball lost two straight games at their own regional in June to end its season, but not before a few Tigers put their talents on display for the next level.
Auburn has nearly two dozen players eligible to be picked in the 2023 MLB Draft, and several could hear their names called across the three-day event, which begins with rounds 1-2 on Sunday (6 p.m. CT, ESPN). In coach Butch Thompson's eight seasons on the Plains, he's helped 36 players get drafted, plus the amount that get picked this year. Of those selected in previous drafts, 16 were picked in the first 10 rounds.
Here's a running list of the Auburn players that've been drafted, as well as any of the program's commitments.
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Auburn baseball players taken in 2023 MLB Draft
SS Cole Foster
Drafted: No. 85 overall, San Francisco Giants
Slot value: $820,900
What to know: Foster spent three seasons at Auburn, appearing sparingly as a freshman in 2021 before becoming Thompson's starting second baseman in 2022 and shortstop in 2023. He helped the Tigers to back-to-back home regionals as a sophomore and junior.
3B Bryson Ware
Drafted: No. 253 overall, Philadelphia Phillies
Slot value: $187,100
What to know: Starting 58 games last season, Ware hit .350 and led the Tigers in both RBIs (63) and home runs (24). He also had a team-high slugging percentage of .731 and worked 30 walks in 223 at-bats.
P Chase Isbell
Drafted: No. 439 overall, Kansas City Royals
Slot value: N/A
What to know: Appearing in 23 games as a senior, Chase Isbell tossed 33.1 innings for the Tigers in 2023, striking out 42 batters and finishing the season with a 5.94 ERA.
Auburn baseball commits taken in 2023 MLB Draft
SS Colt Emerson
Drafted: No 22 overall, Seattle Mariners
Slot value: $3,496,600
What to know: Rated by Perfect Game as the No. 35 overall player in the Class of 2023, Emerson has been committed to Auburn since August 2020. At John Glenn High School in Ohio, Emerson hit .446 as a senior and drove in 25 runs.
IF Kevin McGonigle
Drafted: No. 37 overall, Detroit Tigers
Slot value: $2,309,500
What to know: McGonigle, who has been committed to Thompson and the Tigers since July 2020, is rated by Perfect Game as the seventh-best prospect in the Class of 2023. Through 73 career games at Monsignor Bonner High School in Pennsylvania, he logged a batting average of .498, per MaxPreps.
IF Sam Mongelli (Transfer)
Drafted: No. 310 overall, Los Angeles Dodgers
Slot value: $164,600
What to know: Mogelli spent four seasons at Sacred Heart before transferring to Auburn in June. He appeared in 55 games in 2023, logging a .402 batting average and hitting 20 home runs.
P Bjorn Johnson
Drafted: No. 362 overall, Milwaukee Brewers
Slot value: N/A
What to know: A left-handed pitcher out of Lincoln High School in Seattle, Johnson is rated by Perfect Game as the No. 177 recruit in his class and the best prospect in the state of Washington.
P Dylan Watts (JUCO)
Drafted: No. 542 overall, Milwaukee Brewers
Slot value: N/A
What to know: Watts committed to Auburn in May after spending one season at Tacoma Community College in Washington. He made 14 appearances as a freshman, allowing just one earned run in 38.1 innings of work.
Richard Silva is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at rsilva@gannett.com or on Twitter @rich_silva18.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn baseball: Tracking Tigers picked in 2023 MLB Draft
