Why former Alabama great Wimp Sanderson's grandson Jack is going to play baseball at Auburn

Wimp Sanderson is the winningest coach in Alabama men's basketball history. His grandson Jack, a senior at Northridge High School, is signed to play baseball at Auburn.

How did that happen? Let's let Jack explain.

"I knew right from the beginning I wanted to go to Auburn," Jack said. " ... I really like the coaches down there, and I really like the campus."

Jack signed to play at Auburn in December 2023, joining an Auburn baseball signing class that has been tabbed as the No. 5 recruiting class in the nation per Perfect Game. The 6-foot-5, 215-pound left-handed pitcher is one of 11 pitchers who signed to play for the Tigers next fall.

Despite his grandfather's coaching history for the Crimson Tide from 1980-1992, Jack did not grow up an Alabama fan. In fact, he grew up a fan of another SEC team due to his father Barry's coaching tenure from 2001-2008, before the family returned to Tuscaloosa in Jack's sixth-grade year.

"I grew up a South Carolina fan because my dad coached there," Jack said. "I was a South Carolina fan growing up ... (but) I always knew I wanted to play college sports, whether it be basketball or baseball."

Jack was noticed by then-Auburn pitching and volunteer assistant coach Tim Hudson, a four-time MLB All-Star, at an Auburn baseball camp in September 2021. A couple days after the camp, Jack received a call and an offer from Auburn, which he accepted. Other schools, like Alabama, Mississippi State and Tulane, started calling and showing interest, Jack said, but his sights were set on Auburn.

So, what does his grandfather think of Jack's college choice?

"As far as I knew, Alabama did not offer him. You have to go where you have offers. ... You got to go where you have the best opportunity to play, you feel like, and people are interested in you," Wimp said. "I have no problem with it. I competed against Auburn for a long time, I have a lot of friends there, I know a lot of people there. I fought like crazy to beat them when I was coaching.

"It wasn't a fact that, 'Oh I'm so sorry he's going to Auburn because I coached at Alabama.' That had nothing to do with it. ... I want him to go where he's happy."

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During the recruitment process, Jack said he spoke with his grandfather about his college options. Wimp provided nothing but support.

"I talked to him about it before, and he said to do whatever you want," Jack said. "He was supportive of whatever I was going to do."

Due to a stress fracture in his elbow, Jack has been unable to pitch for Northridge this season, but he has been hitting as of late. He has an MRI scheduled for April 3, where he hopefully will be cleared to pitch. In the games Jack has been able to play this year for the Jaguars, he has batted .240 with three doubles, three RBIs, three runs and two sacrifice flies.

"You look at (Jack), and he looks like an SEC athlete, so that's the first thing that stands out about him," Northridge coach Jeff Bell said. "Then the more that you're around him and the more you get to know him, his leadership quality is really what sets him apart from other people.

"He's not going to be overcome by the environment or being around SEC players. He believes he is one and he's going to go down (to Auburn) and he's going to fit in in the program wherever they need him."

Anna Snyder covers high school sports and University of Alabama softball and football recruiting for The Tuscaloosa News. Reach her at asnyder@gannett.com. Follow her on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, @annaesnyder2

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: AHSAA baseball: Why Wimp Sanderson's grandson Jack is going to Auburn