Tanner Burns and Will Holland have been named preseason All-Americans by D1 Baseball, the is the second preseason All-American honor for both players.
Burns, a sophomore pitcher, earned second team honors for D1 Baseball and was named a third team All-American by Collegiate Baseball earlier in the preseason.
Holland, a junior shortstop, has been named a third team All-American by D1 Baseball and a second team All-American by Perfect Game during this preseason.
Both players played major roles in the Tigers’ 2018 season that saw the team make it to the NCAA Super Regionals.
Burns pitched 86.2 innings, second on the team, with a 3.01 ERA, 77 strikeouts and a 7-4 record. His 77 strikeouts was the most by a Auburn freshman since 2008, and his ERA ranked 12th among freshman nationally. His start against Northeastern was the first start for an Auburn freshman pitcher in a NCAA tournament opener since 1998.
Holland led the team in runs scored with 61, which was tied for seventh most in the SEC. He tied for team lead in hits with 78, had the second highest batting average,. 313, and tied for second most on the team in doubles, 18, RBIs, 52, and homers with 12.
Both players received multiple postseason honors. Burns was named a Freshman All- American and earned a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team. Holland was named Second Team All- SEC, First Team ABCA All-South Region and a Brooks Wallace Award semifinalist.
Holland is the No. 12 overall prospect for the 2019 MLB Draft, No. 7 college prospect and the top-rated player from the SEC, according to Perfect Game. On Baseball America’s top college prospects list he was ranked No. 8 and No. 12 by D1 Baseball.
The Tigers’ season begins with a three game series Feb. 15-17 against Georgia Southern.
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