Three Auburn players were selected in the 20-round 2023 MLB Draft which took place Sunday through Tuesday.
Since 1975, the 2023 MLB Draft marked the 49th consecutive draft where at least one Auburn player was drafted, which is tied for the longest streak in the SEC. Being drafted Monday, shortstop Cole Foster and third baseman Bryson Ware became the highest-drafted pair of Auburn infielders since 1979.
SS Cole Foster | Round 3 pick 85- San Fransisco Giants
Junior shortstop Foster was the first Tiger drafted in the 2023 MLB Draft. The San Francisco Giants picked Foster in the third round as the 85th pick. The Plano, Texas, native recorded 75 hits, with 13 of those as doubles, 57 runs and 13 home runs with 49 RBIs during the 2023 season. In the infield, Foster had 138 assists and 69 putouts with only five errors. In his 123 career games as a Tiger, the switch hitter collected 102 runs, 128 hits and 22 home runs with 97 RBIs. The 6-foot-1, 193-pound shortstop was a semifinalist for the Brooks Wallace Award and won Brooks Wallace Shortstop of the Week twice.
3B Bryson Ware | Round 8 pick 253 - Philadelphia Phillies
On Monday, Ware was drafted in the eighth round by the Philadelphia Phillies as the 253rd overall pick. This past season, the third baseman secured 78 hits, with 11 doubles and one triple, 66 runs and 24 home runs with 63 RBIs. His 24 home runs set a single-season program record, and his 18-game hit streak was the longest by an Auburn player since 2016. In the infield, the 6-foot-2, 211-pound senior collected 38 putouts and 83 assists with 11 errors. During 150 games played as a Tiger, Ware recorded 125 runs, 135 hits — 25 doubles and four triples — and 31 home runs with 110 RBIs. The Madison, Mississippi, native was nominated as a semifinalist for the NCBWA Dick Howser Trophy and was featured on the Golden Spikes Award midseason watch list for the 2023 season.
RHP Chase Isbell | Round 15 pick 439 - Kansas City Royals
On Tuesday, senior RHP Chase Isbell was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 15th round as the 439th pick overall. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound senior collected three wins, one loss and two saves, adding 42 strikeouts with 17 walks in 33.1 innings pitched, during the 2023 season. During the Tigers’ Omaha run in 2022, the Springville, Alabama, native played a vital role, recording a 0.68 ERA in his last nine appearances of the season. Before the 2023 season, Isbell was listed among other pitchers for the NCBWA Stopper of the Year watchlist.
Two of Auburn’s top signees were quickly taken off the board on Sunday, July 9th. The Seattle Mariners took four-star infielder Colt Emerson 22nd overall. Going 37th overall, the Detroit Tigers drafted infielder Kevin McGonigal in the first round. Transfer infielder Sam Mongelli was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 10th round as the 310th pick. The Milwaukee Brewers drafted LHP Bjorn Johnson (12th round, 362 overall) and RHP Dylan Watts (18th round, 542nd overall), who are also Auburn signees.
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Caitlyn Griffin is a sophomore from Huntsville, Alabama, majoring in journalism. She started with The Plainsman in fall 2022.
Twitter: @caitlyngrif99
