Fresh off their second consecutive home super regional loss a month ago, the Auburn Tigers could lose a few weapons from last year’s roster to the MLB.
Six more Tigers heard their name called on Day 2 of the 2026 MLB Draft on Sunday, which came after star second baseman Chris Rembert was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates with the No. 51 overall pick in the second round.
Five pitchers were selected on Sunday, including Alex Petrovic, Ryan Hetzler, Drew Whalen, Garrett Brewer and Jett Johnston, along with third baseman Eric Guevara.
With Rembert, Petrovic, Hetzler, Guevara and Whalen being selected within the first 10 rounds, Auburn has now had multiple top-10-round draft picks in a program-record eight straight seasons, including a program-record five top-10-round picks in back-to-back seasons.
Furthermore, the Tigers have 30 top-10-round picks in 11 seasons under head coach Butch Thompson.
Petrovic was the second Tiger after Rembert to hear his name called on Sunday, as the New York Mets took the redshirt sophomore right-hander No. 181 overall in the sixth round. Petrovic served as a steady Sunday starter for the entirety of the 2026 season, finishing with a 10-2 record in 17 starts and recording 92 strikeouts.
His 10 wins were the most by an Auburn pitcher in a single season since 2018 and tied for the third-most in the SEC. Despite two seasons during which he struggled with injuries, Petrovic bounced back in his third year, leading the Tigers with 92.2 innings pitched and tallying a 3.21 ERA, while holding opposing batters to a .207 average.
Hetzler went at No. 199 overall in the seventh round to the Los Angeles Angels after making the second-most appearances in 2026 with 20. He was Auburn’s “go-to” closer during his two years on the Plains, most recently turning in a 4-2 record and 2.43 ERA through 37.0 innings of work. Hetzler logged 11 saves throughout his time in the orange and blue, and his slot value with the Angels is $314,300.
Guevara was the next Tiger to hear his name called in the seventh round at No. 205 overall by the Miami Marlins after serving as a team captain at Auburn in 2026. Guevara stood as one of the Tigers’ biggest weapons — both at the plate and in the field — as he logged a .322 average and reached career highs in hits (78), runs (50), doubles (12), home runs (13) and RBIs (55).
The Panama native was an absolute force at third base, earning All-SEC Defensive Team honors for two consecutive years and finishing as a Rawlings Gold Glove Award finalist in this season. His slot value with the Marlins is $299,700.
Despite missing nearly the entire final three quarters of the season due to an elbow injury in Auburn’s first SEC matchup at Missouri, the Seattle Mariners drafted right-handed pitcher Whalen at No. 280 overall in the ninth round. Whalen transferred to Auburn from Western Kentucky as the reigning 2025 Conference USA Pitcher of the Year and played a large role in the Tigers’ bullpen during the first month of the season.
However, Seattle must’ve liked what it had seen across Whalen’s six appearances, during which he went 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA and logged 11 strikeouts in 11.0 innings pitched.
After three rounds of no Tigers selected, Auburn jumped back in the mix when the Colorado Rockies selected Brewer at No. 344 overall in the 12th round. Brewer spent just one year with the Tigers after two seasons at Michigan State, but he made the most of it, ranking third on the team with 17 relief appearances and tying for the team lead with three saves in 2026.
He certainly experienced a great amount of ups and downs this past season, racking up a 1-2 record with a 5.40 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 18.1 innings. His best outing came in Auburn’s 5-4 loss in Game 2 against Kentucky, where he struck out six Wildcats and allowed just two hits in 3.2 scoreless innings.
Johnston went in the 13th round at No. 396 overall to the Detroit Tigers and marked the final Tiger to be selected. Johnston ranked fourth on the team with 15 relief appearances, during which he recorded 31 strikeouts in 24.0 innings of work. He certainly saw the field more in the beginning of the season, logging multiple innings in five of his first eight appearances and allowing just four earned runs in his first 16.0 innings.
It remains unknown if any of these seven Tigers will pursue professional opportunities or return to Auburn, as each of them holds eligibility if they wish to play another year with the Tigers. However, players such as Rembert, Petrovic and even Guevara could very well depart from the Plains due to their hefty slot value.
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Gunner Norene, junior in journalism, has been with The Auburn Plainsman since Fall 2024. Norene previously served as a Sports Writer. He is currently serving as the Sports Editor.
