Season Preview: Auburn Baseball’s top returning hitters from 2022 season

The Auburn Tigers are set to open the 2023 season on Friday, Feb. 17 against Indiana at Plainsman Park. While we count down the days, here’s a brief look at what to expect this season.

The first chapter of Auburn Wire’s baseball season previews will take a look at Auburn’s returning hitters from last season’s College World Series roster.

Auburn returns plenty of contributors to last season’s lineup and will see a lot of new faces at the plate as well. However, the caliber of bats that have since moved on to the professional ranks leaves a few questions for Auburn to answer.

The biggest void on this season’s roster is Sonny DiChiara, who was drafted 148th overall by the Los Angeles Angels and was immediately delegated to Double-A Rocket City. In his lone season on the Plains, DiChiara smashed 22 home runs and was responsible for 59 RBI.

Auburn will also be without Blake Rambusch, Brooks Carlson, and Brody Moore, who finished the season in the top-five of batting average last season behind DiChiara.

There are some familiar faces, however, who will return to the Auburn lineup this season including Bobby Peirce, Cam hill, Cole Foster, and Kason Howell, who all hit over .250 last season.

Here’s a look at the top returning bats to Auburn’s roster ahead of the 2023 season, based on last season’s batting average.

Nate LaRue

Jake Crandall/ The Montgomery Advertiser

Ryan Dyal

AU Athletics

Bryson Ware

AP Photo/Vasha Hunt

Mason Land

AU Athletics

Mike Bello

Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

Cole Foster

Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

Josh Hall

AU Athletics

Cam Hill

AU Athletics

Bobby Peirce

Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

Kason Howell

AP Photo/Vasha Hunt

Brody Moss

AU Athletics

Story originally appeared on Auburn Wire