Auburn 'a place full of winners'

AUBURN | After signing the nation’s No. 5 class in 2016 according to Collegiate Baseball, Auburn is well on its way to signing another highly-ranked class in 2017.

The Tigers recently added an important piece to the class in junior college slugger Brendan Venter, who officially visited the weekend of the LSU game.

“Auburn is a great place. You step foot on the campus and you’ve got that hospitality. Everybody is welcoming. The football game was something else with all the fans there,” Venter said. “Overall, it was a great experience and that’s ultimately why I ended up committing there.”

Venter, who hit .385 with 17 doubles, 15 home runs and 69 RBIs as a freshman at McLennan (Texas) Community College, also officially visited Mississippi State, Alabama, Oklahoma State and Missouri State before choosing Auburn.

“Everyone wants to win,” Venter said. “The football team is starting to pick it up now. They’re ranked now in the Top 25. Auburn is just a place full of winners and that’s who I am, which is really nice and a good fit.”

Venter is expected to play third base for the Tigers in 2018 where he’ll likely replace Josh Anthony, a top junior college slugger that signed with Auburn in the 2016 class.

“I think I’m the only third baseman that’s committed and I think they’re losing their third baseman this year, most likely to the draft. I’ll play third base and hopefully we can go to Omaha and win the whole thing,” Venter said.

Venter, who was born in South Africa, was recruited by assistant coach Brad Bohannon. He credited Bohannon, head coach Butch Thompson and Auburn’s staff along with its players for making a difference in his recruitment.

“I think Auburn has one of the best coaching staffs in the country,” he said. “I hit it off really well with the players on the team. We’re all very similar, just down-to-earth competitors who want to win.”

Venter was named first-team North Texas All-Conference last season. He was also a NJCAA All-Academic Honorable Mention selection with a 3.19 team GPA.

Venter can sign with Auburn beginning Nov. 9.