AUBURN | Edouard Julien didn’t know what to expect when he stepped up to the plate last Tuesday, in Auburn’s College World Series elimination game against Louisville.

Just two days prior, Julien’s costly error helped Mississippi State rally from a three-run deficit in the bottom of the ninth inning for a 5-4.

But when Julien stepped into the batter’s box, it wasn’t jeers or moans he heard, it was a rousing ovation from a majority of the crowd at TD Ameritrade Park.

“It was special,” Julien said. “That has never happened to me, to have a lot of people standing for me and being behind me even after what happened, it was pretty cool.”

The Tigers lost both games of the CWS and Julien had a decision to make upon returning home after being drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 18th round of the 2019 MLB Draft. It didn’t take long for the draft-eligible sophomore to reach a decision.

“It was an honor to hear my name called by the Minnesota Twins, and I want to thank them for the opportunity,” Julien posted on Twitter Monday. “However, my teammates and I still have some work to do at Auburn. Coach (Butch) Thompson talks about leaving a legacy, and our story isn’t over yet.”

Starting pitcher Jack Owen joined Julien in announcing his plans to return in 2020, giving the Tigers eight of the nine position players and six of the seven pitchers that participated in the CWS.

Despite batting just .258, Julien led the team in just about every other offensive category including runs scored (52), home runs (10), RBI (57) and walks (46). His 76 strikeouts also led the team while he finished tied for second in doubles (14).

In Auburn’s eight NCAA tournament games, Julien hit .429 with 10 runs scored, two home runs and nine RBI. He had seven walks and seven strikeouts. In the two CWS games, he batted .667 with two runs scores, one home run and three RBI.

Owen was 4-2 with a team-best 2.75 ERA in 14 appearances including 10 starts last season despite missing a month with shoulder soreness. He didn’t allow a run in span of 20.2 innings from Feb. 23 — Mar. 16 and set the program record by throwing 28.2 innings without allowing an earned run dating back to last season.

In three NCAA tournament starts, Owen was 0-0 with a 4.61 ERA.

“Playing pro baseball is a dream of mine, and I can’t thank the St. Louis Cardinals enough for giving me that opportunity,” Owen posted on Twitter. “However, I’m excited to return to Auburn for my junior season and can’t wait to get back to work with Coach Thompson and the boys.”