AUBURN | Ryan Bliss started all 66 games at second base for last year’s College World Series team, but the sophomore will line up at a new position for Friday night’s season opener against Illinois-Chicago.
Bliss will be back at shortstop, the position he excelled in as an All-American at Troup County High School in LaGrange, Ga.
“We’ll see him Friday at short, Saturday at second and we’ll see if the sun comes up Sunday and figure it out there,” Auburn coach Butch Thompson said. “But I think we’re going to get a look at both. My point and Ryan’s desire going into it, his role is expected to be in there every day.”
Bliss was the only player to start every game last season as a true freshman, hitting .281 with 50 runs scored, 11 doubles, three home runs, 37 RBI and 11 stolen bases.
He spent the majority of fall practice and preseason drills working at shortstop.
“Our job is also to develop him and give him some new stimulus from time to time. I think putting him at short has done that and made him a better athlete and helped him grow from last year,” Thompson said.
“Will it shake out in three weeks that we’re better with him at second base? If that’s the case, then we’ll do it. If it’s at short, we’ll stick with that. But I’m not going to let my own brain or my guesswork of the offseason answer the question. I’m going to let game experience and games being played help me answer this question.”
Bliss is not the only Auburn’s infielder that could bounce around to different positions during the four-game opening series against UIC and the early portion of the season.
Sophomore Brody Moore can play every infield position and both corner outfields. He’s the probable starter at shortstop when Bliss is at second. Senior Rankin Woley started at first last season, but has worked at both third and second during the offseason.
“Rankin Woley could start at three positions on opening weekend. Somebody’s going to and it might be him,” Thompson said.
“That infield, I think some guys have earned a look and earned time on the field, and there’s really only four spots right there. If I think six or seven guys, and we do, have earned some time on the infield and we can only start four at a time, you’ll see some different starting players more than what you’ve seen the last few years.”
Senior Conor Davis, who served as the team’s designated hitter last season, has got extensive work at first base as has true freshman Johnny Ceccoli. Two junior college transfers, Garrett Farquhar at second base and Tyler Miller at second or third should also figure prominently in Auburn’s infield during the opening series.
“Tyler Miller probably has more hits than anybody this January, these 12 intrasquads that we just played,” Thompson said. “There’s some depth there that we’ve got to shake out and see who’s hot and who fits and what really gets this team going the most where we feel like we can play the best offense and defense."
Senior Matt Scheffler returns as Auburn’s starting catcher but true freshman Nate LaRue is expected to catch Jack Owen in the opening game of Saturday’s doubleheader.
First pitch Friday night is scheduled for 5 p.m. CT while Saturday’s doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m. and approximately 4:30 p.m. Sunday’s finale will be at 11 a.m. Friday’s game and the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader will be on SEC Network+.
