AUBURN | Deric Fabian is off to a hot start at the plate, in the field and in the dugout.
Auburn’s senior captain is leading the team with a .444 average and six RBI. He’s had a triple, home run and is 3 for 3 in stolen bases.
In four starts at shortstop and one at second base, Fabian has a 1.000 fielding percentage with 10 assists. He’s also one of the Tigers’ most vocal team leaders.
“Fabian is doing a great job of leading. That’s our coach on the field,” said AU coach Butch Thompson. “You've got a captain and a guy that helps you run your infield, and can communicate and talk to somebody on the field, and he's swinging the bat good.
“I think the challenge coming out of last year to this year is the consistency to do that for a long period of time.”
In his first season after transferring from Florida last year, Fabian batted .268 with nine doubles, five home runs and 27 RBI. But it included a 1 for 32 slump during the middle of the season.
“Man, am I rooting for him,” said Thompson. “Because that's a winning human being, and the whole nine yards. But the game don't care, and the game asks for consistency. He couldn't have got off to a better start from checking every box.
“I think as long as he just takes all his experiences from his whole career and just keeps thinking of this game one day at a time, and continuing to try to do something, there's no reason why that Fabian can't sit there and absolutely do an amazing job like he has to start this season.”
Auburn (4-1) hosts Wright State for a three-game series this weekend. Game times are 2:30 p.m. CT Friday, noon Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. All three games will be carried on SECN+/ESPN+.
TWO NOTABLE INJURIES: Starting pitcher Cade Fisher will miss this weekend’s start with a tight back/lat. He’s expected back in the rotation next week. With Fisher out, Samuel Dutton will move from Saturday to Friday, Saturday’s starter will be TBA and Christian Chatterton will remain the Sunday starter. Auburn will also be without third baseman Eric Guevara for about 10 days with a minor hamstring injury.
VERSATILE FRESHMAN: Auburn has a number of freshmen contributing through the first week of the season including Chase Fralick, who can play catcher, third base or DH. He’s batting .333 with a home run and two RBI in four games, and has been especially impressive in two appearances behind the plate. Thompson also praised Lucas Steele’s start at catcher against Troy.
“I thought they had total control of the ballgame,” said Thompson. “Our best framing metric numbers, because analytics, the guys keep putting that stuff in my ear left and right. Fralick really caught above average from the peers of college baseball, was tremendous.”
BULLPEN BOON: Auburn’s bullpen is off to a great start with a 4-0 record, 1.42 ERA and .091 average against through five games. Led by Cam Tilly, Jett Johnston and Parker Carlson, AU’s relievers combined for a 0.79 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 11.1 innings against Troy and North Alabama.
“This midweek I love how the bullpen performed,” said Thompson. “We’ve been looking for a long time for some bullpen pieces. Can we do that consistently? That’s one outing but those are some good outings that we had.”
ANOTHER TOUGH TEST: Wright State has dominated the Horizon League over the last 10 years with six regular season championships and seven tournament championships. The Raiders have also made six NCAA Regional appearances in the last nine postseasons. WSU is 2-0 on the season with a doubleheader sweep over Longwood last Friday. “A team that is perennially involved in the postseason. It will be a great, great test for us this second week of the early season,” said Thompson.
