AUBURN | It was a record-setting day two of the 2022 MLB Draft for Auburn.
Three players were selected Monday giving the Tigers four picks in the first five rounds for the first time in program history.
It started with right-handed pitcher Mason Barnett going to the Kansas City Royals in the third round, followed by two more in the fifth round as Trace Bright was selected by the Baltimore Orioles first baseman Sonny DiChiara by the Los Angeles Angels.
Right-handed pitcher Blake Burkhalter was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the second round Sunday night.
Barnett, the No. 87 overall pick, made 41 appearances in his three-year career finishing 5-7 with a 4.69 ERA. He struck out 142 batters in 111.1 innings.
He had his best season in 2022 going 3-3 with a 4.38 ERA and 83 strikeouts in 63.2 innings, and was particularly effective in the postseason going 2-1 with a 3.65 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 21.1 innings against UCLA, Oregon State and Arkansas.
Bright, the No. 137 overall pick, made 40 appearances including 31 starts in three years at Auburn. He had his best season as a junior this spring going 5-4 with 94 strikeouts in 80.2 innings.
Bright improved his ERA each season going from 8.38 in 2020, 6.98 in 2021 and 5.13 this year.
DiChiara, the No. 148 overall pick, had an outstanding senior season after transferring from Samford. He was named the co-SEC Player of the Year after hitting .383 with 15 doubles, 22 home runs and 59 RBI. DiChiara drew 68 walks and struck out just 55 times.
DiChiara is only the sixth consensus All-American in program history. He led the SEC with a .383 average, .549 on-base percentage and .777 slugging percentage.
Another player connected to Auburn was drafted Monday. Right-handed pitcher Jonathan Brand from Miami-Ohio, who is committed to Auburn as a transfer, was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the eighth round, No. 249 overall.
Brand was 8-2 with a 1.40 ERA in 13 starts last season. He had 88 strikeouts in 77.1 innings.
The draft concludes Tuesday with rounds 11-20 beginning at 1 p.m. CT.
