Four Tigers Named to Freshman All-America Team

Steven Williams (41)
Auburn baseball vs Samford on Tuesday, April 24, 2018, in Auburn, Ala.
Photo: Wade Rackley /Auburn Athletics

The 2018 Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-America Team was announced Wednesday, and four of Auburn’s most valuable weapons found their way onto the list. The four selections are the most all-time for Auburn

The 2018 season of Auburn Baseball has been one of the most memorable in recent memory, and many factors have contributed to that. Four of Auburn’s valuable assets were recognized nationally on Wednesday by Collegiate Baseball.

Tanner Burns, Cody Greenhill, Steven Williams, and Edouard Julien were named to the Freshman All-America team this week. Four selections are tied for the most in the country with SEC foe, Vanderbilt.

Burns and Greenhill have turned in many great pitching performances this season, combining to win a game in five of the final six SEC series of the season. Burns is 7-4 with 74 strikeouts and a 3.12 ERA in his first season in the weekend rotation, working his way into the “game two” starter. Greenhill is 5-2 with five saves on the year.

Williams and Julien are a part of the “smash squad”, a five-member unit involving players who have hit at least 10 home runs this season. The roommates have combined to hit 28 home runs and send home 117 runs.

The two have joked about having a competition on who can hit the most home runs, as well as lead the team in RBI. Well, Julien has that competition well in hand this season. Julien has hit 17 home runs and has 68 RBI. His RBI total is tied with Frank Thomas for most all-time for an Auburn freshman, and he has hit the most home runs by an Auburn freshman since 1998.

Williams has also made a name for himself. He is batting .295 in 62 starts with 11 home runs and 49 RBI.

Next up for these freshmen, and the rest of the Auburn Tigers, is a trip to Gainesville for the first Super Regional appearance since 1999. Auburn faces Florida in game one on Saturday at 11 A.M. on ESPN.