AUBURN AUTHORITY

Keegan Thompson eager to earn Opening Day start at Auburn

Matthew Stevens
Montgomery Advertiser
Keegan Thompson throws a pitch during Auburn baseball practice on Friday, Jan. 27, 2017 in Auburn, Ala.

AUBURN – Keegan Thompson took the first step to accomplishing something this season that only three other Auburn pitchers have done since he’s been alive.

By throwing the first pitch of the first scrimmage of the preseason at Plainsman Park, Thompson took the first step in a patient journey back to possibly being the Opening Day starter in back-to-back active seasons at Auburn. Since 1994, only three other pitchers have started consecutive Opening Day games on the mound. Hayden Gliemmo (2000 and 2001); Levale Speigner (2002 and 2003) got Opening Day starts in a four-year stretch under head coaches Hal Baird and Steve Renfroe. Ryan Halla started three straight Opening Day games on the mound from 2009-11.

Keegan Thompson got the ball first in a 3-0 Opening Day victory over Binghamton in 2015 where the right-hander went four innings and struck out five in a shutout performance. What would obviously make Thompson’s feat in 2017 mean a little more is the fact that his consecutive Opening Day starts would come sandwiched between Tommy John surgery that forced him to miss the entire 2016 campaign.

Thompson, a freshman All-American in 2014 who currently holds a 12-6 record and a 2.49 ERA in 26 career games, was rated the No. 14 overall prospect for the 2016 MLB Draft by Perfect Game. However, he turned down significant signing bonus offers this summer to return to Auburn for his fourth year on campus and hopefully prove he can once again be an elite pitcher in arguably college baseball’s most competitive conference.

“I was throwing a little bit in the fall, but I wasn’t where I wanted to be in the fall,” Thompson said. “Today, coming out and having a few strikeouts, it was big for me. I’m just looking forward to the first game.”

On a 40-degree night at Plainsman Park, Thompson held to consistent fastball velocity of 87-89 miles per hour with solid fastball command and an inconsistent breaking ball with swing-and-miss action Friday. In two scoreless innings of work, Thompson had five strikeouts and allowed just an opposite-field single as his only hit.

“It was a good first day,” Thompson said. “I started out a little rusty, but the second inning I came back and threw more strikes and got a couple of guys out. It’s nice to be back on the mound three weeks away (from Opening Day). We’re looking forward to it.”

Auburn head coach Butch Thompson talking to pitcher Gabe Klobosits
during baseball practice on Friday, Jan. 27, 2017 in Auburn, Ala.

When Butch Thompson was named the new head coach at Auburn, he questioned whether he’d ever coach the talented 6-foot-2 righty but an understanding by the professional scouting community of a high price tag for a signing bonus this summer led Keegan Thompson back to Auburn where he’s in line to be part of a rebuilding weekend rotation.

“I'm just tickled to death because I think he's growing and getting stronger,” Butch Thompson said Friday night. “I just think he's so hungry in anticipation for the opportunity after being out for so long. He's only thrown two innings and really that's only the second time he's thrown to hitters, but I feel like he's ready.”

After having high inconsistency on the mound in his first season at Auburn, Butch Thompson could produce a 2017 weekend rotation of Thompson, Casey Mize (2-5, 3.52 ERA in 2016) and highly touted freshman Davis Daniel from St. James School in Montgomery in the weekend spots.

“Keegan had a lot more velocity today,” Auburn catcher Mike Rojas said. “Very good command today. Slider and changeup look real good (but) he dominated his fastball.”

Butch Thompson is noted for his work with pitchers and Keegan Thompson is already impressing the second-year head coach with his work ethic and maturity on the mound.

“I feel like he's right where he's supposed to be and I know here over the break that he's worked hard,” Butch Thompson said. “All these guys got to keep getting better every outing. I think Keegan was more than prepared for this first outing, which is good to see.”