Auburn coach Butch Thompson says his second signing class is unique.

AUBURN, Ala. – Tanner Burns and Steven Williams could have bulging bank accounts and be driving fancy cars today. Instead, they are looking toward their freshman season as Auburn baseball players.

Burns, a dominant force on the mound, in the field and at the plate ast Decatur (Ala.) High School, almost certainly would have been chosen in the first round of last week’s Major League Baseball draft. Williams, an Under Armour All-America catcher from Deerfield-Windsor High School in Albany, Ga., wouldn’t have been far behind. So it also was with others in Auburn's baseball signing class.

But they made their intentions known to major league clubs: Barring money they couldn’t turn down, they intended to play the next three seasons at Auburn.

Left-handed pitcher Andrew Mitchell, right-hander Calvin Coker and infielder Luke Jarvis could have been drafted and signed for six figures. Their response was the same: They wanted to return to play for Auburn next season as seniors.

In the end, Auburn looks to lose only left-handed pitcher Evan Steele, who was drafted in the second round out by the Kansas City Royals of Cbipola (Fla.) Community College, from a signing class considered among the nation's best.

Butch Thompson, headed toward his third season as Auburn’s head coach, said it was unlike anything he’d experienced in his 15 years coaching and recruiting in Division I baseball.

“We’ll end up getting five or six boys who were drafted and chose to come to Auburn,” Thompson said. “That’s a statement. What it says is we are recruiting the right people. I think it’s valued Auburn baseball.

“All these boys want to play major league baseball. For them to put it off, I think, means playing at Auburn means something. It means getting a degree at Auburn means something. And it means ‘I can be developed playing Auburn baseball in a way that will help me pursue that goal.’”

Former Auburn assistant Brad Bohannon led the recruiting effort that culminated with the signing last November of a class rated among the nation’s best. He left after the season to be the head coach at Alabama, but there was no wavering among the signees.

Players from Alabama, California, Wisconsin, Georgia, Texas and even Canada had come together and were committed to playing together.

“Our signees have been communicating,” Thompson said. “You have (right-hander) Ryan Hoerter from Wisconsin talking to Williams in Georgia, talking to Burns in Alabama, talking to (left-hander) Jack Owen in California. They have their little group. They connect and they talk and I think they all want to be together.

“I think we have a group of boys that are like-minded. It’s the same way with our returning players.”

After coming within one strike of a super regional in his second season, Thompson will face higher expectations in 2018. He’ll have perhaps the top returning pitcher in the SEC in All-America right-hander Casey Mize. The starting infield will return almost intact.

After signing a large number of junior college players in his first class, Thompson focused on freshmen in his second.

“We went the juco route to get good,” Thompson said. “All these freshmen are for the long term. I’ll have to see where these freshmen are, but I understand expectations. I should be raising them. That’s part of my job.”

On the mound, Auburn will be without Keegan Thompson, who was drafted in the third round and signed with the Chicago Cubs, and Cole Lipscomb, who signed with the Milwaukee Brewers. Every other pitcher who played a prominent role will return.

In the infield, Josh Anthony, Jarvis, Will Holland, Jay Estes and Dylan Ingram return with starting experience, along with designated hitter Conor Davis. The outfield will have to mostly be rebuilt after the loss of centerfielder Jonah Todd, drafted in the sixth round and signed by the Los Angeles Angels. Estes moved to the outfield late in the season and will likely stay there.

“We need a Conor Davis to get out of the DH thing. He needs to play like left field all summer,” Thompson said. “He needs to see if he can find left field or find something. It will help us and help his stock, too. Anthony’s heart broke. He’s staying. He’s going to try to lose 15-20 pounds. He gained 20 pounds and I don’t think it helped him.”

On the mound, the Tigers will miss Keegan Thompson and Lipscomb, but talent won’t be an issue.

“We have more pitching depth,” Butch Thompson said. “We have more arm talent. They haven’t done it at this level, but there is more skill.”

There will be ample opportunities for the freshmen to make waves early.

An early look at each position:

CATCHER

Freshman Steven Williams, junior Mike Rojas

FIRST BASE

Senior Dylan Ingram, junior college transfer Brendan Venter

SECOND BASE

Senior Luke Jarvis, freshman Edouard Julien

SHORTSTOP

Sophomore Will Holland, freshman Cade Evans

THIRD BASE

Senior Josh Anthony, junior Brendan Venter

WILD CARDS

Freshmen Tanner Burns and Carter Bowen are two-way players. Both will pitch. They could also compete for playing time in the infield.

OUTFIELD

Jay Estes, senior Bowen McGuffin, sophomore Jeremy Johnson, sophomore Conor Davis, freshman Judd Ward. Other players listed as infielders could move to the outfield if needed, and one or more probably will.

PITCHERS

Junior RHP Casey Mize, sophomore RHP Davis Daniel, senior LHP Calvin Coker, sophomore LHP Elliott Anderson, sophomore RHP Christian Camacho, Senior RHP Kevin Davis, sophomore RHP Ryan Watson, junior RHP Daniel Sprinkle, senior RHP Corey Herndon, freshman RHP Tanner Burns, freshman RHP Rhett Fetner, freshman RHP Carter Bowen, freshman LHP Peyton Glavine, freshman RHP Cody Greenhill, freshman RHP Ryan Hoerter, freshman LHP Jack Owen.

AUBURN SIGNING CLASS FOR 2018 SEASON