A couple years ago, I started to keep up with former Auburn Basketball players after their time in Auburn to see how their professional careers were going. Recently, with the offseason boring me to tears, I decided to take a deep look into what is my second favorite sport on Auburn’s campus: Baseball.

On Tuesday, I took a look at how former Auburn Tigers were faring in the Major Leagues.

Read Part 1 Here

Today, we’re going “Down on the Farm” to look at what former Tigers are doing in the Minor Leagues, particularly at the AAA and AA levels.

Starting in 2021, Major League Baseball established the minor league classification system which divides leagues into one of four classes: Triple-A (AAA), Double-A (AA), High-A (A+), and Low-A (A). Today, we will look at the guys currently playing in AAA & AA. In a newly added 3rd part that should be out tomorrow, we will look at the remaining players playing in Low A and High A ball.

Triple A

Ben Braymer - P, Rochester Red Wings

Ben Braymer played for Auburn in 2016 and pitches for the Washington Nationals AAA affiliate. Ben actually got a cup of coffee in the big leagues last season making 3 appearances, including 1 start going 1-0 with a 1.23 ERA in 7 ¹⁄₃ innings pitched.

This year he has made 5 starts so far for the Red Wings and is 1-3 with a 7.25 ERA. Braymer’s best outing came May 23rd when he went 6 innings giving up 1 run and striking out 3. Based on injury’s on the big club, it sounds like Braymer could possibly get another crack in Washington D.C. really soon.

Braymer’s Full Stats

5 Starts, 1-3, 22 ¹⁄₃ innings, 25 hits, 18 runs, 18 ER, 14 BB, 18 Ks, 7.25 ERA

Josh Palacios - OF, Buffalo Bisons

Like Braymer, Palacios spent the 2016 season on the Plains and was a 4th Round Draft Pick by the Blue Jays after that season. Earlier this year, he made his MLB debut with the Toronto Blue Jays.

The outfielder spent 10 games in April with the big club before being optioned back to AAA before the start of the minor league season. Palacios is currently on the Injured List and has been since May 10th with a fracture in his hand after being hit by a pitch.

Palacios made quite an early impression for the big club putting together a 4-hit, 4-run performance on April 11th.

Here’s some footage from a few nights later against the Yankees:

Palacios Full Stats:

With Toronto: 10 games, .250 batting average, 7-28, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 7 runs, 3 walks, .353 OBP

With Buffalo: 6 games, .300 batting average, 6-20, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 3 runs, 3 walks, .440 OBP

Damek Tomscha - 3B, St. Paul Saints

Of all of the guys on this list, Tomscha was the one guy on this list that I didn’t know anything about prior to doing this. Tomscha is in the Minnesota Twins organization and played for Auburn from 2013-2014 and has been playing primarily in AAA since the 2018 season. He began his season in AA before getting called up AAA 5 games in.

The Iowa native made his return to his home state last week taking on the Iowa Cubs and he hit a pair of solo homers in a 6-5 win on May 29th. He was 4-4 and a triple away from the cycle in that game.

Tomscha Full Stats:

With St. Paul: 16 games, .228 average, 13-57, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 6 runs, 5 walks, .290 OBP

With Wichita: 5 games, .250 average, 4-16, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 4 runs, 2 walks, .368 OBP

Double A

Andrew Mitchell - P, Binghamton Rumble Ponies

Mitchell pitched for Auburn from 2016-2018 and is now a member of the New York Mets AA affiliate in Binghamton. He pitched 3 innings in relief last night to pick up his second win of the season, marking back to back appearances where he has picked up the win. He has given up just 4 runs and opponents are hitting just .184 in 8 relief appearances this season.

I found some footage from his time in the Australian Baseball League this past winter but Mitchell is establishing himself as one of the pitching prospects to watch in the Mets organization.

Mitchell Full Stats

8 Games, 2-1, 13 ²⁄₃ innings, 9 hits, 4 runs, 4 ER, 4 BB, 15 Ks, 2.63 ERA

Gabe Klobosits - P, Harrisburg Senators

Gabe pitched for Auburn during the 2016 and 2017 seasons and is now in the Washington Nationals organization. During his minor league career, his career ERA is a very impressive 1.62 in 56 career appearances across all levels of Minor League baseball. For a 36th Round Draft pick in 2017 (or anywhere), I’d say that’s pretty good. Klobosits is currently in the Senators Bullpen where he hasn’t given up an earned run yet this season.

Klobosits Full Stats

7 Games, 1-1, 9 ²⁄₃ innings, 4 hits, 1 run, 0 ER, 4 BB, 17 Ks, 0.00 ERA, 1 save

Come back for Part 3 of Auburn Baseball in the Pros where we’ll see how guys like Tanner Burns, Davis Daniel and Edouard Julien are faring in the Minor Leagues.

War Eagle!