In today's edition of Auburn Tigers News, Caleb Wooden commits to an SEC school, and a transfer pitcher is looking to start for the baseball team
A former Auburn Tiger is sticking around in the SEC. After three seasons on the Plains, defensive back Caleb Wooden elected to hit the transfer portal after the 2024 season. He has announced his will use his final year of eligibility to play for the Arkansas Razorbacks.
In the 2024 season, Wooden logged 17 tackles and one interception, and he ended his career in orange and blue with 41 tackles, one sack, two interceptions, and one forced fumble.
A 3-star DB out of high school from Lawrenceville, Georgia, Wooden is the younger brother of former Auburn football defensive tackle Colby Wooden, who currently plays for the Greenbay Packers in the NFL. Wooden is the 19th transfer to join the Razorbacks.
Transfer pitcher looking to start for the baseball team
The Auburn baseball program will begin practice on Monday just over a month from the beginning of the season on Feb. 14. After a disappointing 2024 season, the Tigers brought in a lot of talent from the transfer portal during the offseason, many of whom are pitchers.
After fall practices, head coach Butch Thompson believes that one pitcher has stood out as the most likely candidate to start this spring.
“If we started today, the flag we're waving who really won the competition would be Samuel Dutton,” said Thompson at the end of fall ball, per Auburn Rivals. “He threw 72 percent strikes this last outing. He put together the best outing of the fall in this World Series. Four pitches looked sharp.”
Dutton committed to Auburn back in June after three years at LSU. The Tigers won the 2023 College World Series with Dutton's help, and he has impressed Thompson in the leadup to this year's opener, in which Auburn baseball will host Holy Cross at Plainsman Park.