Skip to main content

Auburn Pitcher Alex Petrovic Selected in 2026 MLB Draft

One of the Auburn Tigers' best arms has the potential to head to one of the biggest cities in the world in a recent selection.
Auburn Tigers' Alex Petrovic was selected by the New York Mets with the 181st pick of the 2026 MLB Draft.
Auburn Tigers' Alex Petrovic was selected by the New York Mets with the 181st pick of the 2026 MLB Draft. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Auburn baseball’s young team had plenty of stars that led to its success. The SEC program saw another productive player be selected in the 2026 MLB Draft on the second day of the event. 

It was right-handed pitcher Alex Petrovic, who was selected by the New York Mets. The ball club selected the standout Tiger in the sixth round with the No. 181 overall pick of the draft, which takes place in Philadelphia this weekend. 

Petrovic was Auburn’s Sunday starter down the stretch of the season, and it’s not hard to see why. After having to deal with the likes of Jake Marciano and Andreas Alvarez on the previous two days, the Cypress, Tx., native was the final piece of the weekend trio that most SEC teams had to deal with. 

His numbers jumped in his third season with the program, going from seven appearances in each of his first two seasons to 17 in 2026. Each season, his ERA was better, finishing last season with a 3.21 ERA and 10 wins as a pitcher. He finished tied for third in the SEC in earned run average. 

The pitcher is the second Auburn player off the board during the MLB Draft, the first to be selected on Sunday. He joins second baseman Chris Rembert as the second Tiger to potentially head to the Big Leagues. Rembert was selected in the second round by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Of course, he has the option to not sign, meaning he would return to the Plains next season. There is an argument for him to leave the program, but the decision to invest time in a professional staff, or to make a College World Series run once again with the Tigers in 2027. 

Petrovic finishes his Auburn career with a 3.60 ERA, playing in 31 games and 22 starts. The righty recorded 134 strikeouts, allowed 98 hits and 16 home runs in 122.1 innings pitched. Most of it occurred in 2026, with him redshirting in 2024 and being injured for a chunk of 2025. 

For head coach Butch Thompson, he returns some of his best pitchers in Marciano and Alvarez, but he will need to fill the void of Petrovic if he decides to reside in the Big Apple for years to come. 

Auburn Tigers on SI will remain updated with the remainder of the potential Tigers who could hear their names called throughout the event. 

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations


Published
Griffin Barfield
GRIFFIN BARFIELD

Griffin is a communications major who was the Sports Editor for The Tiger at Clemson University. He led a team of 20+ reporters after working his way up through the ranks as a staff writer, sideline reporter, and assistant sports editor.

Share on XFollow BarfieldGriffin