Barnett bringing ‘electric stuff’ to closer role
AUBURN | With Cody Greenhill expected to step into the weekend starting rotation, Butch Thompson will be looking for a new closer in 2021. Fortunately for Auburn’s sixth-year head coach, he already has a ready-built replacement on staff.
In six appearances as a true freshman last spring, Mason Barnett struck out 16 of the 26 batters he faced.
“We’re pretty excited about him. We think Mason is going to be the next in a line of electric pitchers,” Thompson said. “He’s got a power arm and he’s got a lot of these characteristics we like a lot in Tanner (Burns) and Greenhill and Keegan Thompson and Casey Mize. We see a lot of that in Barnett.”
Burns, who recently signed a deal with the Cleveland Indians after being selected in the competitive balance portion of the first round of last month’s MLB Draft, knew the Tigers’ had something special in Barnett as soon as he showed up on campus last fall.
“I remember he threw a bullpen, and pitchers don’t throw 95 in a bullpen. I’m up here and Barny’s throwing 95, I was like, ‘Goodness, gracious,’” Burns said. “He’s got every pitch. He’s got a curveball, changeup, slider. He’s always learning … I’m excited about Mason. The sky’s the limit for him. If he continues to work hard like I know he will, I don’t know what’s going to happen but it’s going to be positive.”
Mason finished a pandemic-shortened first season at Auburn with a 3.52 ERA in six appearances out of the bullpen. His 16 strikeouts came in 7.2 innings, and he issued just three walks. After allowing three earned runs on four hits in his first college outing, he allowed just one hit and no runs over the final five.
In his final appearance of 2020, Barnett struck out five and didn’t allow a hit in 2.2 innings against Georgia Tech. In the classroom, he was one of 13 baseball players to earn first-year SEC Academic honors.
“I would say Mason Barnett fits that role just with the electric stuff that he has being able to come in,” said Greenhill of Barnett taking over as closer. “Just like this past year, he was reaching the upper 90’s. He has the stuff. The mentality part, I think that will come, especially as we get on into SEC play.”