AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn right-handed pitcher Richard Fitts and infielder Tyler Miller were selected on the second day of the 2021 MLB Draft Monday afternoon.
Fitts was drafted by the New York Yankees in the sixth round with the 183rd overall pick and Miller was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the ninth round with the 256th overall pick.
With Ryan Bliss also going to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the second round Monday, it marks the first time since 2005 Auburn has had three players taken in the top nine rounds.
Fitts becomes Auburn's sixth pitcher to be taken in the top seven rounds since 2017, joining Keegan Thompson (3rd, 2017), Casey Mize (1st, 2018), Davis Daniel (7th, 2019), Tanner Burns (1st, 2020) and Bailey Horn (5th, 2020). He's the 33rd pitcher who went undrafted out of high school to be turned into a draft pick by head coach Butch Thompson.
A native of Helena, Alabama, Fitts has made 40 appearances, including 14 starts, in his time on the Plains. He has totaled seven wins and earned one save while striking out 104 batters in 117.0 innings pitched.
Fitts played an instrumental role in Auburn's run to the 2019 College World Series, earning a win in both the regional and super regional rounds before making a pair of relief appearances in Omaha. After battling a foot injury for much of the 2021 season, he ultimately logged 41.1 innings in 13 appearances and eight starts. Fitts capped off his junior season by throwing 8.0 scoreless innings at Missouri, retiring 24 of 25 batters faced en route to being named the Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Week.
From one pair of pinstripes to another.#WarEagle | @TheFitts43 pic.twitter.com/898nZNW4YD
— Auburn Baseball (@AuburnBaseball) July 12, 2021
A former 23rd round pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates out of high school in 2018, Miller came to Auburn from East Mississippi Community College prior to the shortened 2020 season and had a breakout year in 2021.
The Spanish Fort, Alabama, native led the SEC with 61 RBI during the regular season and paced Auburn with 16 home runs. Miller ranked third on the team with a .313 batting average and was second in runs (38), total bases (125) and slugging percentage (.601). He started at first base in 48 of his 51 games and turned in a .997 fielding percentage while also playing a part in 42 double plays.
A big bat is headed to Boston.#WarEagle | @Ty_Mill_14 pic.twitter.com/zYWNd4gM5N
— Auburn Baseball (@AuburnBaseball) July 12, 2021
The final 10 rounds of the MLB Draft continue Tuesday on MLB.com.