There’s one thing Auburn baseball coach John Pawlowski has learned about the Major League Baseball amateur draft and the subsequent effect it has on his team.

It never gets easier to predict.

Sure, Pawlowski has some idea as to what will happen with both certain players on his current roster and a number of others in his potential class of signees. But the only surefire prediction Pawlowski would make is that whatever he thinks will happen, probably won’t.

“So many things can happen and there are so many people pulling them in different directions,” Pawlowski said. “That makes it really tough.

“It’s a very trying time in putting all the pieces together.”

Take Joseph Sanders’ situation for example.

The Tigers’ third baseman led Auburn in four different offensive categories this past season — doubles (14), home runs (19), RBIs (55) and slugging percentage (.737). If not for a broken jaw caused by a fastball to the face, which sidelined him for nearly a month late in the season, Sanders, a junior, would have likely broken Frank Thomas’ record for most home runs in a season and received some postseason recognition.

Sanders went undrafted in the first three rounds of the draft Tuesday. That certainly won’t be the case today.

How high he goes will ultimately determine if he opts to sign a contract or come back to Auburn for his senior season. Pawlowski has said that Sanders told him that he would return if he’s not drafted in the first seven rounds.

But there’s plenty of gray area, Pawlowski said.

“The thrill and excitement of being on a college campus and getting a college education, having a chance to compete in the best conference in the country, go to the SEC tournament, go to Omaha — all of those things play into their decision,” Pawlowski said. “Some clubs have money and some don’t. It’s a fine line whether you’re drafted by a small-market team or one that has a lot of money.”

Though he’s told Sanders that he would love to have him back at third base next season, Pawlowski said he thinks Sanders is ready for the rigors and temptations that come with Minor League Baseball.

“You have an awful lot of free time and there’s a lot of things that can happen during that free time and you have to be able to handle it,” Pawlowski said. “I think he’s mature enough to handle it.”

Other Auburn players could also be faced with a similar decision if they are picked in the draft’s later rounds.

Reliever Scott Shuman has received plenty of attention from Major League scouts, Pawlowski said. The 6-foot-3 righthander was strong during his first season with the Tigers, when he went 4-1 with a team-best 2.00 ERA, but struggled considerably thereafter. He went 2-2 with a 6.07 ERA in 2008 and followed up with a 1-0, 7.90 season in 2009.

“He’s got a ton of ability. Big arm and looks good,” Pawlowski said. “I think he’s a guy that people are pretty excited about.”

Righthander Taylor Thompson could be picked for the second consecutive season. Thompson, who struggled to a 3-3 mark with a 9.00 ERA in 2009, was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the 25th round in 2008, but opted to stay at Auburn.

Junior reliever Austin Hubbard, who had 12 saves in 25 appearances, and senior outfielder Ben Jones, who hit .274 with 10 homers and 50 RBIs in his first full year as a starter, are other possibilities.
It’s anybody’s guess, including Pawlowski’s.

“There’s just so many clubs and so many scouts evaluating talent,” Pawlowski said. “There’s no rhyme or reason to it.”

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