Irish goes No. 19 overall in MLB Draft

AUBURN | Auburn has another first-round draft pick.

After an all-American career with the Tigers, Ike Irish was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles with the No. 19 overall pick in the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft.

The No. 19 pick has a slot value of $4.42 million.

Irish becomes the 10th Auburn player to be taken in the first round all-time. He’s the 43rd overall and fourth first-rounder selected under head coach Butch Thompson. 

Irish was a Freshman All-American in 2023 batting .361 with 24 doubles, six home runs and 50 RBI. He was slowed by injuries as a sophomore hitting .319 with 14 home runs and 59 RBI.

He was a consensus All-American this spring batting .364 with 19 home runs and 58 RBI. In three seasons at AU, he totaled 48 doubles, five triples, 39 home runs and 167 RBI.

Irish joins Anfernee Grier in 2016, Casey Mize, who was No. 1 overall pick in 2018, and Tanner Burns in 2020 as first-round picks under Thompson, who has guided the Tigers to two College World Series in his 10 seasons.

Several of Auburn’s first-round picks went on to have standout major league careers including Hall of Fame slugger Frank Thomas, All-Star pitcher Gregg Olson, and All-Star and AL MVP Josh Donaldson.

The MLB draft continues with rounds 1-3 Sunday and rounds 4-20 Monday beginning at 10:30 a.m. CT.