Unranked a Year Ago, Mason Auer Is One of Tampa Bay’s Most Promising Prospects

Mason Auer made some of the biggest strides in the Tampa Bay Rays system in 2022. Unranked going into his first full professional season, the 21-year-old Joplin, Missouri native not only slashed .290/.372/.487 with 15 home runs between Low-A Charleston and High-A Bowling Green, he legged out 12 triples and swiped 48 bases. Moreover, he impressed on defense. A fifth-round pick in 2021 out of San Jacinto College, Auer is rated the best defensive outfielder, and as having the best outfield arm, among Rays prospects.

Auer discussed his path to pro ball and the skill set that has allowed him to emerge as a promising prospect at the end of last season.

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David Laurila: You were a late-round pick out of high school in 2019 but opted to attend a junior college rather than sign with the Chicago Cubs. What went into that decision?

Mason Auer: “There were talks earlier in the draft, but it wasn’t the money I wanted. Then they picked me in the 39th round. They called and said that there was maybe going to be some more money opening up if they didn’t get a few guys signed, so there was some serious talk about me signing, but that didn’t happen. I mean, it was still a hard decision. Ultimately, I knew that I wanted to keep working hard and go higher in [an upcoming] draft.”

Laurila: You have a plus arm and spent time on the mound in college. Did the Cubs want you as a pitcher or as an outfielder?

Auer: “They drafted me as an outfielder. There was a lot of talk about me being a pitcher when I was in high school, but I always kind of knew that I wanted to play the outfield and be a hitter. I like to play every day.”

Laurila: That said, how hard did you throw?

Auer: “I was up to 97 [mph]. I had a pretty good arm in high school, but again, I kind of knew that I wanted to be an outfielder and hit.”

Laurila: Being that you’re from Missouri, I’m guessing you grew up a Cardinals fans and the idea of playing for the Cubs wasn’t as appealing as it otherwise might have been? Players usually claim they don’t care where they go in the draft, but at the same time, roots runs deep…

Auer: “I have always been a Cardinals fan, yes, so I can’t say that it didn’t cross my mind. But like you said, at the end of the day it doesn’t really matter. You just want a chance to play.”

Laurila: That chance is coming with the Rays, who took you in the fifth round a few years later. What were your expectations going into that draft?

Auer: “I mean, the draft is a weird thing. I had my expectations, which were to go in the top five rounds, and I did. It worked out pretty well for me.”

Laurila: What about in terms of teams you thought were most likely to take you? Was Tampa Bay one of them?

Auer: “So, I actually didn’t talk to the Rays until a couple of days before the draft. But there had been some talk with my coaches at San Jac — Rays scouts had been talking to them — and there were other teams as well, like the Angels and the Blue Jays. The Rays were one of the top ones.”

Laurila: What were your expectations coming into this season?

Auer: “More than anything, I just wanted to work hard every day and show my talent. I wanted to prove to everybody that I can play at a high level, and that I can be the player I want to be.”

Laurila: You obviously put up some pretty impressive numbers. Looking at it objectively, did you maybe exceed what you thought you’d do in your first full season?

Auer: “I mean, I have very high expectations for myself. I do feel like I had a really good season — I played very well — and I think I showed everybody what I can do. I guess what I would say is that I probably exceeded some other people’s expectations.”

Laurila: How would you describe your game? What are your strengths?

Auer: “I’m pretty good at… I guess I would say that I’m good at being an all-around baseball player. I take pride in playing hard every day, and I have tools to do a lot of different things on the field; I can affect the game in a lot of different ways.”

Laurila: Which part of your game do you most need to improve?

Auer: “I think my biggest need, and this pretty much goes for all hitters, is improving my strikeout-to-walk ratio. That’s pretty much what I need to do going forward. At the same time, I want to keep getting better at everything I do.”