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Auburn Tigers legend gets to see another dream of his play out with his alma mater that every parent wants

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Justin Churchill | Last updated Oct 22, 2025 2:59 PM ET

The Auburn Tigers football program isn't doing as well as everyone would have liked, and the basketball program recently lost an exhibition game to Oklahoma State. However, the basketball season is just getting started, so there is still some optimism. But the baseball program has to be riding the biggest high of them all after landing Tigers' legend Frank Thomas' son, Frank Thomas III.

2025 was pretty successful for Auburn, all things considered. They finished with 41 wins and even played some postseason ball. They're expecting to take that, with some of the same players, and only adding what appears to be the No. 7 class in the country right now, according to Perfect Game's rankings. That puts them behind SEC schools like the Florida Gatos, Texas Longhorns, Tennessee Volunteers, and the Vanderbilt Commodores.

Following in your father's footsteps, if he's an all-time great, can't be easy. But Thomas III is ready for the challenge.

16-year-old first baseman Frank Thomas III has announced his commitment to Auburn University, where his father played baseball and football en route to a statue-worthy career

(via @FrankThomasIII1) pic.twitter.com/aQNgcy0i5S
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) October 21, 2025

Frank Thomas III is actually good and doesn't just have the name to go with it.

Thomas III will follow in the footsteps of his father, but don’t get it twisted. The young slugger is talented far beyond just the name he will rock on the back of his Tigers jersey. Thomas’ father was, of course, a superstar baseball player in college and the pros, but he began his Auburn career as a two-way athlete, also playing football.

As for Thomas III himself, he’s got a large frame as well that lends itself well to adding even more pop to his hitting profile. Even then, he stood out amongst some of the top players in high school baseball at a premier program like IMG Academy. That cannot be overlooked. Thomas III is a lefty who will project as a middle-of-the-order bat and also as a somewhat versatile defender.

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While he may start his career at 1B, there’s potential for him to also provide value as a corner outfielder. He moves well for his stature and already possesses a solid college arm for the outfield. Intrigued to see if he can make small adjustments to his swing to get the barrel into the zone sooner, but that’s to be expected for a freshman entering the SEC gauntlet. This is yet another massive addition for a Tigers class that was already ranked in the top 10 nationally ahead of this commitment for 2027. - Adam Holt, A to Z Sports

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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