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CARTERSVILLE, Ga. – Auburn University recently landed a nationally ranked catcher to their list of 2015 commits when Mountain Brook, Ala. native Jack McPherson decided to stay in-state.
McPherson is the first catcher to commit to Auburn out of the 2015 class. He is ranked No. 277 nationally, the No. 25 catcher in the country, and the No. 6 prospect in Alabama for that class.
“I look forward to being a part of a great team and being a part of something special,” McPherson said about his commitment. “It feels really good. I feel excited.”
McPherson also considered Michigan State University and the University of Oregon, but roughly six visits to Auburn University eventually gave McPherson the feeling that he is supposed to be a Tiger.
“I feel like their baseball program is definitely headed in the right direction. I really had a great connection with the coaches and the campus,” said McPherson. “I feel like Auburn really is the right place for me.”
Auburn, Ala., the home of the university, is just over 100 miles away from McPherson’s current home in Mountain Brook. His current home is also close to the University of Alabama, the Auburn’s most hated rival and the alma mater of both of his parents.
McPherson will play for Auburn University with his current Mt. Brook High School teammate, shortstop Andrew Autrey, who he said he has taken several trips to the school with.
The 5-foot-11 catcher is relieved that he has made up his mind, but enjoyed the college recruiting process, for the most part.
“I thought it was fun, but a little stressful at times. It was fun in that I got to meet a lot of different coaches and visit a lot of different schools and see what they had to offer,” McPherson said. “It was stressful because you had to make a big decision and it’s determining the next three or four years of your life.”
It didn’t take long for McPherson to make his decision, however. He said they presented him with an offer just over two weeks ago.
McPherson attended five Perfect Game events in 2013, including the Southeast Underclass Showcase and the WWBA Underclass World Championship.
“I really thought Perfect Game put me on the map. I really enjoyed some of the kids I met while out there playing,” said McPherson. “It’s really great competition and there are a lot of scouts out there watching you.”
The talented backstop gives Auburn’s 2015 recruiting class five commits so far, including four in the Top 500. Auburn University’s 2015 recruiting class currently ranks 40th.