Samuel Dutton returned to his home state to pitch for Auburn in 2025, and it helped send him into the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. The Athletics took the right-handed pitcher on Monday with the 290th pick.

Dutton became the third Auburn pitcher picked on Monday. The Toronto Blue Jays chose Dylan Watts at No. 202, and the New York Mets took Cam Tilly at No. 223 before Dutton went off the board in the 10th round.

Dutton won the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s Class 2A Player of the Year Award in 2021, when he posted a 9-0 record with four no-hitters, including a perfect game, for Westbrook Christian. He led the Rainbow City school to the AHSAA state championship as he struck out 117 and yielded 14 hits in 53 innings as a senior.

Dutton made 11 starts in his first season at LSU in 2022. But over the next two seasons with the Tigers, Dutton started only four times in 39 games.

In 2025, Dutton came to Auburn and started all 16 of his appearances. He had a 7-3 record with a 4.31 ERA. In 85.2 innings, Dutton struck out 95 while yielding 86 hits and 19 walks for the Tigers.

The three pitchers picked on Monday join two other draft picks from the 2025 Auburn team so far. The Baltimore Orioles chose catcher/outfielder Ike Irish at No. 19 on Sunday and the Toronto Blue Jays selected infielder Eric Snow at No. 172 on Monday.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.