Coaching Staff |
Gabe Gross
Associate Head Coach
Former Auburn All-American Gabe Gross re-joined the Tigers' coaching staff as an assistant coach prior to the 2018 season and enters his eighth season back on The Plains in 2025. He was promoted from assistant coach to associate head coach in July 2023.
A three-year starter in the Auburn outfield from 1999-01, Gross was a first-team All-American in 2000 after he led the Southeastern Conference in hitting with a blistering .430 average. A two-time All-SEC performer, Gross was a freshman All-American in 1999 and a second-team Academic All-American in 2001.
Gross and the offense have played an instrumental role in leading the team to Omaha twice in three postseasons from 2019-22 to go along with three super regional appearances and four regional appearances, including back-to-back regional host site bids for the first time in program history in 2022-23.
In Gross' seven seasons as the hitting coach, the Tigers have turned in a .281 combined batting average with 719 doubles and 462 home runs in 378 games. With 86 home runs in 2021, 84 home runs in 2023 and 81 home runs in 2024, three of the program's top seven home run totals have come under his guidance. Along with its 84 homers, the Tigers also led the SEC in doubles (106) at the conclusion of the 2023 regular season.
In addition to serving as the team's hitting coach, Gross assists fellow associate head coach Karl Nonemaker in recruiting and has helped haul six top-15 recruiting classes, including the No. 4 early signing class for 2024.
The 2024 season was highlighted by a plethora of offensive brightspots including Ike Irish being named ABCA First Team All-Southeast Region and First Team All-SEC as well as Cade Belyeu earning SEC All-Freshman Team honors. Irish led the team in average (.319) for the second straight season and also led the way in RBI (59) while tying with second-year slugger Cooper McMurray for the team lead in home runs (14).
Offense again played a key role in Auburn's success in 2023 as the Tigers ultimately earned a regional host bid for the season straight season for the first time in program history. The Tigers .287 average was the team's highest since 2016 (.294) and the 84 home runs were the second most since leading the country in the category in 2010 (131). A quarter of Tigers in Irish (.361), Bryson Ware (.350), Bobby Peirce (.343) and Cole Foster (.336) paced the offense and became the first quartet to hit .330 or higher since 2010. Irish went on to be named a Freshman All-American, and Ware broke the program's single-season home run record with 24 on the year.
Following the 2023 season, Foster and Ware were selected in the third and eighth rounds, respectively, marking the fifth straight season the Tigers had a pair of players selected in the top 10 rounds. In Gross' six season, 13 position players have been selected in the draft.
In 2022, Auburn's 637 hits and 126 doubles were the most in a season since 2010. The 637 hits were good for second most in the SEC and 23rd in the country while the 126 doubles were third in the league and 33rd in the nation.The team registered in the top 10 in program history in runs (455), home runs, extra-base hits (210) and total bases (1,005), and Gross went on to be named the 2022 Alabama Baseball Coaches Association Division I Assistant Coach of the Year.
During the season, Gross mentored Auburn's third SEC Player of the Year and sixth consensus All-American in Sonny DiChiara. His 22 home runs were tied for the second most in single season history at the time, and his .549 on-base percentage trails only Frank Thomas in the Auburn record books.
Following the memorable campaign, three position players were selected in the MLB Draft, including DiChiara (5th round), Blake Rambusch (15th round) and Brody Moore (17th round).
Gross led Auburn's 2021 offense to one of its most productive seasons in the last decade as the Tigers ranked top 15 in the country in home runs (86) and slugging percentage (.487). The Tigers home run total was third in the SEC and the fourth-highest in program history, including the most since leading the country with 131 home runs in 2010. The team's .487 slugging percentage was good for the eighth best in program history and was also the highest since 2010.
Four players - Tyler Miller (16), Ryan Bliss (15), Steven Williams (13) and Rankin Woley (10) - turned in double digit home runs for the second time in the last three full seasons under Gross, marking hte seventh time in program history to accomplish the feat. Bliss (2nd round), Miller (9th round) and Williams (18th) all went on to be selected in the 2021 MLB Draft, marking the team's first time with three position players drafted in the first 18 rounds since 2016.
Before Gross' third season with the program in 2020 was cut short due to COVID-19, the Tigers boasted one of the most prolific offenses in the country, leading the NCAA with a .330 average. The Tigers also ranked second in the country in hits (210), third in doubles (51), sixth in runs (158), ninth in on-base percentage (.421) and 10th in scoring (8.8).
In his first two seasons as the hitting coach, the Tigers turned in back-to-back years with the highest run totals since 2010, scoring 467 runs in 2018 and 387 runs in 2019. The Tigers also hit 235 doubles and 123 home runs in the first two full seasons under Gross. It marked the first time Auburn has hit 50 or more home runs in back-to-back seasons since 2009-10.
Gross helped lead the Tigers to the program's first College World Series appearance since 1997 as the offense played a major role in the historic postseason run. The Tigers hit .304 and scored 58 runs on 89 hits in eight NCAA Tournament games, highlighted by a walk-off, three-run home run from Steven Williams in the Atlanta Regional and 13-run first inning in the decisive game three of the Chapel Hill Super Regional.
In his first season on The Plains as a full-time assistant in 2018, Gross oversaw the Tigers’ offense and led the unit to its best season since shattering records in 2010. The team finished the season ranked in the top 10 in single-season history in home runs (73, 5th), walks (309, 5th), runs (467, 8th), RBI (423, 8th) and extra-base hits (201, 10th). Auburn also ranked in the top 20 in the NCAA in a number of offensive categories including runs (10th), home runs (16th), scoring (7.1 rpg, 17th), hits (626, 18th), walks (19th) and doubles (124, 19th).
The Tigers saw a major uptick in power numbers under Gross as the team increased its home run total by 43 from 2017 to 2018. The 73 home runs were the most since leading the country with 131 home runs in 2010 and were nearly twice as many as the team had hit in any season since then – the second most was 39 home runs in 2011.
Gross was also instrumental in Will Holland’s breakout sophomore season in 2018 and guided Edouard Julien and Steven Williams to historic freshmen seasons. Julien went on to break former Auburn great and National Baseball Hall of Famer Frank Thomas’ freshman RBI record and led the SEC with 69 runs driven in on the season.
Named Auburn's 2016 SEC Baseball Legend, Gross remains in the school's top 10 in 12 statistical categories, including batting average, hits, doubles, runs, home runs and RBI, among other career lists.
A first round pick of the Toronto Blue Jays in 2001, Gross enjoyed a seven-year big league career and was a member of the 2008 Tampa Bay Rays team that made a World Series appearance. He totaled 78 doubles, eight triples, 40 home runs and 186 RBI while playing for four different teams.
Following his career in professional baseball, Gross enrolled back in Auburn in August 2011 and served as the Tigers' student assistant during the 2012 season, when he completed his undergraduate degree. The following year, Gross stayed on board as the volunteer assistant, when he continued to work with the Auburn outfielders and oversaw the offense.
In his previous stint with the Auburn coaching staff, Gross was a major contributor to an Auburn offense that hit .290, collectively, during the 2012-13 seasons. Auburn finished the 2012 season leading the SEC in batting average (.304), on-base percentage (.386), triples (19) and stolen bases (113). The Tigers ranked top 20 nationally in stolen bases and batting average, which was the program's highest mark in the last seven seasons.
Gross moved on from coaching and started broadcasting with ESPN and CSS during the 2014 season. He then joined the SEC Network as a baseball analyst when it launched and has served in the capacity since the 2015 season.
Gross is married to the former Kelly Gesch, also an Auburn graduate. The couple has two children, Allie and Jake.
Karl Nonemaker
Associate Head Coach
Karl Nonemaker, a former Auburn assistant and All-SEC outfielder at Vanderbilt, was named an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Tigers' baseball program in the fall of 2017 and enters his eighth season back on The Plains in 2025. He was promoted from assistant coach to associate head coach in July 2023.
Nonemaker spent the previous six seasons as an assistant and recruiting coordinator at Old Dominion University. He was on Auburn's staff from 2005-07, helping the program to a NCAA Regional final in 2005.
During his time on the Plains, Nonemaker has assembled six top-15 recruiting classes, highlighted by the program-record No. 3 freshman class for 2025, and has helped mentor 13 All-SEC honorees, four All-Americans, and three Freshman All-Americans. He was named the 2022 American Baseball Coaches Association Division I Assistant Coach of the Year, becoming the first assistant coach at Auburn to earn the distinction.
Along with his recruiting efforts, Nonemaker's main on-field duty includes working with the Auburn infielders, a group that has highlighted the team's collective .977 fielding percentage in his seven seasons on the Plains. Prior to the 2018 season, the Tigers turned in a fielding percentage higher than .971 on just two occasions. Since Nonemaker's arrival, the team has hit that mark in every season and has turned in six of the top eight fielding percentages in program history.
Eleven Auburn infielders have been drafted with Nonemaker on staff, including four in the top five rounds. In the seven years prior to Nonemaker's arrival, seven infielders were drafted and none went in the top five rounds. Following the 2023 season, Cole Foster (3rd round) and Bryson Ware (8th round) became the program's first pair of infield teammates to be selected in the top 10 rounds.
Nonemaker also assists Gabe Gross with the Auburn offense, which has turned in four of the best seasons in nearly a decade and has played an instrumental role in leading the Tigers to the College World Series twice in three postseasons from 2019-22 to go along with three super regional appearances and four regional appearances, including back-to-back regional host site bids for the first time in program history in 2022-23.
Only one everyday starter has returned to the infield in each of the last two seasons, but Nonemaker has re-hauleded the unit that led the team to a .978 fielding percentage on both occasions, good for the third-highest mark in program history. Along with holding down the left side of the infield in 2023, Foster and Ware led the way with a collective .343 average to go along with 24 doubles, 37 homers and 112 RBI.
Similar to the 2023 season, Auburn had to replace six everyday position players in 2022, but the team's .981 fielding percentage in 2022 was the 10th best in the country and was led by a quartet of infielders in Blake Rambusch, Brody Moore, Foster and Sonny DiChiara, who turned in a .980 fielding percentage in 1,035 chances. All three draft-eligible starting infielders were selected in the top 17 rounds.
Despite moving to a new position, Rambusch went on to be named to the SEC All-Defensive Team, becoming the first Auburn player to earn the recognition since 2018, while DiChiara became the third SEC Player of the Year and sixth consensus All-American in program history.
In 2021, he helped mentor an Auburn defense that led the SEC and ranked third in the country with 53 double plays, 42 of which came on the ground. Headlining Auburn's stellar infield in 2021 was junior shortstop Ryan Bliss, who went on to be drafted 42nd overall by the Arizona Diamondbacks and became the fifth highest position player drafted in program history.
Following the 2021 season, Nonemaker was tabbed by Baseball America among select assistant coaches most likely to become successful head coaches.
Nonemaker's career includes two years playing professionally in the Philadelphia Phillies organization and 11 years coaching at three universities; Old Dominion (2012-17), Monmouth (2010-11) and Auburn. He also spent two years (2008-09) working for Louisville Slugger.
A four-year starter at Vanderbilt from 1999-02, Nonemaker was a freshman All-American in 1999 and first-team All-SEC outfielder in 2000. His .415 batting average as a freshman in 1999 is the 15th best single-season average in SEC history (min. 200 AB) and ninth-best mark in the conference in the last 25 years (min. 200 AB). Nonemaker ranks second in career batting average (.369) and hits (283) for the Commodores.
ODU was 162-124 during his six years, winning 30+ games four times and making an appearance in a NCAA Regional in 2014. During his time at ODU, he was responsible for coaching the hitters, base runners, and outfielders.
In 2017, Nonemaker helped the Monarchs to a 37-21 record, including a 19-11 mark in Conference USA, the best conference win total in the program's four years in C-USA. The program cracked the national polls for the first time in 10 years in 2017.
This season Nonemaker helped tutor three freshman All-Americans and C-USA Newcomer of the Year in infielder Jared Young. He also helped coach shortstop Zach Rutherford, the C-USA Defensive Player of the Year and 2016 Cape Cod League MVP.
In 2014, ODU's first in Conference USA, the program advanced to its first NCAA Regional appearance in 14 seasons.
Eight players, all in the last four years, were taken in the MLB Draft during Nonemaker's tenure at ODU, leading up to this year's draft. Among those drafted include LHP Ryan Yarbrough in the fourth round of the 2014 draft by Tampa Bay and P.J. Higgins, a 12th round pick of the Chicago Cubs in 2015. Higgins is rated the top defensive catcher in the Cubs' organization.
Prior to Old Dominion, Nonemaker served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Monmouth University for two years. In 2011, Monmouth won the NEC regular season title, winning every league series. Nonemaker tutored NEC Player of the Year, and Louisville Slugger/TPX Third Team All-American second baseman Ryan Terry, who was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays.
A 20th-round draft choice of Philadelphia in 2002, Nonemaker went on to be a member of the Phillies Gulf Coast Championship team in 2002, and in 2003, split the year between the Lakewood Blue Claws (Single-A) and the Reading Phillies (Double-A).
A native of Roxbury, N.J., Nonemaker was a four-time SEC Academic Honor Roll selection, graduating from Vanderbilt with a degree in Human and Organizational Development in 2002. He and his wife Katie have three daughters, Ellie, Ainsley and Mae.
Everett Teaford
Pitching Coach
Former big leaguer Everett Teaford recently completed his first season as Auburn baseball's pitching coach after being named to the role on June 30, 2023.
Teaford, who pitched in the big leagues with the Kansas City Royals from 2011-13 and Tampa Bay Rays in 2015, spent the six previous seasons with the Chicago White Sox, including four years as the minor league pitching coordinator.
In his first season on the Plains, Teaford led a pitching staff that featured three MLB Draft picks in Chase Allsup (fourth round), Tanner Bauman (ninth round) and Will Cannon (12th round), marking the second time in the last three draft the Tigers had multiple pitchers taken in the top 10 rounds. Teaford also assisted recruiting coorindator Karl Nonemaker in getting the No. 2 signing class for 2024 to campus.
Prior to assuming his role as minor league pitching coordinator with the White Sox, Teaford served as a minor league quality control coach for the organization in 2018 and assistant pitching coordinator in 2019. He also served as a scout for the Houston Astros from 2016-17.
During his time with the White Sox, Teaford most notably worked with top pitching prospects Dylan Cease, who finished second in Cy Young Award voting in 2022, Michael Kopech, Dane Dunning and Garrett Crochet, among others. The quartet has made a combined 346 MLB appearances, including 227 starts, since 2019.
Teaford pitched collegiately at Georgia Southern from 2004-06. A two-time All-Southern Conference performer, he turned in a 26-13 career record with a 4.00 ERA and struck out 353 batters in 348.1.
Teaford’s 353 career strikeouts are the second most in Georgia Southern history and fifth most in the history of the SoCon. He led the league with 122 strikeouts in 2006 and logged the most innings pitched in back-to-back seasons in 2005 and 2006.
Following his college career in Statesboro, Georgia, Teaford was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the 12th round of the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft and spent eight seasons with the organization. He made his MLB debut on May 17, 2011, and ultimately made 49 career appearances with the Royals and Rays in four seasons from 2011-15. Teaford also played for the LG Twins of the Korean Baseball League in 2014.
Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Teaford and his wife, Natalie, have two daughters, Hailey (six) and Harper (five), and one son, Nolan (one).
Scott Foxhall
Director of Player Development
Scott Foxhall was named Auburn baseball's director of player development on July 28, 2023.
Foxhall, who has 29 years of collegiate coaching experience and previously served as Auburn’s pitching coach and recruiting coordinator from 2009-14, most recently spent the last five seasons as the pitching coach at Mississippi State (2019-23). His coaching career was kickstarted at the College of Charleston (1995-2008), his alma mater, and also included a four-year stint at N.C. State (2015-18).
“Scott Foxhall brings an abundance of experience to our player development position,” Thompson said. “His recruiting connections span across the country and his familiarity with Auburn will allow him to hit the ground running. A large number of former Auburn players and baseball supporters who love our program are going to be excited to see Scott and his amazing family back on The Plains.”
In his role with the Tigers, Foxhall will be responsible for assisting the coaching staff in the overall development of the student-athletes, from assisting with practice plans and scouting reports to reviewing analytical data and overseeing the academic progress of the program. He will also play a large role in on-campus recruiting.
“I believe in Coach Thompson and love the winning culture that he has restored for Auburn baseball,” Foxhall said. “I’m ready to get to work helping one of the most respected coaching staffs in the country to continue to develop high-level men who are also high-level baseball players.”
Foxhall’s tenure at Mississippi State was highlighted by helping lead the Bulldogs to the University’s first national championship and being named the American Baseball Coaches Association Assistant Coach of the Year in 2021. He has helped lead his teams to 10 NCAA Tournament appearances and a pair of College World Series appearances.
In 29 seasons in the dugout, Foxhall has mentored 24 All-Americans, 16 Freshman All-Americans and six Pitchers of the Year. Most recently, he coached back-to-back conference Pitchers of the Year in 2018-19, including the 2019 ABCA Pitcher of the Year, and back-to-back National Freshman of the Year award winners in 2019-20.
Foxhall has seen 61 of his pitchers selected in the MLB Draft, including 17 in the top 10 rounds. Sixteen of the 17 former pitchers taken in the top 10 rounds were undrafted out of high school. Eleven of his former pitchers have gone on to make their MLB debuts.
Foxhall has spearheaded the recruiting efforts for multiple programs, including his previous stint at Auburn. Each of his last three classes at Auburn ranked among the top 25, culminating with the No. 9 class in 2014. He also recruited future No. 1 overall pick Casey Mize during his time on The Plains.
Along with the aforementioned accomplishments of players he mentored on the diamond, Foxhall has also helped stress success in the classroom, boasting four Academic All-Americans (nine total honors), one Academic All-American of the Year and three conference Student-Athlete of the Year award winners.
Prior to joining the coaching ranks, Foxhall was a member of the Auburn baseball team under head coach Hal Baird from 1990-91 before spending his final three seasons at the College of Charleston (1992-94), where he earned his bachelor's degree in education.
A native of Greer, South Carolina, Foxhall and his wife, Laura, have twin children, Kade and Kennedy.