FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
Gabe Gross is rejoining the Auburn baseball program as the Volunteer Assistant Coach for the 2013 season, Auburn Head Coach John Pawlowski announced on Monday. Gross was a student assistant coach last season but will be taking on an expanded role in the offense this year.
“We are excited that Gabe Gross, a very familiar name around Auburn, will return to our staff and help us on our quest for Omaha in 2013,” Pawlowski said. “I was encouraged by the progress we made offensively last year and he certainly was a big part of that. Besides continuing to work with our outfielders, Gabe will also have the opportunity to lead and direct our hitters.”
Gross was a three-year starter in the Auburn outfield from 1999-01. A career .375 hitter, he hit a blistering .430 in his All-America campaign of 2000. He remains in the school’s top-10 for career doubles (68, second), extra-base hits (108, third), walks (145, third), RBIs (218, fourth), total bases (442, fifth), home runs (35, eighth) and hits (259, ninth). A first round pick of the Toronto Blue Jays in 2001, he enjoyed a seven-year big league career, hitting .239 with 78 doubles, eight triples, 40 home runs and 186 RBIs while playing for four different teams.
“I am excited about guiding our offense this season,” Gross said. “Working with the team last year was a good experience and I look forward to helping our hitters develop and reach their potential. I want to thank Coach Pawlowski for giving me this opportunity and I look forward to getting to work.”
Gross returned to Auburn as a student assistant coach for the 2012 season while finishing his undergraduate degree in business management. During that time he worked alongside Link Jarrett and Ty Megahee, who was recently named Jarrett’s replacement as a full-time coach.
Pawlowski also announced that Justin Fradejas, who lettered at Auburn from 2010-11, has joined the team as a student assistant coach as he finishes his degree. He will fill the spot vacated by Wes Gilmer, who was recently named an assistant coach at USC-Beaufort.
