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Ike Irish’s polished plate approach has led him to soar 2025 draft boards
The first time Gabe Gross saw Ike Irish play for South Jersey Elite, he couldn’t take his eyes off him. The Auburn assistant coach was in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, for a showcase tournament in 2019, scouting potential recruits.
Initially there to see Brock Porter, one of the most coveted freshman pitching prospects in the country, Gross became infatuated with Irish. He was the best player on the field every time Gross saw him. No matter what, Irish produced multiple hits each game — sometimes in the most unconventional ways.
Out of all the at-bats Gross witnessed, one stands out more than the rest.
Riding a red-hot bat, Irish surprisingly laid down a drag bunt up the first base side. Shocked that Irish reached safely, Gross questioned SJ Elite head coach Ajay Vulimiri after the game. Gross asked Vulimiri if Irish’s drag bunts were a common occurrence. Vulimiri said it was the first time he ever asked him to pull that off.
At that point, Gross knew he had something on his hands. He’d watch Irish tattoo pitchers all weekend, but for Gross, the bunt was a cherry on top.
Six years later, Irish is still finding weird ways to get on base. Only now, it's with Gross watching from the dugout as his coach. With Auburn, Irish has put up colossal numbers, batting .343 across two seasons and driving in 109 runs. Irish’s hitting has followed him to the CCBL. As of July 29, he leads Chatham in batting average (.316) and on-base percentage (.426) while playing all but one game (32). Irish’s success across two collegiate seasons and with the Anglers has made him a highly-touted prospect in the 2025 MLB Draft.
Before Gross left Chapel Hill, he got Irish’s phone number from Vulimiri. An introductory phone call between Irish and Gross followed. Nothing out of the ordinary was discussed. Gross inquired about what Irish was looking for in a college. Irish said it didn’t matter. He just wanted to be in a place where he could win.
“That pretty much sums Ike up. That type of mentality will play anywhere,” Gross said. “It came across loud and clear in our phone conversation that this kid is ready to go.”
Following their talk, Gross relayed Irish’s name to Auburn head coach Butch Thompson. As an assistant for Mississippi State from 2009 to 2015, Thompson coached against Irish’s uncle Jake Boss Jr., the head coach at Michigan State. Thompson quickly reached out to Boss Jr.
Thompson trusted Boss Jr.’s judgment on Irish. From there, Thompson felt that Irish committing to Auburn was likely. Thompson and the rest of his coaching staff were all-in on the catcher despite his raw ability at the position.
To that point, Irish’s recruitment wasn’t hotly contested. Vulimiri said Purdue, Kentucky, Tennessee and Michigan all displayed interest, but there was no concrete offer. Auburn was the first to pull the trigger.
A campus visit ensued soon after and before Irish started his sophomore year, he committed to the Eagles. Irish felt it was the right fit due to Auburn’s ability to develop talent. He pointed to alumni like Casey Mize, Ryan Bliss, Tanner Burns and Cole Foster — all of whom were undrafted out of high school and turned into high-level prospects.
Auburn ended up being a perfect match for Irish. Since arriving on campus, it’s been nothing but an upward trajectory. He established himself as one of the premier hitters in the SEC, earning Freshman All-American honors in 2023. While he battled injuries this past spring, Irish still ranks as the No. 13 overall prospect in the 2025 draft, according to ESPN.
Irish still remains level-headed through the lofty evaluations. He isn’t concerned with the outside noise and how high he is on draft boards.
“All these media outlets, they don't have a draft pick so I could be highly-rated or I could not be,” Irish said. "They don't have to make picks in the draft. So that stuff really doesn't matter.
“At the end of the day the draft is just a three-day thing, and then a job starts. So I'm just trying to enjoy every moment.”
Throughout high school, Irish was often in the spotlight. Irish played alongside fellow projected 2025 first-round pick Nolan Schubart at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Prep. Across Irish’s junior and senior seasons, St. Mary’s went 77-1, winning back-to-back Michigan High School Athletic Association championships.
Irish finished the year ranked as the No. 39 player and third-best catcher in the Class of 2022 by Perfect Game. Though, he needed to prove his worth coming to Auburn. The Tigers were coming off a second College World Series appearance in three seasons and returned starting catcher Nate LaRue. The chances of Irish starting behind the plate were low, but he still made an impact with his bat.
During the fall, Irish’s well-rounded offensive game immediately made him one of the best hitters on Auburn’s roster. Gross said most freshmen want to overcompensate by doing too much because they don’t believe in who they are. Irish was the opposite.
Thompson said Irish’s power and bat-to-ball skills, combined with his two-strike patience, was a recipe for success. He added that Irish’s intent for every at-bat was clear, making sure to put the ball in play no matter what.
“If I could get an entire roster to be invested in every pitch, to where he is, it’d make our program much better,” Thompson said.
Irish’s reliability at the dish continued into the spring. Thompson deployed Irish mostly as a designated hitter where he quickly became Auburn’s most productive hitter.
On March 11, 2023, Auburn trailed Southern Louisiana 8-2 entering the ninth inning. Southern Louisiana’s closer Lance Lauve entered with the bases loaded and nobody out. Two strikeouts were followed by two walks, bringing Irish to the plate representing the tying run.
Previously, Gross had a take sign for hitters with Lauve struggling to throw strikes, but Gross gave Irish the green light. It was a sign of trust, and Irish delivered. He slapped a knee-high fastball on the outer half down the left-field line for a bases-clearing double, cutting Auburn’s deficit to one. Though the Tigers fell 8-7, Irish’s hit confirmed to Gross that he was special.
“Every other freshman I think I've ever coached would have tried to hit it to the moon on the pull side,” Gross said. “The maturity and the confidence to be who he was in a big situation and not try to be more than who he was for a freshman, that's pretty rare.”
Irish led Auburn in batting average (.361) and hits (86), while his 24 doubles set an Auburn freshman record. His success bled into his sophomore campaign, where he continued to be one of the toughest outs in the country, Thompson said.
Facing Texas A&M in College Station on March 29, Auburn was down 11-4 in the final frame. Once again, the bases were loaded. Gross said lefty Peyton Smith threw Irish nothing but breaking balls, but he spoiled a litany of pitches to prolong the at-bat. Finally, he received an elevated fastball — which he crushed for a grand slam.
“How in the world do you get this guy out?” Schlossnagle said to Gross.
For Gross, the moment exemplified everything about Irish. He remained laser-focused, despite a win likely being out of reach. The grand slam came amid an eight-game stretch where Irish recorded 19 RBIs. Then came the first of two nagging injuries.
Irish injured his wrist against Tennessee, which marked the halfway point of the season. He tried playing through it against Kentucky the following weekend, but his swing felt uncomfortable. A week later, Irish returned against Mississippi State, only for him to twist his ankle trying to beat out a throw at first base.
Another week on the sideline ate at Irish. He returned two series’ later — albeit at less than 100% — and played the final two weeks of the season.
“I always think I could be in worse places,” Irish said. “If I'm just going through a nagging injury, I may as well play through because those things happen.”
In 47 games, Irish still crushed a team-high 14 home runs. Over the final two weeks, Irish said he found a rhythm, which has continued into the summer. Even though his power hasn’t traveled north with him, hitting just two home runs, Irish’s versatility is still evident.
He leads Chatham with 36 hits. A litany of Irish’s base knocks have come via showing off his uncanny speed for a catcher by legging out infield singles. Or, he’s simply beat the defensive alignment by poking balls through the holes.
For now, Irish’s approach is working. Thompson does see a world where a professional coach tells Irish he’s a 30 home-run player and to stop half swinging. But Thompson is well-aware all Irish is concerned about is helping his team win — for him, that’s by getting on base.
“Everybody talks about launch angle, but the best hitters in the league get hits,” Irish said. “If anything, I feel like I'm playing with house money and playing a kids game.”
Initially there to see Brock Porter, one of the most coveted freshman pitching prospects in the country, Gross became infatuated with Irish. He was the best player on the field every time Gross saw him. No matter what, Irish produced multiple hits each game — sometimes in the most unconventional ways.
Out of all the at-bats Gross witnessed, one stands out more than the rest.
Riding a red-hot bat, Irish surprisingly laid down a drag bunt up the first base side. Shocked that Irish reached safely, Gross questioned SJ Elite head coach Ajay Vulimiri after the game. Gross asked Vulimiri if Irish’s drag bunts were a common occurrence. Vulimiri said it was the first time he ever asked him to pull that off.
At that point, Gross knew he had something on his hands. He’d watch Irish tattoo pitchers all weekend, but for Gross, the bunt was a cherry on top.
Six years later, Irish is still finding weird ways to get on base. Only now, it's with Gross watching from the dugout as his coach. With Auburn, Irish has put up colossal numbers, batting .343 across two seasons and driving in 109 runs. Irish’s hitting has followed him to the CCBL. As of July 29, he leads Chatham in batting average (.316) and on-base percentage (.426) while playing all but one game (32). Irish’s success across two collegiate seasons and with the Anglers has made him a highly-touted prospect in the 2025 MLB Draft.
Before Gross left Chapel Hill, he got Irish’s phone number from Vulimiri. An introductory phone call between Irish and Gross followed. Nothing out of the ordinary was discussed. Gross inquired about what Irish was looking for in a college. Irish said it didn’t matter. He just wanted to be in a place where he could win.
“That pretty much sums Ike up. That type of mentality will play anywhere,” Gross said. “It came across loud and clear in our phone conversation that this kid is ready to go.”
Following their talk, Gross relayed Irish’s name to Auburn head coach Butch Thompson. As an assistant for Mississippi State from 2009 to 2015, Thompson coached against Irish’s uncle Jake Boss Jr., the head coach at Michigan State. Thompson quickly reached out to Boss Jr.
Thompson trusted Boss Jr.’s judgment on Irish. From there, Thompson felt that Irish committing to Auburn was likely. Thompson and the rest of his coaching staff were all-in on the catcher despite his raw ability at the position.
To that point, Irish’s recruitment wasn’t hotly contested. Vulimiri said Purdue, Kentucky, Tennessee and Michigan all displayed interest, but there was no concrete offer. Auburn was the first to pull the trigger.
In two seasons with Auburn, Ike Irish has been one of the best hitters in college baseball. Irish is one of the most coveted prospects in the 2025 MLB Draft. Photograph by Ella Tovey.
A campus visit ensued soon after and before Irish started his sophomore year, he committed to the Eagles. Irish felt it was the right fit due to Auburn’s ability to develop talent. He pointed to alumni like Casey Mize, Ryan Bliss, Tanner Burns and Cole Foster — all of whom were undrafted out of high school and turned into high-level prospects.
Auburn ended up being a perfect match for Irish. Since arriving on campus, it’s been nothing but an upward trajectory. He established himself as one of the premier hitters in the SEC, earning Freshman All-American honors in 2023. While he battled injuries this past spring, Irish still ranks as the No. 13 overall prospect in the 2025 draft, according to ESPN.
Irish still remains level-headed through the lofty evaluations. He isn’t concerned with the outside noise and how high he is on draft boards.
“All these media outlets, they don't have a draft pick so I could be highly-rated or I could not be,” Irish said. "They don't have to make picks in the draft. So that stuff really doesn't matter.
“At the end of the day the draft is just a three-day thing, and then a job starts. So I'm just trying to enjoy every moment.”
Throughout high school, Irish was often in the spotlight. Irish played alongside fellow projected 2025 first-round pick Nolan Schubart at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Prep. Across Irish’s junior and senior seasons, St. Mary’s went 77-1, winning back-to-back Michigan High School Athletic Association championships.
Irish finished the year ranked as the No. 39 player and third-best catcher in the Class of 2022 by Perfect Game. Though, he needed to prove his worth coming to Auburn. The Tigers were coming off a second College World Series appearance in three seasons and returned starting catcher Nate LaRue. The chances of Irish starting behind the plate were low, but he still made an impact with his bat.
During the fall, Irish’s well-rounded offensive game immediately made him one of the best hitters on Auburn’s roster. Gross said most freshmen want to overcompensate by doing too much because they don’t believe in who they are. Irish was the opposite.
Thompson said Irish’s power and bat-to-ball skills, combined with his two-strike patience, was a recipe for success. He added that Irish’s intent for every at-bat was clear, making sure to put the ball in play no matter what.
“If I could get an entire roster to be invested in every pitch, to where he is, it’d make our program much better,” Thompson said.
Irish’s reliability at the dish continued into the spring. Thompson deployed Irish mostly as a designated hitter where he quickly became Auburn’s most productive hitter.
On March 11, 2023, Auburn trailed Southern Louisiana 8-2 entering the ninth inning. Southern Louisiana’s closer Lance Lauve entered with the bases loaded and nobody out. Two strikeouts were followed by two walks, bringing Irish to the plate representing the tying run.
Previously, Gross had a take sign for hitters with Lauve struggling to throw strikes, but Gross gave Irish the green light. It was a sign of trust, and Irish delivered. He slapped a knee-high fastball on the outer half down the left-field line for a bases-clearing double, cutting Auburn’s deficit to one. Though the Tigers fell 8-7, Irish’s hit confirmed to Gross that he was special.
“Every other freshman I think I've ever coached would have tried to hit it to the moon on the pull side,” Gross said. “The maturity and the confidence to be who he was in a big situation and not try to be more than who he was for a freshman, that's pretty rare.”
Irish led Auburn in batting average (.361) and hits (86), while his 24 doubles set an Auburn freshman record. His success bled into his sophomore campaign, where he continued to be one of the toughest outs in the country, Thompson said.
Facing Texas A&M in College Station on March 29, Auburn was down 11-4 in the final frame. Once again, the bases were loaded. Gross said lefty Peyton Smith threw Irish nothing but breaking balls, but he spoiled a litany of pitches to prolong the at-bat. Finally, he received an elevated fastball — which he crushed for a grand slam.
Ike Irish has been Chatham's most productive hitter this season with 36 hits in 32 games. Photograph by Ella Tovey
A pitching change ensued and as Gross walked back to the dugout to receive the scouting report on the new hurler. Gross crossed paths with then-Aggies manager Jim Schlossnagle, who was befuddled by Irish’s at-bat. “How in the world do you get this guy out?” Schlossnagle said to Gross.
For Gross, the moment exemplified everything about Irish. He remained laser-focused, despite a win likely being out of reach. The grand slam came amid an eight-game stretch where Irish recorded 19 RBIs. Then came the first of two nagging injuries.
Irish injured his wrist against Tennessee, which marked the halfway point of the season. He tried playing through it against Kentucky the following weekend, but his swing felt uncomfortable. A week later, Irish returned against Mississippi State, only for him to twist his ankle trying to beat out a throw at first base.
Another week on the sideline ate at Irish. He returned two series’ later — albeit at less than 100% — and played the final two weeks of the season.
“I always think I could be in worse places,” Irish said. “If I'm just going through a nagging injury, I may as well play through because those things happen.”
In 47 games, Irish still crushed a team-high 14 home runs. Over the final two weeks, Irish said he found a rhythm, which has continued into the summer. Even though his power hasn’t traveled north with him, hitting just two home runs, Irish’s versatility is still evident.
He leads Chatham with 36 hits. A litany of Irish’s base knocks have come via showing off his uncanny speed for a catcher by legging out infield singles. Or, he’s simply beat the defensive alignment by poking balls through the holes.
For now, Irish’s approach is working. Thompson does see a world where a professional coach tells Irish he’s a 30 home-run player and to stop half swinging. But Thompson is well-aware all Irish is concerned about is helping his team win — for him, that’s by getting on base.
“Everybody talks about launch angle, but the best hitters in the league get hits,” Irish said. “If anything, I feel like I'm playing with house money and playing a kids game.”
