The search is on for Mississippi State baseball’s next head coach, and Auburn head coach Butch Thompson is one of the names believed to be a candidate in the early stages.

D1Baseball released their hot board for the next Mississippi State head coach and has included Thompson on the list.

It is easy to see why Thompson is considered a candidate. He has led Auburn to five NCAA Tournament appearances since 2016, which include three trips to the Super Regionals and two College World Series berths. He has also won over 300 games as Auburn’s head coach, ranking him third behind Paul Nix (515 wins) and Hal Baird (634 wins) on the all-time wins list.

Not only has Auburn found success under Thompson’s watch, but he has deep ties to Mississippi State that could be seen as a positive for Bulldog fans. He served as an assistant coach under former Bulldogs’ head coach and current Auburn athletic director John Cohen from 2009-15 before accepting the Auburn head coaching job in 2016.

D1Baseball’s Joe Healy credits Thompson’s success, as well as a low buyout, as reasons why Mississippi State should consider reaching out to Thompson.

Thompson is another intriguing candidate for the Mississippi State job. Thompson was a long-time assistant and pitching coach for the program under former head coach John Cohen, who is now the athletic director with him at Auburn. Thompson is considered a very difficult pull for Mississippi State out of AU, but he’s most certainly worth the call with his strong ties to Mississippi State, both first-hand and in terms of extended family. Thompson currently makes $1.25 million annually and has a $500,000 buyout, which pales in comparison to guys like Mingione with a buyout nearing $6 million. Thompson currently has the Tigers primed to once again make the NCAA tournament, while also being in the mix for a Regional host.

Although Thompson is considered a potential candidate for the open job in Starkville, Healy has placed Thompson at the bottom of the list, which should bring relief to Auburn fans. Several candidates to watch for are Kentucky head coach Nick Mingione, Georgia head coach Wes Johnson, and Tennessee assistant coach Josh Elander.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on  X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Butch Thompson included in Mississippi State head coach hot board