New Arms, Familiar Face: Augustin Returns as Willius and Kapa Arrive to Reinforce UVA’s Pitching Staff

Frank Willius: From Division III to a Potential Weekend Role

Frank Willius spent the spring dealing at Division III Cal Lutheran, but his production was hard to ignore. The 6-foot-4 left-hander from Denver piled up 53 strikeouts against only 12 walks across 32.2 innings, working to a 2.76 ERA, two saves, and a 3–2 record. That’s a 14.6 K/9 clip—eye-catching at any level—and it’s why Virginia believes he can jump from small-school ace to legitimate ACC weekend option.

Willius dominated with just two pitches: a fastball that plays well at the top of the zone and a sharp slider he locates down and away. He had a breakout outing against Occidental in March, striking out 15 over seven innings of two-hit, no-walk baseball.

Originally transferring for academic reasons—he’ll study atmospheric sciences at UVA—Willius didn’t expect major baseball interest. But once he hit the portal, offers came quickly, including from Oregon and Washington. Ultimately, he chose Virginia after connecting with pitching coach Brady Kirkpatrick and seeing how UVA’s staff planned to leverage his strengths.

His ceiling? A potential Sunday starter or midweek option who could move up the rotation if his stuff translates to ACC competition. His floor? A strike-throwing long reliever who eats valuable innings.

Tyler Kapa: Swing-and-Miss Firepower for the Bullpen

Few pitchers take a route as winding as Tyler Kapa’s. The right-hander has climbed every rung of the college ladder—Division III Alma, JUCO stop at Mott, Division II Davenport, and finally Division I Eastern Michigan—proof of steady persistence. Now he arrives at one of the ACC’s flagship programs.

His 2025 stat line is split-screen: a 5-7 record and 6.82 ERA across 66 innings, but also 90 strikeouts against just 23 walks. That 12.27 K/9 topped the Mid-American Conference and ranked 24th in the nation, drawing interest from Michigan State and Notre Dame before he chose UVA thanks to a strong rapport with recruiting director Brian Sakowski.

Kapa’s arsenal jumped a level this spring. He reshaped both his slider and curveball, then unveiled a splitter that finally gave him a put-away pitch. In addition to his fastball that sits mid-90s and touches 95–96, Kapa has the potential to provide much-needed relief pitching in late innings.

Virginia’s bullpen, thin behind Matt Lanzendorfer and Wes Arrington (4.60 ERA in 25 outings), needs exactly that. Used strictly in relief, Kapa can hold his velo, attack hitters one time through, and provide the strikeout punch missing from late innings.

More Pieces, More Options

Neither Willius nor Kapa is a guaranteed ace or closer, and Augustin isn’t suddenly a shutdown reliever. But together they raise the staff’s floor. Pollard can mix and match: Willius for length, Kapa for strikeouts, Augustin for ground-ball outs, all funneling games to Lanzendorfer.

Virginia still needs top-end star power to make an Omaha run. Yet building a sustainable program starts with moves like these—smart, low-risk additions and, in Augustin’s case, retention of a proven commodity. Don’t be surprised if this trio quietly solves one of the Cavaliers’ most pressing problems in 2026.

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