2025 Fall College Baseball Reset: TCU

After a disapponting 2024 for the Horned Frogs, Kirk Saarloos’ TCU team had a much better 2025 season. TCU, led by several impressive freshmen and sophomores, went 19-11 in Big 12 and made it back to the NCAA Tournament after missing out the year before. This season, TCU has the opportunity to next a step forward with a strong core.

The Returnees

TCU entered the 2025 season as one of the more interesting schools to watch. Even though the Horned Frogs lost their 2024 face, the roster was loaded with potential impact freshmen. Those players turned out to be impact players right off the bat.

Outfielder Sawyer Strosnider was not only one of the best freshmen in the NCAA last season but also one of the best overall players. Strosnider racked up a team-high 77 hits, including 13 doubles, 10 triples, and 11 home runs for the Horned Frogs.

Strosnider, a draft-eligible hitter come 2026, was one of three TCU hitters to have double-digit home run seasons. So did Noah Franco, a two-way player who could have potentially been a Day 1 pick in the 2024 MLB Draft had he gone pro. Franco picked up 28 extra-base hits over 56 games.

The other big piece to that lineup was Chase Brunson, another potential 2026 MLB Draft pick who had 12 home runs for TCU last season.

Aside from those three, TCU returned several other regular hitters, including junior Jack Bell and sophomore catcher Nolan Traeger.

The pitching staff, meanwhile, will see the returns of Tommy LaPour and Mason Brassfield.

Brassfield received a lot of work as a freshman, as the left-hander threw 61.2 IP last season. He pitched well, as Brassfield struck out 68.

LaPour, a transfer from Wichita State — much like Payton Tolle — struck out 88 over a team-high 90.1 IP. The 6’4” junior was very important for TCU last season.

Aside from those two, Louis Rodriguez and Trever Baumler, both of whom got a lot of run last season, are back on the Horned Frogs’ roster for 2026.

The Newcomers

Last year, the TCU Horned Frogs added a Franco who helped the school get back to the NCAA Tournament. This year, Lucas Franco — a Texas native, unlike Noah — headlines the freshman class.

Lucas is a former PG All-American Classic who showed a good all-around game in high school: a strong arm, speed, and is a physically mature player at 6’3” and 180 pounds. Franco could have likely gone pro if he wanted to. Instead, he’ll be a key piece of TCU’s future.

Franco is from the same town (Katy) as Aidan Barrientes, another notable recruit. Barrientes showcased a hard fastball in high school, along with a slider.

Those two are a third of their true freshman class, which also includes outfielder CJ Mascaro, catcher Brady Dallimore, and pitchers Uli Fernsler and Cade Nelson.

Moving on to the transfers, the Horned Frogs added sophomore pitcher Ethan Thomas from the University of Hawai’i. Thomas struck out 37 over 25 as a freshman for the Rainbow Warriors.

Nolan Johnson, another recruit and the 2025 innings leader for North Dakota State, struck out 79 over 87.2 IP for the Bison last season.

Ex-Grand Canyon pitcher Walter Quinn struck out 40 over 39 innings for the Antelopes.

Those bodies will be looked upon to replace some of the players who left this past summer. Anthony Silva (Guardians) and Braeden Sloan (Orioles) were both drafted last July. As for other notable departures, Kole Klecker and Sam Myers left for Arizona State. Mason Bixby, who has swing-and-miss stuff, left for Oklahoma.

Isaac Cadena is now at USC.

Summary

TCU made the NCAA Tournament last season with a talented, yet young roster. Although the Horned Frogs couldn’t get through a tough Regionals at Oregon State last year, the talent is there for TCU to do a lot more in 2026.

The Horned Frogs have significant depth both with their pitching staff and their likely lineup. For college baseball and MLB fans, TCU is a must-watch team come this spring.