• The KillerFrogs

2018 TCU BASEBALL SEASON THREAD

Purp

Active Member
From D1 Baseball's Top 25 chat today....

https://d1baseball.com/chats/d1baseballs-preseason-top-25-chat/

TCU lost a lot from last year's team, what are your expectations for this season? Who are the emerging players to keep an eye on and how much of a leap do you expect Nick Lodolo to take this season?

Kendall Rogers:
Dave -- They definitely lost some offensive guys -- but they will have the second best 3-man rotation in the land, IMO, with Nick Lodolo, Jared Janczak and Sean Wymer. That's such a great trio. The bullpen is also in great shape. Obviously the question mark w/ TCU is the offense. Luken Baker is the big returnee, but Josh Watson is a guy that needs to step up in a big way. Freshman Adam Oviedo is going to be a stud, and 3B Conner Shepherd is a really neat player. They've got some pieces to work with offensively, and I think Bill Mosiello will make sure this is a very serviceable offense. I'm not too concerned.


Does the departure of Chris Del Conte change the Jim Schlossnagle dynamic at TCU in the next couple of years?

Kendall Rogers:
Scott -- I don't think so, but never say never. Schlossnagle can stay at TCU and have a statue of him built in a few years. Where else can he go and have that in the future? I think Schloss would be crazy to leave TCU anytime soon.



also had questions about Texas and Tech....

Obviously Texas will be solid in the rotation again this year with 3 pitchers in your top 100. Do you think they have enough in the bullpen and at the plate to contend for the Big 12 title though? Seems like a rebuilding year for Pierce and Co.

Kendall Rogers:
Great question, HF. I actually think the offense will be OK. Not great, but solid. I think Ryan Reynolds and Austin Todd will take steps forward, and Mason Hibbeler is a guy I didn't see this fall because he was hurt, but a guy whom the coaching staff is very excited about. Kody Clemens is an electric player and Zach Zubia is a real X-factor type. Zubia showed premium and easy power at the NWL this past summer. He wasn't great this fall, but he's got the juice to put together a strong season in the DH role. If there's a question mark for me re: UT, it's the bullpen, though. I like Beau Ridgeway, but I wouldn't be buying Josh Sawyer stock until I see him prove it and stay healthy (he's got the stuff when healthy though). Verplank is another interesting arm to watch. He's got big stuff -- but it's really raw.



Hey Gents, gotta say I'm pleasantly surprised Tech is starting ranked that high considering how "Jung" they are. I think we have a starting rotation that could easily be one of, if not THE, best starting 3 in the country. Was that a big factor in ranking them at No. 3, or did these guys just look that good in the fall?

Aaron Fitt:
The Red Raiders just have a lot back from a team that was downright great last year, even with Davis Martin missing a large chunk of the season. It's hard to beat Martin-Gingery as a one-two punch when they're both healthy, and obviously there's a ton of quality depth behind them too, and a great bullpen. Plus we just love those sophomore position players (Jung, Farhat, Little, Berglund all feel like star-caliber players). Tech was strongly in the discussion for No. 1 for us.



And Dallas Baptist..

What are the strengths of Dallas Baptist this year?

Aaron Fitt:
I really think that offense is going to be a force of nature -- serious power potential, balance, guys who can hit for average and rack up doubles. To me they're on the short list of most dangerous offenses in the country, led by Jameson Hannah, Devlin Granberg and that superb catching duo of Duce and Woolforth. And they got their top three starting pitchers back, and added a bunch of big power arms, as usual, so I expect the pitching staff to be a strength as well. Honestly, they've got Omaha potential.
Once again DBU leads in the clubhouse on white people names. Jameson and Devlin almost sound like girl names, even.
 

TCUdirtbag

Active Member
Roster is up
http://www.gofrogs.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/tcu-m-basebl-mtt.html

No more unexpected departures

15 new guys. 9 freshmen + 6 transfers

Moose will know far more about these guys than me. So hopefully he’ll have a chance to chime in.

At first glance the big names we expected from the fall all seem to be there. Your likely SS and 3B are Oviedo and Shepherd. No clue who goes at second, but it would appear the options are Hanoian, Crews, Landestoy and Boulevard.

Wanhanen listed as 1B/OF

Brad Czerniejewski (FR OF) is from the same high school in Illinois as SO P Cal Coughlin.

Showing our national reach, our recruiting class comes from DFW, Houston, CA (4), MO, IL, AZ, WI, CO (2). So only 1/3 of our recruiting class is from Texas.

Colton Parrish, JR transfer from Blinn, is the backup catcher.
 
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TCUdirtbag

Active Member
We could conceivably have a lineup where everyone but Humphrey weighs in over 200. Don't know what that says for team speed.

Several guys have packed on some weight in the offseason. Watson was listed at 195 last year. 215 on today’s roster. Landestoy 195 to 210. Coughlin 205 to 230. Wymer 190 to 210. Damn - Zach Dechant had them doing some work.
 
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FBallFan123

Active Member
https://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=14815

College Top 25: Team Capsules

3. Texas Christian

jaredjanczak-17thumb.jpg
Jared Janczak (TCU Athletics)
Head Coach: Jim Schlossnagle
Conference: Big 12
2017 record: 41-22 (16-8 Big 12)
2017 finish: College World Series

Top returning hitters: 1B Luken Baker (.317-8-41), OF Connor Wanhanen (.281-0-16), C Zach Humphreys (.267-2-19), OF Josh Watson (.239-1-38)

Top returning pitchers: RHP Cal Coughlin (1-0, 1.59 ERA, 22.2 IP, 22:11), RHP Sean Wymer (6-4, 2.10 ERA, 55.2 IP, 66:10), RHP Jared Janczak (9-2, 2.31 ERA, 93.1 IP, 102:24), LHP Haylen Green (2-1, 3.10 ERA, 20.1 IP, 24:9), RHP Durbin Feltman (2-2, 3.64 ERA, 29.2 IP, 37:15, 17 SV), LHP Nick Lodolo (5-1, 4.35 ERA, 78.2 IP, 72:28), RHP Jake Eissler (4-0, 5.02 ERA, 37.2 IP, 38:12), RHP Charles King (1-3, 5.44 ERA, 46.1 IP, 37:17)

Top newcomers: OF Johnny Rizer, SS Adam Oviedo, LHP Russell Smith, 3B Conner Shepherd, RHP Caleb Sloan, 2B Danny Crews, DH A.J. Balta

Top 2018 prospects: RHP Sean Wymer (56), 1B Luken Baker (81), RHP Durbin Feltman (179), RHP Jared Janczak, OF Johnny Rizer, OF Josh Watson

Why they’re here: Star power. As far as college baseball stars go, TCU has three of the biggest in first baseman Luken Baker and righthanded pitchers Jared Janczak and Durbin Feltman. At 6-foot-4, 265-pounds, Baker is literally one of college baseball's biggest players, who looks like he got lost heading to football practice when he takes the baseball field, and his power at the plate matches his stature with 19 home runs in two seasons. With another big season Janczak is going to put himself among some of the best all-time Horned Frogs pitchers with a 16-6 record and a 2.45 ERA. Feltman, with 26 career saves, needs just seven more to pass Riley Ferrell, whose single-season record he surpassed during the 2017 season.

Difference maker: Sean Wymer. With Janczak on the front end of the pitching staff and Feltman at the back end, Sean Wymer played a key role last season, making 30 appearances, all out of the bullpen, and finished fourth on the staff in innings pitched with 55 2/3. He has arguably the best overall repertoire on the staff and is also considered the team's top prospect for the 2018 MLB Draft. Head coach Jim Schlossnagle could choose to insert him as their Sunday starter, behind Janczak and talented sophomore lefthander Nick Lodolo, but however he's used his success will go a long way in dictating just how successful TCU is.

Fun fact: Not only has TCU reached the College World Series each of the last four years (2014-17), they have also been either the Big 12 Conference regular season or conference tournament champions during that time.

4. Texas Tech

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Why they're here: Returning talent with something to prove. Texas Tech enjoyed a big season in 2017, at least until the postseason hit, going 42-13 leading up to the Big 12 Conference tournament, losing only two weekend series all season long. They finished first in the Big 12 in batting (.305) and second in team ERA (3.73) yet had their season come to a close at home in Regional play against Sam Houston State. A significant portion of the impact players from that squad return to begin where they left off and hope to carry head coach Tim Tadlock and the Red Raiders back to the postseason for the third time in five years.

Difference maker: Dynamic duos. Junior starting pitchers Steven Gingery and Davis Martin will go a long way to set the tone in series matchups. Gingery was 10-1 with a 1.58 ERA a season ago and was an easy All-American choice. Martin was 10-1 with a 2.52 ERA during his Freshman All-American season in 2016 as he was injured for a spell in 2017, but still enjoyed a productive season when on the mound. A pair of sophomores – outfielder Grant Little and third baseman Josh Jung – will look to set a similar tone on offense after hitting .335 and .306 respectively as freshmen.


18. Oklahoma

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Why they’re here: Two big horses. Getting Devon Perez back for his senior year was huge for the Sooners, as the 6-foot-5, 200-pound righthander will once again pair with 6-foot-6, 225-pound junior Jake Irvin to give Oklahoma a starting duo to compete with the Big 12's best. They posted remarkably similar statistics as well, with Perez going 6-2 and a 3.50 ERA and Irvin having a 6-3 record with a 3.53 ERA. In fact, the Sooners will have all seven of the pitchers that made a start (59 in total) during the 2017 back on their 2018 roster, a team that finished sixth in the Big 12 in ERA (4.43).

Difference maker: Steele Walker. Walker has a flair for the dramatic, and also has proven that he's one of the nation's best overall hitters. After hitting .290 as a freshman he followed that up by leading the Northwoods League during the summer of 2016 in hitting with a .406 average, to go along with seven home runs and 31 RBI, while swinging a wood bat. He followed that up by hitting .333-8-51 as a sophomore, finishing among the Big 12 leaders in nearly every notable individual category on offense. During the summer that followed he hit .333 once again, this time for Team USA, with a pair of home runs and 11 RBI, leading the Collegiate National Team in hits, doubles and total bases. Walker is a model of consistency, and he's poised for a huge junior campaign as one of the preseason Golden Spikes Award favorites.



23. Texas

nolankingham-17thumb.jpg



Why they’re here: Power-armed staff. Pitching carried Texas last year and could very well do the same in 2018, once again led by their live-armed ace, Nolan Kingham. He and Saturday starter Chase Shugart have both flirted with the upper-90s in the past, and work comfortably in the low- to mid-90s with their fastballs. Blair Henley returns after a successful freshman season, and while he doesn't throw as hard as his weekend starting counterparts, his curveball and changeup are true weapons giving him the best three-pitch repertoire on the team. Beau Ridgeway returns to the closer role after saving 12 games a year ago and is particularly stingy when it comes to allowing baserunners.

Difference maker: JuCo injection. For as good as the pitching staff has been in recent years, the Longhorns have been lacking in offense, and in particular could use one big bat to step forward. Corner infielders Kody Clemens and Ryan Reynolds take a step forward this season, now that Clemens is healthy and Reynolds has a full season under his belt, and hulking slugger Zach Zubia blasted 22 home runs over the summer, but there's a lot of swing-and-miss to his game. Enter Masen Hibbeler, Duke Ellis and D.J. Petrinsky who enjoyed big offensive seasons at Odessa, Panola and Hill Colleges, respectively. Hibbeler arrived on campus as a more complete player than expected, Ellis has some pop to go along with a speed component to his game, while Petrinsky is an offensive-minded catcher. Any improvement in offense is welcome, and needed, for the Longhorns to advance.
 
https://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=14815

College Top 25: Team Capsules

3. Texas Christian

jaredjanczak-17thumb.jpg
Jared Janczak (TCU Athletics)
Head Coach: Jim Schlossnagle
Conference: Big 12
2017 record: 41-22 (16-8 Big 12)
2017 finish: College World Series

Top returning hitters: 1B Luken Baker (.317-8-41), OF Connor Wanhanen (.281-0-16), C Zach Humphreys (.267-2-19), OF Josh Watson (.239-1-38)

Top returning pitchers: RHP Cal Coughlin (1-0, 1.59 ERA, 22.2 IP, 22:11), RHP Sean Wymer (6-4, 2.10 ERA, 55.2 IP, 66:10), RHP Jared Janczak (9-2, 2.31 ERA, 93.1 IP, 102:24), LHP Haylen Green (2-1, 3.10 ERA, 20.1 IP, 24:9), RHP Durbin Feltman (2-2, 3.64 ERA, 29.2 IP, 37:15, 17 SV), LHP Nick Lodolo (5-1, 4.35 ERA, 78.2 IP, 72:28), RHP Jake Eissler (4-0, 5.02 ERA, 37.2 IP, 38:12), RHP Charles King (1-3, 5.44 ERA, 46.1 IP, 37:17)

Top newcomers: OF Johnny Rizer, SS Adam Oviedo, LHP Russell Smith, 3B Conner Shepherd, RHP Caleb Sloan, 2B Danny Crews, DH A.J. Balta

Top 2018 prospects: RHP Sean Wymer (56), 1B Luken Baker (81), RHP Durbin Feltman (179), RHP Jared Janczak, OF Johnny Rizer, OF Josh Watson

Why they’re here: Star power. As far as college baseball stars go, TCU has three of the biggest in first baseman Luken Baker and righthanded pitchers Jared Janczak and Durbin Feltman. At 6-foot-4, 265-pounds, Baker is literally one of college baseball's biggest players, who looks like he got lost heading to football practice when he takes the baseball field, and his power at the plate matches his stature with 19 home runs in two seasons. With another big season Janczak is going to put himself among some of the best all-time Horned Frogs pitchers with a 16-6 record and a 2.45 ERA. Feltman, with 26 career saves, needs just seven more to pass Riley Ferrell, whose single-season record he surpassed during the 2017 season.

Difference maker: Sean Wymer. With Janczak on the front end of the pitching staff and Feltman at the back end, Sean Wymer played a key role last season, making 30 appearances, all out of the bullpen, and finished fourth on the staff in innings pitched with 55 2/3. He has arguably the best overall repertoire on the staff and is also considered the team's top prospect for the 2018 MLB Draft. Head coach Jim Schlossnagle could choose to insert him as their Sunday starter, behind Janczak and talented sophomore lefthander Nick Lodolo, but however he's used his success will go a long way in dictating just how successful TCU is.

Fun fact: Not only has TCU reached the College World Series each of the last four years (2014-17), they have also been either the Big 12 Conference regular season or conference tournament champions during that time.

He talks about star power and doesn't reference Lodolo? Huh?
 

jake102

Active Member
For those of you who are smart - how does that lineup look to you? What should we expect out of Boulware, Shepherd, Rizer, Ovieda and Balta?
 

Purp

Active Member
I've heard enough good things about Oviedo I'm not too worried about that position. And with the number of guys competing at 2B I kinda think it may be a sign that the defense is very good with this freshman if he won the job.
 

Kyle101011

Active Member
I find it kinda strange that we only have 3 seniors on the team. Does the 11.7 scholarships make it hard for kids to pay for 4 years at TCU? Out of those 9 true freshman I’m curious to see how many will be here in 4 years. Either way go frogs and I’m ready for a late June dog pile in Omaha.
 
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