• The KillerFrogs

Looking Ahead: 2017 Baseball Season

TCUdirtbag

Active Member
Drafted Players & Grads:
- Howard will return
- Barzilli will return

Traver (17th round-Reds) elected to return
Trieglaff (13th round-Yankees) signed
Hill was drafted in the 27th and signed
- Guillory was drafted and is out of eligibility
- Steinhagen was not drafted but is out of eligibility.


Recruits:
LHP Nick Lodolo was the 41st pick in the MLB Draft (Pirates, $1.5 M+ slot value); 6'6", 180 with a 92+ mph fastball (California), but elected to enroll
LHP Dion Henderson was a 27th round pick (Reds); 6'4", 195 with an 89-91+ mph fastball (Detroit), and elected to enroll
RHP Trey Morris was a 40th round pick (Phillies); 6'5", 200 with a 91+ mph fastball from Katy Taylor HS, and eleted to enroll
1B/OF Zack Arambula 6'3", 220 from San Antonio
- RHP/3B Cal Coughlin 6'1", 200 with 94+ mph fb, 2 way & switch hitter from Illinois
- RHP Alec Creel 6'3", 195 with 1 92+ mph fb from Wake Forest, NC
- RHP/1B Jake Eissler 6'2", 190 with 89+ mph fb, from Littleton, CO
LHP Haylen Green 6'0", 170 with 88+ mph fb from Lufkin
- C Zach Humphreys 5'10", 180 from Midlothian HS
OF Austin Ingraham 6'1", 190 transfer from North Central Texas
RHP Charles King 6'6", 215, 93+ mph fastball (Coppell)
OF/C Bryan Sturges 5'10", 185 from Katy Seven Lakes
 

hometown frog

Active Member
I'm guessing Triegs and Traver both come to terms on their contracts at this point. (Maybe you can make an argument that Traver could pith his way into a top 5 round contract and earn some extra coin, but I think that's a stretch.)

Where did we wind up with our recruiting class and signing pro contracts? Knew several were drafted above target.
 

flyfishingfrog

Active Member
I know Traver loses his bargaining power as a senior but really how much more can it go down from 17th round pick after only pitching about 20 innings before the draft.
 

Punter1

Full Member
So rotation is

Howard
Baker
JJ

Horton on Tuesdays...with Hill possibly??

Lineup stacked...closer in place. Just need another 7th/8th inning arm to compliment Burnett.

Top 3 Preseason...if not #1.
 

tcuseagull

Active Member
Punter1 said:
So rotation is

Howard
Baker
JJ

Horton on Tuesdays...with Hill possibly??

Lineup stacked...closer in place. Just need another 7th/8th inning arm to compliment Burnett.

Top 3 Preseason...if not #1.
 
Substitute Nolan Brown for Steinhagen. We will have some good reserve guys in Ryan Johnson, Mason Hesse, Evan Williams, and either Landestoy or Wanhanen.
 
Pitching depth will be better, and we are bringing in some really good recruits. Sounds like the coaching staff is staying intact too. 2017 is gonna be a good team. But baseball is a strange sport. We may be a better team than this year's, and not go nearly as far in the post season. That being said, if anyone can get TCU to 4 consecutive CWS appearances, it's Jim Schlossnagle.
 

pgdaly84

Active Member
Steinhagen had a heck of a year, but Nolan will be an improvement defensively and be able to replace his production. I'd think Wade stays in the lead off spot after setting the TCU record for walks. Nolan could be the ultimate #9 hitter.

Two biggest question marks:

1. Bullpen depth past Feltman and Burnett. We will need to develop some options. Only real weakness on the team.

2. Can Wanhanen bounce back? I hope he can. Had an awful season and seemed to have lost all confidence. Hope the staff can rebuild him and hope to see him hitting line drives to all fields and not weak ground balls to second base.
 

Casey T

Full Member
I look forward to beating aggy again in the 2017 supers and heading back to Omaha, and finally bringing home the trophy. Which sets up the 2017 football team to also bring home the natty
 

Sand Frog

Active Member
tcuseagull said:
 
But baseball is a strange sport. We may be a better team than this year's, and not go nearly as far in the post season.
 
 
You can say that again.  It's the most finicky and humbling of all sports!
 

Ron Swanson

Full Member
Who could have a big impact out of the new guys coming in?

Any guys that could challenge for a weekend spot? Any Josh Watsons or Jared Janczaks or Durbin Feltmans?
 

tcuseagull

Active Member
Ron Swanson said:
Who could have a big impact out of the new guys coming in?

Any guys that could challenge for a weekend spot? Any Josh Watsons or Jared Janczaks or Durbin Feltmans?
 
Our three highest rates recruits are all pitchers, which is what we needed from this class.
 
Nick Lodolo 6'6 LHP La Verne, CA - may sign with Pirates, but looks to be headed to TCU
Charles King 6'5  RHP Coppell, TX - coming to TCU
Dion Henderson 6'4 LHP Dearborn, MI - coming to TCU
 

Armadillo

Full Member
tcuseagull said:
 
Nick Lodolo 6'6 LHP La Verne, CA - may sign with Pirates, but looks to be headed to TCU
Charles King 6'5  RHP Coppell, TX - coming to TCU
Dion Henderson 6'4 LHP Dearborn, MI - coming to TCU
 
 
Those are some big boys.  
 

Sand Frog

Active Member
tcuseagull said:
 
 
Our three highest rates recruits are all pitchers, which is what we needed from this class.
 
Nick Lodolo 6'6 LHP La Verne, CA - may sign with Pirates, but looks to be headed to TCU
 
I saw an interview with Schloss after the CS Super Regional asking him the impact of playing on ESPN has had for the program.  He mentioned there was a kid in CA but wouldn't name him who wanted to really play for TCU.  During recruiting he asked him why TCU vs all the top baseball programs in CA.  The kid said ever since he saw Matt Purke pitch in the CWS he wanted to get on the bump for TCU.  Ever since that interview I wondered if that kid was Nick Lodolo.
 

GoFrog Yourself

Active Member
flyfishingfrog said:
I know Traver loses his bargaining power as a senior but really how much more can it go down from 17th round pick after only pitching about 20 innings before the draft.
Selfishly I'd want Traver to come back, but realistically I hope he leaves to avoid yet another injury and finally get paid. The dude has been through a lot and I would stand 100% behind his decision to leave or stay
 

Purp

Active Member
My gut tells me Traver comes back.  He'd still have a medical redshirt year after next year that he could use for negotiating leverage after the draft next year.  Plus, as has already been said, I think he stands to benefit more in terms of draft position from more innings next year so it makes sense.  Plus, if he ends up getting hurt again next year it would likely have happened in the minors also so he doesn't really have anything to lose by staying.
 
I think Nolan goes back to the leadoff spot b/c his speed at the top of the lineup is irreplaceable. 
 
I also won't be shocked if we see Burnett get a shot at the rotation if healthy.  He wants to be a starter and has the stuff to do it.  The thing for him will be building up the stamina for it after recovering from ACL surgery.  
 
I also think we have guys already on the roster that will step into the bullpen holes.  Adding the new recruits to this mix and we're going to have a fantastic staff next year.  I also agree that Howard will likely return.
 

Pharm Frog

Full Member
Armadillo said:
 
Those are some big boys.  
 
That's the fashion for pitchers now.  Length. There's a lefty up here that is committed to Kansas of all places.  He just completed his junior year.  He's 5'8" (maybe 5'9") with velo in the low '90's and can spot up both a curveball and a change-up. 0.65 ERA with 112 Ks in 75 innings. Won the state quarterfinal game as a sophomore and won the quarterfinal AND the state championship game this year (which is a real warning sign to me about potential overuse).
 
Kid has been told by a couple of rather large D1 programs that will remain nameless that he doesn't have the "length" that they are looking for. Neither of those programs wear purple and have the Horned Frog as their mascot. I've even heard a former D2 head coach say the same.
 
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