Killer Frogs

Know Your Foe: Houston Baseball Players to Watch

Key players from Houston you will need to know when they take on the TCU Horned Frogs this weekend.

Nathan Cross

Houston Pitching
Houston Pitching / Houston Baseball X
Matchup
Horned Frogs
19-7 (3-3 Big 12)
Cougars
14-10 (2-4 Big 12)
March 28-306:30 pm CT (Fri), 6:30pm CT (Sat), 1pm CT (Sun)ESPN+

Friday- #27 Paul Schmitz

Junior Right-handed pitcher from Bonn, Germany

The 6-foot-8 right-hander is expected to take the mound for Houston in Friday’s matchup against TCU. Schmitz has been a reliable starter for the Cougars this season, consistently providing valuable innings by going five or more frames in nearly every start. He is armed with a mid-90s fastball and a sharp, sinking off-speed pitch, he has shown the ability to rack up strikeouts at a high rate. For TCU, the key will be striking early before Schmitz settles into a rhythm. If he finds his groove, he can be tough to crack.

Saturday- #50 Richie Roman

Sophomore Right-handed pitcher from Corpus Crhristi, Texas

The Saturday starter remains uncertain, as Houston has experimented with different options. However, Richie Roman, the 6-foot-4 right-hander, is the likely choice after delivering a strong performance against UCF in their last series, where he pitched six solid innings. Roman is a high-strikeout pitcher when he's in rhythm, relying on a fastball that sits between 95-98 mph to overpower hitters. Complementing his heater is a changeup that drops over 10 mph slower, keeping batters off balance. For TCU, patience at the plate will be key because if they rush the count, Roman could find his groove and become even tougher to crack.

Sunday- #95 Kendall Hoffman

Freshamn Right-handed pitcher from Seminole, Florida

The 6-foot-6 freshman has been Houston’s go-to Sunday starter. While he typically doesn’t pitch deep into games, he has shown the ability to rack up strikeouts when his stuff is working, setting the tone early. Hoffman has a lot of strong pitches and plenty of potential, making him a dangerous matchup if he settles in. For TCU, the key will be applying pressure early to disrupt his rhythm and gain momentum in the series finale.

ERA

Wins

Loses

Appearances

Paul Schmitz

4.97

3

2

6

Richie Roman

5.21

0

3

10

Kendall Hoffman

3.15

1

0

8

Potential Starting Lineup:

CF: Tre Broussard .295 BA, 25 R, 28 H

RF: Xavier Perez .352 BA, 19 R, 25 H

2B Connor McGinnis: .373 BA, 30 R, 28 H

1B: Carsten Sabathia .262 BA, 13 R, 17 H

DH: Malachi Lott .205 BA, 6 R, 8 H

LF: Cade Climie .304 BA, 19 R, 21 H

3B: Aaron Lugo .333 BA, 13 R, 26 H

C: Riley Jackson .174 BA, 9 R, 8 H

SS: Tyler Cox .218 BA, 14 R, 12 H

Likely Bullpen Pitchers:

Antoine Jean: IP: 27.0, H: 16, R: 13 ER:12, BB: 12, SO: 47, HR: 1, ERA: 4.00

Malachi Lott: IP: 11, H: 6, R: 5, ER: 5, BB: 5, SO: 15, HR: 1, ERA: 4.09

David Stich: IP: 8.2, H: 6, R: 3, ER: 3, BB: 5, SO: 11, HR: 1, ERA: 3.12

Chris Perez: IP: 8.1, H: 5, R: 6, ER: 3, BB: 8, SO: 8, HR: 0, ERA: 3.24

Ryan Dollar: IP: 10.0, H: 19, R: 17, ER:13, BB: 6, SO: 12, HR: 1, ERA: 11.70

Chris Scinta: IP: 11.2, H: 6, R: 5, ER:4, BB: 1, SO: 9, HR: 3, ERA: 3.09

First pitch in the series is Friday, March 28 at 6:30 pm CT. It can be seen on ESPN+ or heard on 88.7 KTCU FM or on the Varisty app.

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Nathan Cross
NATHAN CROSS

Nathan (Nate) Cross is a current TCU student (Class of 2025), avid golfer, and a Horned Frog sports enthusiast. He enjoys anything sports-related such as writing, following all stats, and player movements. Additionally, he is always up for a good sports debate.

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