TCU Baseball Positional Preview: Pitchers

TCU pitching staff anchored by familiar names in new roles, rounded out by newcomers.

The TCU Horned Frogs baseball team returns to the field Feb. 17. After another Big 12 regular season championship and NCAA Baseball Tournament Regional appearance, TCU looks to improve on previous results. They return a number of preseason All-Conference players and are positioned for a deep postseason run.

The pitching staff took the biggest hit at the end of last season. Familiar names return in new roles and plenty of new names will be on the mound for the Frogs this spring.

Check out who will make up the pitching rotation this season.

TCU Baseball: Starting Pitchers

TCU's top three pitchers (innings pitched) are out and those pitches need replacing. Every weekend starting position is open coming into this season. All projected starters this year are right-handed pitchers, with just four lefties on the roster for 2023.

Returning Starters

Rising junior Cam Brown handled a larger workload than expected last season with the absence of Austin Krob for most of the year. Brown started nine times, where he recorded a 5-2 record and a 4.42 ERA. He played himself into more and more starts, being moved off the Tuesday starter role into a weekend position. Expect him to be one of the three weekend starters this year.

Per D1 Baseball, Brown clocked in around 97-99 mph on his fastball this fall and, "has the ability to take a [Tennessee pitcher] Chase Dollander-type of type forward..."

Last season, Luke Savage topped TCU in ERA (2.72). Savage was a relief pitcher last year, but moves into a starting role this season. He threw 39.2 innings last year, where he struck out 35 batters and walked just 17; Savage also recorded two saves.

Expect Savage to occupy a weekend starter position this season.

Incoming Starters

One of the top transfers in the Big 12 comes to TCU from Kansas, junior Ryan Vanderhei. The former Jayhawk No. 2 starter posted a 5-6 record with a 6.46 ERA and 83 strikeouts in 78 innings pitched. Like Brown, Vanderhei is a burner with a fastball that works its way up to 98 mph.

D1 Baseball projects Vanderhei to be the third weekend starter for the Frogs this spring.

Incoming freshman Louis Rodriguez (Long Beach, Calif.) has an opportunity to seize the weekday starter role from Day 1. Rodriguez earned all-region honors in each of his three letter years and played high school ball with TCU teammates Karson Bowen (catcher) and Gabe Miranda (first baseman).

TCU Baseball: The Bullpen

Pitching depth was a concern for TCU last year, especially through injury. Depth is less of a concern this year, rather the pitching firepower at the top of the roster being question marks raised by numerous outlets. 

Returning Relievers And Closers

Left-hander River Ridings is TCU's most experienced returning closer, posting 10 saves a season ago. Just three times in the regular season did Ridings pitch longer than an inning (18 appearances), but was relied upon more often during the Big 12 Tournament. Ridings had a tough tournament appearance, ultimately inflating his end-of-year ERA (6.95).

It may be Garrett Wright who assumes the primary closer position this year. He was the primary closer in both the Big 12 Tournament and Regional Tournament, posting a 2.89 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 18.2 innings.

The only other returning TCU pitchers to have made an appearance last season are sophomore Cohen Feser and junior Storm Hierholzer.

Incoming Relievers And Closers

Inbound are a flurry of freshman arms. In total, eight freshmen join the team this season, most of which are bound for relief roles or occasional spot starts.

Transfers will make a more immediate impact, with several likely being go-to relief options. Headlining the group is Hunter Hodges from UNC Wilmington. Hodges logged 10 saves and a 5-5 record in 51 career appearances and was named CAA Honorable Mention in 2022.

Grad transfer Sam Stoutenborough comes in with 134 career strikeouts in 202.3 innings pitched at Cal. He started 17 games (11 wins) in 49 appearances, making him a potential spot-starter, as well. Stoutenborough is a right-handed pitcher.

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