2022 TCU Baseball Team Preview: Setting Sights on Omaha
College baseball is in the air. Next weekend, your TCU baseball team kicks off the 2022 campaign in Scottsdale, Arizona, for the third MLB4 baseball tournament.
If you've flipped through the positional previews over the past month (links below if you haven't), you generally know what the landscape of the team is going to look like. But what can we expect from the team?
Below, we'll lay out the expectations, schedule, and more for TCU baseball.
With Talent Comes Expectations
With so many returning players and loads of talent at every position, expectations are back.
TCU is coming off a Big 12 Championship. At every major media outlet, TCU ranks highly:
- D1 Baseball: 17th
- Collegiate Baseball: 13th
- Perfect Game: 8th
The expectations, lofty as they are, are reasonable. This team returns most of their star production and is coming off hosting an NCAA Regional last season. They placed two on the preseason All-Big 12 list: ace Austin Krob and rising sophomore Brayden Taylor.
In a perennially-loaded Big 12 field, TCU's meddle will be tested early and often.
TCU's Baseball Schedule Is a Gauntlet
In a Feb. 2 press conference, coach Kirk Saarloos acknowledged the upcoming schedule, "We're going to play a really difficult schedule. I think it's going to be one of the most difficult schedules in the country."
He's not wrong.
Before playing a single home series, the Frogs play a neutral-site series with Nebraska (No. 17 per College Baseball Nation), a game at Louisville (No. 26 per Collegiate Baseball), and a series at Kentucky. They also play a midseason out-of-conference series with #11 Florida State.
They get a few midweek games and a home series against Army before embarking on the Big 12 gauntlet. Road series this year include #1 Texas and #7 Oklahoma State. TCU's series against #4 Texas Tech comes at home.
In case that wasn't enough ranked teams, TCU has a home-and-home split with No. 22 Dallas Baptist (Fort Worth Regional champs last year).
No matter the ranking, these are series Saarloos expects to win. TCU's done it in the recent past. For their full schedule, check here.
Transfers Pave The Way
Some of the biggest additions to the TCU squad come via the transfer portal. The Frogs grabbed four graduate transfers, all of which will make immediate impacts. Two starting pitchers– Oregon Sunday Starter Brett Walker and Arkansas' Caleb Bolden– bolster the unit with most need.
Former Notre Dame relief pitcher Tommy Vail will play a pivotal role out of the bullpen and former Washington catcher Michael Petrie will challenge for the starting spot behind the plate.
Connor Oliver also joins the rotation from Wabash Valley College and is ranked 91st in D1 Baseball's top 100 prospects.
Will We Find The Frogs In Omaha?
While hosting a Regional is an accomplishment in itself, Saarloos has his sights set on the College World Series in Omaha. They'll have every chance to be there.
Depth at the starting pitching position will be the key for the Frogs. Krob is the certified ace and will find himself starting the biggest games. Walker and Bolden will also make solid additions to the team. But when it's Tuesday, April 12 and TCU plays at Dallas Baptist, will the depth of starters hold up?
Outside of River Ridings (unanimous Freshman All American in 2021), will the depth in the bullpen be enough? Vail and the rest of the rotation will be tested.
Saarloos' background is in pitching. He was a major league pitcher, spent years as a pitching coach with TCU, Cal State Fullerton, and others. He led TCU to program-best marks in ERA and shutouts. If anyone's going to coach this unit to its fullest potential, it's Saarloos.
2022 Season Prediction
It's tough sledding in the Big 12, but experience and talent can overcome that; TCU has both. 30 wins is to be expected and 40 wins is attainable. The Frogs won 41 games last year despite a brutal opening weekend tournament.
Another Regional is coming to Fort Worth this season. It depends on the draw, but TCU remembers last year and the difficulty of the regional tournaments. Is Omaha in the cards? Time will tell.
Prediction: 40-20, Super Regional Appearance. Top 12 finish, host in the Regional round.
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