TCU baseball excited for upcoming season

Published 3:28 pm Friday, January 24, 2025

After a down season in 2024 during when the Horned Frogs failed to make the NCAA Tournament, TCU believes this season’s baseball team could be special thanks to its mix of talented freshmen and returning upperclassmen.

TCU enters the season with high expectations including a preseason top-25 placement from D1 Baseball, which ranks the Horned Frogs as the No. 23 team in the country.

Speaking with the media ahead of the season, redshirt junior Caedmon Parker said this year’s team was unlike any other he was a part of during his Horned Frogs tenure.

“This group is special. I think that this being my fourth year here this isn’t a group that’s been like the other ones. All groups have been talented, but this group found a way to mesh really, really quickly and so I think it just speaks kind of to the leadership and bringing in the right guys,” Parker said. “We talked a lot about in this season, you’re willing to put it on the line, you’re willing to die for your guys, but you’re not gonna die for somebody you don’t know, you don’t care about. And so I think that we put a lot of emphasis on loving our guys, like caring about them.”

Parker, a Montgomery native who attended The Woodlands Christian Academy in high school, is heading into his fourth season with TCU and went 3-1 with a 4.11 ERA in 35 innings pitched last season.

He explained why he chose to return to the Horned Frogs despite being drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 11th round of the 2024 MLB Draft.

“I’m not a money-motivated guy. I’m not chasing money or fame or legacy. I’m a people person and so when I had to make the decision, it ultimately came down to, there’s somebody here who needed me to share my experiences,” Parker said. ”Ultimately, it’s just I love the school more than anything and I kind of owe all of my maturity and growth to it, especially the leadership of the coaches. So for me, it’s just trying to help these guys and see how far we can make [it].”

Parker was one of four TCU players who were drafted after last season joining Payton Tolle, Zachary Cawyer and Kyle Ayers who were drafted in the second, 11th and 13th rounds respectively.

Head coach Kirk Saarloos praised his upperclassmen players for their mentality and mentorship while pointing out how impressed he’s been from this freshman class.

“I think having them back, to be able to have them have a little bit more sense of urgency from day one, I think you’ve really noticed it, I’ve noticed it a ton, our freshmen have noticed it a ton. This group has settled in as quickly as any other freshman group, and I think that is because of those older players knowing what they want, and then being able to talk to the younger group about what the expectation is and how we do things around here,” said Saarloos, “ They do a great job holding each other accountable and making sure that we have an understanding of what we’re trying to do day in and day out.”

According to Perfect Baseball, TCU had the best freshman class of any Big 12 team in 2024 and the eighth-best in the nation.

One of those freshmen Noah Franco was PB’s top player in the 2025 class until he reclassified to 2024 and they re-ranked him No. 7 in the country.

Franco is a California native who played high school baseball at IMG Academy in Florida and credited the school for making his transition to college smooth.

Franco was chosen as the preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year and spoke about expectations ahead of the upcoming season.

“I’m truly honored to, at the same time works not done. Teams not started, and there’s a lot of work to be put in for the team, not only for us as a group, but we all have one goal, that’s to win Omaha, so that’s all we’re working for day by day,” said Franco.

Pitcher Ben Abeldt, who is transitioning from a reliever to a starter’s role this season, and shortstop Anthony Silva, whose brother Jacob joined TCU as a freshman catcher, also earned honors with both being selected for the preseason All-Big 12 team.

The league’s head coaches chose TCU to take third place in the conference behind Oklahoma State and Arizona which would be a reversal from last season when TCU finished 9th in the Big 12 with a 14-16 confidence record.

Saarloos said his goal for this season was to make sure the team reached their ceiling and said that winning a national championship didn’t define success and that he’s proud of how TCU has helped players prepare for their future and grow as men on and off the baseball field.

“It’s super hard to win a national championship in any sport, and I don’t look at it as if you don’t win it, it’s not a successful season. I mean, there’s success that can be defined in a lot of different ways,” said Saarloos, “I think a successful season for TCU is trying to reach our potential, and what potential is that? Not sure what. That’s what the season will tell.”

The Horned Frogs open the season on Feb. 14 at San Diego.