TCU Horned Frogs: 2026 Season Preview
Big 12 regular season champions in 2025, a CWS appearance in 2023, and an ace-led rotation that makes the Horned Frogs the conference's team to beat. Kirk Saarloos has built something that doesn't flinch under pressure — and this year's roster might be his deepest yet.
The Program
2025 Season Results
Season Highlights
Won the Big 12 regular season title outright at 20-10
Brayden Taylor named First Team All-American (22 HR, 71 RBI)
Hosted an NCAA Regional and won — fell in the Super Regional
Chase Hampton anchored the rotation with a sub-3.00 ERA through conference play
2026 Roster Breakdown
Key returnees and transfer portal additions
Key Returnees
Brayden Taylor
3B · Sr.The best hitter in the Big 12. First Team All-American who carried TCU through the conference gauntlet. Rare combination of plate discipline and raw power from the left side. Draft-eligible and playing with something to prove after the Super Regional exit.
Tommy Sacco
SS · Jr.Plus defender who emerged as a legitimate middle-of-the-order bat. 11 home runs from the shortstop position is uncommon production. Quiet leader who makes the routine play and occasionally launches one into the gap.
Chase Hampton
RHP · Jr.Power arm with a fastball that sits 94-96 and a wipeout slider. Led the staff in innings, strikeouts, and wins. The ace who makes Friday nights a near-guaranteed win.
Karson Bowen
C · Sr.Veteran catcher who handles a talented pitching staff and contributes offensively. Strong arm behind the plate and a calming presence for young pitchers in high-leverage situations.
Luke Savage
LHP · So.Emerged as a reliable Saturday starter. Left-handed with advanced command for his age. Projects to take another step forward with a full offseason in the program.
Kole Klecker
RHP · Jr.High-leverage reliever who handled late innings. Fastball-slider combination that generates whiffs. Can close or pitch the seventh and eighth.
Transfer Portal Additions
Ty Johnson
OF · Jr.DFW native who stays local. Contact-oriented hitter with gap power who fills an outfield spot vacated by departures. Knows the Big 12 environment.
Colton Ledbetter
OF/1B · R-Sr.SEC-tested bat who adds lineup depth and positional flexibility. Can play corner outfield or first base. Brings postseason experience from Starkville.
Reed Osborne
RHP · Jr.Pitched in the SEC. Mid-rotation arm who can eat innings and keep TCU in games on the weekends. Fastball command is his calling card.
Marcus Davila
LHP · So.Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year candidate who moves up in class. Deceptive delivery from the left side with three pitches he can throw for strikes.
Pitching Staff Analysis
The Headline
Chase Hampton is a Friday night ace in every sense — 94-96 with a wipeout slider, 112 strikeouts in 94 innings, and a 2.87 ERA through the Big 12 gauntlet. When he toes the rubber, TCU expects to win. The rest of the staff is built around that foundation.
The Rotation
Luke Savage slots in behind Hampton as the Saturday starter, bringing left-handed balance and advanced command. Reed Osborne (from Vanderbilt) or Marcus Davila (from Texas State) compete for the Sunday role. Davila's 2.91 ERA and strikeout numbers in the Sun Belt suggest he can handle the jump. Saarloos has options — which is exactly what you want entering Big 12 play.
The Depth
Kole Klecker anchors the bullpen with a 3.21 ERA and swing-and-miss stuff in the late innings. The pen was a strength in 2025, and the additions from the portal give Saarloos more arms to deploy without wearing anyone down. In a conference that punishes thin pitching, depth is TCU's insurance policy.
Lineup Analysis
The Engine
Brayden Taylor is the engine, the identity, and the cleanup hitter all at once. A .321 average with 22 home runs and 71 RBI as a junior — in the Big 12, not against mid-week cupcakes. He makes pitchers uncomfortable from the first pitch of the at-bat.
The Middle
Tommy Sacco (.301, 11 HR) gives TCU a legitimate second threat. When teams pitch around Taylor, Sacco punishes the mistake. Karson Bowen provides the veteran presence behind the plate and enough pop (8 HR) to keep opposing pitchers honest throughout the lineup.
The Supporting Cast
Ty Johnson (.308 at Dallas Baptist) and Colton Ledbetter (.285 with 12 HR at Mississippi State) plug the outfield gaps left by departures. The bottom third of this lineup is deeper than most Big 12 teams' top third. TCU can run 1 through 9 without a free out.
2026 Schedule Highlights
Scouting Verdict
20–80 scouting scale
BSI Projection
TCU is the Big 12 frontrunner until someone proves otherwise. Brayden Taylor is the conference's best hitter. Chase Hampton is the conference's best pitcher. Saarloos has built a roster with SEC-caliber depth through the portal and a returning core that won 44 games and a conference title. The Super Regional exit stings, but the pieces that made 2025 special are still here — and the pieces that were missing got added. This is a team built for Omaha.