College Preview Capsules: No. 18 Texas Christian

No. 18 Texas Christian

2015 Record (Ranking): 51-15 (4). RPI: 6.

Coach (Record at school): Jim Schlossnagle (516-236, 12 years).

Postseason History: 13 regionals (active streak: 2), 3 CWS trips (active streak: 2), 0 national titles.

Having a roster loaded with seniors that are also frontline players is a rare luxury for a college baseball coach. Jim Schlossnagle got to live it in 2015, as his Texas Christian squad reached the College World Series on the strength of a core of eight seniors led by Big 12 player of the year Cody Jones and indomitable ace Preston Morrison.

Schlossnagle savored it while he could, knowing the other shoe would drop in 2016. Beyond the seniors, the Frogs lost three premium junior arms to the draft in weekend starters Tyler Alexander and Alex Young and closer Riley Ferrell.

2016 Lineup
Pos.	Name, Year	AVG	OBP	SLG	HR	RBI	SB
C	Evan Skoug, So.	.285	.365	.426	7	46	5
1B	Connor Wanhanen, So.	.329	.420	.389	1	40	11
2B	Cam Warner, Jr.	Tr.—Hill (Texas) JC
3B	Elliott Barzilli, Jr.	.250	.315	.340	2	12	4
SS	Ryan Merrill, Jr.	Tr.—Iowa Western CC
LF	Josh Watson, Fr.	HS—Arlington, Texas
CF	Nolan Brown, Sr.	.302	.371	.373	1	30	19
RF	Dane Steinhagen, Sr.	.289	.346	.353	0	28	10
DH	Luken Baker, Fr.	HS—Conroe, Texas
Pos.	Name, Year	W	L	ERA	IP	SO	SV
RHP	Mitchell Traver, R-Jr.	9	2	1.89	76	77	0
RHP	Brian Howard, Jr.	4	0	3.52	46	46	0
RHP	Luken Baker, Fr.	HS—Conroe, Texas
RP	Preston Guillory, Sr.	1	0	0.34	26	23	2

“Now, we have the largest amount of turnover that we’ve ever had in the program,” Schlossnagle said. “We’ve gone from having, in my opinion, a ton of proven commodities, as college players, to a lot of new faces and guys that have talent, but they’re certainly inexperienced. You go from one end of the spectrum to the other in terms of experience.”

Many of the names might be new, but the talent level in Fort Worth will still be there, as TCU reloaded with the nation’s seventh-ranked recruiting class to build around returning middle-of-the-lineup bats Evan Skoug and Connor Wanhanen. Two-way standout Luken Baker is the centerpiece, a hulking 6-foot-4 presence in the box who can not only mash balls out of the park (he won the 2014 MLB Junior Select Home Run Derby during all-star weekend), but has shown a mature all-fields approach that’s beyond his years.

The Frogs are also excited about the offensive upside of Australian Cam Warner, a transfer from Hill (Texas) JC, while freshmen Josh Watson, a switch-hitter, and Ryan Johnson, another potential source of power, should challenge for time in the outfield.

“Pure skill-wise, we have a chance to be a lot more physical because Wanhanen and Skoug are a year older,” Schlossnagle said. “You throw Luken Baker into the mix, and this freshman Josh Watson and another freshman named Ryan Johnson, who’s going to play a lot. Those guys, they’re a different profile of players than what we’ve maybe had in the past.”

Annually a strength under Schlossnagle, TCU’s pitching staff returns only one starter, Mitchell Traver, from the group that finished second nationally in ERA last year at 2.45. Junior Brian Howard, a ground ball machine thanks to the downward angle he gets from his 6-foot-9 frame, and Baker should step into the rotation. The bullpen will have plenty of open competition, but the linchpin figures to be Preston Guillory, a low-slot righthander who allowed only one earned run all of last year. Junior Brian Trieglaff and new arrivals Durbin Feltman, a high school teammate of Baker’s, and Mitch Sewald, a junior college transfer who spent his freshman year at LSU, all have power stuff out of the pen as well.

Schlossnagle doesn’t deny that this group will need a more hands-on style than last year’s veteran-laden team did. But as he put it himself, “part of that’s scary, but most of it’s really exciting.

“There’s no doubt that the learning curve was a lot smaller last year, and this year it’s a lot bigger,” Schlossnagle said. “We’ve watched a ton of video, giving them examples of what it looks like to play good team offense and play for each other, and use the whole field to hit and that kind of thing. I think the culture of the program will take care of itself over time.”