2024 Big 12 Conference Preview - Part Three
The third and final installment of the conference preview, highlighting Texas, TCU, Texas Tech, and Kansas State. On paper, these are the teams that the coaches and college baseball pundits believe will be the top teams in the Big 12 and contend for a conference title.
Here is the link to Part One (Baylor, BYU, Cincinnati, and UCF) -
Preview Part One
Here is the link to Part Two (Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Houston, Kansas) -
Preview Part Two
As a reminder, here is my predicted finish for the Big 12 and the Coaches Poll as well for frame of reference.
| Zach's Projected Conference Finish | Big 12 Coaches Poll |
| TCU | TCU (11) |
| Texas | Texas (2) |
| Texas Tech | Oklahoma State |
| Kansas State | Texas Tech |
| Oklahoma | Kansas State |
| Oklahoma State | Oklahoma |
| West Virginia | West Virginia |
| Houston | Kansas |
| Kansas | Houston |
| UCF | UCF |
| Baylor | Baylor |
| BYU | BYU |
| Cincinnati | Cincinnati |
Texas Longhorns
2023 Record: 42-22 (15-9 Big 12)
Last Appearance:
Regional: 2023
Super Regional: 2023
College World Series: 2022
2024 Schedule Breakdown:
Home: 37
Away: 16
Neutral: 3
Conference Home Series: Baylor, BYU, TCU, Oklahoma State, Kansas
Conference Away Series: Texas Tech, Kansas State, Houston, Oklahoma, UCF
Notable non-conference opponents: Texas A&M, LSU, Vanderbilt, Texas State, Washington, Air Force
Overarching thoughts on schedule: Tough to open conference play at Texas Tech, but get TCU and Oklahoma State at home. Brutal stretch of 10 days in March. Lots of home cooking for the Horns this season. First time Texas has been to Norman since 2018.
Pitcher to Watch: Lebarron Johnson Jr
Hitter to Watch: Jared Thomas
Projected Starters:
C - Rylan Galvan
1B - Jared Thomas
2B - Jack O’Dowd
SS - Jalin Flores
3B - Peyton Powell
LF - Porter Brown
CF - Tommy Farmer
RF - Will Gasparino
DH - Nik Sanders
Team Overview:
The goal for 2024 is the same as it is every season for Texas…Omaha. During the seven year tenure of Coach David Pierce, the Horns have reached the College World Series three times, reached the Super Regionals four times, and Regionals five times. That record does not take into account 2020 in which the Horns had a very strong team and started off hot. Last season, the Horns came up just short in Palo Alto, with the dream of three College World Series in a row crashing amongst the dimly lit Sunken Diamond. In 2024, the Texas team has the talent and experience to make another long run in the tournament, but how far they can go will largely depend upon the health of Tanner Witt, the catchers, and ability of the bullpen to close out games.
Offensively, the Horns return three of their top four hitters from last season in Peyton Powell, Porter Brown, and Jared Thomas. After having limited success and opportunities his first three seasons at Texas, Powell broke out in a big way last season hitting .339 with 10 home runs, and will look to continue that success in his final year. Porter Brown is now officially the old man on the roster and after bulking up in the offseason will look to improve upon his .323 and 12 home runs from last season. Jared Thomas had a slow start to his freshman year, at one point being called out for having hips like wet noodles by Coach Pierce. All Thomas did was continue to grind and break out in a massive way enroute to becoming the lead off hitter for the Horns. Thomas spent the summer rehabbing and getting stronger after finishing the season with an injured back, and physically, the results are visible. With the news breaking yesterday that Duke transfer Luke Storm will not in fact be playing for Texas in 2024, the safe bet is that Jared Thomas will move back to 1B. If Thomas does in fact play 1B in 2024, freshman Tommy Farmer could very well be the guy that slides into the lineup. Farmer has really impressed the coaching staff this past Fall and during the Spring so far. Defensively, he has a quick burst and good speed to get to any ball hit to CF. He is a big physical kid, that you historically would see playing for Stanford. At the plate, he has been solid as well, but the goal will be to get him as many reps as possible between now and Feb 16th. Jack O’Dowd is back at 2B and after spending the offseason working on his agility will look to continue his hot form from the end of the season into 2024. At shortstop, Jalin Flores looks to have a breakthrough season after an inconsistent freshman campaign that saw him hit just .175 with 4 home runs. Flores has bulked up and has looked much more comfortable at the plate. In RF, true freshman Will Gasparino appears to be the day one starter for the Horns. Gasparino has a high baseball IQ, is very athletic, and is very toolsy. At 6’7, Gasparino certainly stands out as he towers over most other players, but the staff has worked hard to shorten up and tighten the swing that his length generates. The goal is that Gaspo can tap into that natural power and be a factor early on in the offense. Several notable backups that will certainly see action throughout the year are Max Belyeu, who has worked diligently at being more consistent at the plate and has come a long way defensively in the field as well. Penn transfer Seth Werchan and JUCO transfer Casey Cummings are guys that also could play a role in 2024, adding great depth to the team. True freshman Nik Sanders is a guy known for his bat and could factor into the equation at DH from day one. When he gets a hold of a ball, he can really launch it. Behind the plate is where one of the big questions remains for the Horns. Texas has a pair of backstops in Rylan Galvan and Kimble Schuessler that have experience, but need to prove themselves and be more consistent. Galvan has looked much better offensively at the plate, but from what I have seen, still has some issues with ball transfer during his pop, though he has been much better at receiving the ball. Kimble is a guy that doesn’t add a massive amount at the plate, but receives the ball well and looked decent in his throws down to 2B this Spring.
On the mound, the biggest question mark is RHP Tanner Witt. How much progress has Witt made after taking the Fall to work through mechanics and get his mind and body right after a rough return from tommy john surgery. Witt’s velocity is still a tick or two below what it was in the past, but Coach Pierce said he has been outstanding and likes where he is physically. If Witt can return to his old form, he would combine with Lebarron Johnson Jr as one of the best 1-2 punches in the nation. Speaking of Lebarron Johnson Jr, the preseason Big 12 pitcher of the year, he is looking to build upon an outstanding 2023 campaign which saw him end up with an 8-4 record and 2.91 ERA. LBJ showed what he was capable of in early season matchup against #1 ranked LSU finished the season with a breathtaking complete game performance against Miami in Florida during the Regionals. The number three starter will be RHP Charlie Hurley, who has impressed this Fall, increasing his velocity a tick or two and showing much better consistency with his command. The bullpen is still working to define roles after the loss of Notre Dame transfer Will Mercer. The talented lefty was dazzling during the Fall before injuring his arm. One of the arms that has big expectations upon his shoulders is RHP Cody Howard. After being limited last season due to continued recovery from surgery, Howard had an impressive summer and has looked very good this Fall, even being stretched out to start games if need be, while hitting 95 with his fastball. Veteran reliever Heston Tole is back in the bullpen and will look to use his rhythm and increased deception to keep hitters off balance. Max Grubbs is another young arm that was inconsistent at times during his freshman campaign, but has the temperament to be a back end option out of the bullpen. LHP David Shaw has filled out his frame physically and after having Tommy john (internal brace), will pitch this season, much to the shock of many. Fellow lefty, Luke Harrison is throwing to live hitters again and in his first outing struck out the side. Harrison, who burst onto the scene as a freshman, has filled out physically and could be in line for a breakout year, though the staff will bring him along slowly as his recovery progresses. Chase Lummus and Ace Whitehead are two other returning players that will play big roles out of the bullpen for the Horns. JUCO transfer Gage Boehm has a fastball that sits in the mid 90s and can throw six different pitches to really keep hitters off balance. Lastly, the freshman trio of Hudson Hamilton, Cole Selvig, and Easton Tumis will all play a role this season for the Horns. Hamilton has looked outstanding and Selvig has repeatedly been mentioned as a guy that can make a difference for the Horns with his ghost fastball. Overall, the bullpen has a much higher ceiling in 2024 than it did in 2023, but Coach Pierce will need to define the roles and mix and match to get the most out of the group.
TCU Horn Frogs
2023 Record: 44-24 (13-11 Big 12)
Last Appearance:
Regional: 2023
Super Regional: 2023
College World Series: 2023
2024 Schedule Breakdown:
Home: 34
Away: 17
Neutral: 3
Conference Home Series: Oklahoma, Houston, Texas Tech, Kansas State, West Virginia
Conference Away Series: Kansas, Oklahoma State, Cincinnati, Texas, Baylor
Notable non-conference opponents: UCLA, Arizona, USC, Arizona State, Florida Gulf Coast, Dallas Baptist, Texas State, ACU, UT Arlington
Overarching thoughts on schedule: TCU must improve upon their road record from last season. Heavy schedule against Pac12 teams, but a lot of home games in general.
Pitcher to Watch: Kole Klecker
Hitter to Watch: Anthony Silva
Team Overview:
In his first two years at the helm, Coach Kirk Saarloos has made quite the name for himself in Fort Worth, building the program into a Big 12 contender year in and year out. Going into the 2024 season, the Horn Frogs are heavy favorites to win the Big 12 title and look to take that next step, contending for a national title. During the 2023 season, TCU took its lumps during the middle of the season, including losing a series to Texas and getting swept by West Virginia, but turned things around enroute to a berth in the College World Series.
Offensively, despite losing veterans like Tre Richardson, Elijah Nunez, Austin Davis, and superstar Brayden Taylor, the Frogs appear to to have reloaded and look poised to make another run at Omaha. Backed by a top 10 transfer class and solid crop of freshman, the Frogs have plenty of depth and have the ability to hit and score often. Shortstop Anthony Silva hit .330 with 7 home runs as a true freshman and looks to take the next step in his game as a draft eligible sophomore. Silva stood out and looked like he was in mid-season form when I saw TCU scrimmage Texas State this past fall. Behind the plate, the Frogs are spoiled by having two solid options in Karson Bowen and Kurtis Byrne, who are not only defensive stalwarts, but can both hit for power. When one is catching, the other will likely DH as Saarloos will want both bats in the lineup. Gabe Miranda is a solid option at 1B and when I saw him this past fall, he was outstanding at the plate and showed some real juice. At second base, Ole Miss transfer Peyton Chatagnier appears to be the likely starter. While Peyton does not hit for power or a high average, he is an experienced player with a ton of SEC plate appearances under his belt and one of those glue guys. At third base, freshman Ryder Robinson looks like the guy and he has shown massive potential at the plate. The biggest question with Robinson is whether his shoulder can stand up to the rigors of play as he has had injury issues in the past. Pepperdine transfer Jack Basseer is another option at 3B, and while he does not possess an elite glove, he is another veteran guy that can make an impact at the plate with his bat. In the outfield, the Frogs have another solid group of players in Luke Boyers, Logan Maxwell and highly thought of freshman Chase Brunson. Boyers has been known for his bat and when I saw Maxwell play against Texas State, he had a monster of a day, while Brunson has impressed the staff with his bat and athletic ability on the base path. Lastly, Wichita State transfer Payton Tolle enters the program known for his power arm and big bat. Reminiscent of Luken Baker, Tolle is hard to miss at 6’6” and 250 lbs. Tolle hit .317 as a freshman and .311 with 13 home runs and 50 RBIs as a sophomore.
On the mound, TCU lost a quartet of talented arms in Luke Savage, Garrett Wright, River Ridings, and Cam Brown. The bad news for opposing teams is that TCU will have another strong group of pitchers in 2024. Sophomore righty Kole Klecker will lead the way after a strong freshman campaign. In addition, Payton Tolle will certainly play a leading role on the pitching staff, while West Virginia transfer LHP Ben Hampton will look to solidify the front line. Arkansas transfer Zack Morris, returning starter Louis Rodriguez, and Chase Hoover are all options for the Frogs as well. Ben Abeldt has starter potential, but may be moved to closer due to the depth and options that exist on the rotation already, highlighting the depth and diversity of the pitching staff. Hampton is a pitcher that Texas is well acquainted with from his time at West Virginia, Morris is looking to bounce back after posting an ERA of 7 last season, while Hoover and Rodriguez have faced consistency issues in the past, but both have outstanding stuff. Redshirt sophomore Caedmon Parker is another guy that could be factor for the Frogs after finally being healthy. Parker has outstanding stuff and a big time arm and if healthy, would be a massive boost to the bullpen. Oregon transfer Andrew Mosiello is another experienced arm for the bullpen that adds depth. Lastly, freshman Zach Cawyer has been talked about as having plus stuff with a fastball that has hit 95 and could be another option later in the season.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
2023 Record: 41-23 (12-12 Big 12)
Last Appearance:
Regional: 2023
Super Regional: 2021
College World Series: 2019
2024 Schedule Breakdown:
Home: 29
Away: 22
Neutral: 5
Conference Home Series: Texas, BYU, Houston, West Virginia, Oklahoma
Conference Away Series: Baylor, UCF, TCU, Kansas, Oklahoma State
Notable non-conference opponents: Stanford, Arkansas, Arizona State, Tennessee, Nebraska, Oregon, Oregon State, UT Arlington, ACU
Overarching thoughts on schedule: First time I can remember Tech playing less than 30 games at home. Really tough non-conference schedule, but should boost their RPI. Once again, it is Texas v. Texas Tech to kick off conference play.
Pitcher to Watch: Kyle Robinson
Hitter to Watch: Gavin Kash
Team Overview:
Entering his 12th season as head coach of Texas Tech, Tim Tadlock has built the Red Raiders into a national brand. Tech has missed the postseason just twice during his tenure, the year he took over (2013), and again in 2015. Excluding those two years and the COVID shortened 2020 season, Tech has made it to Omaha four times, the Super Regionals five times, and Regionals eight times. Unfortunately for Tech fans, the Red Raiders have not made it back to Omaha since 2019 and have not advanced past the Regionals the past two years. Tadlock and staff believe that they have assembled a team that can advance farther in 2024, but will need to prove themselves on the mound, having a staff ERA above five the past two seasons.
Offensively, Texas Tech has two of the best hitters in the conference and possibly nation in Kevin Bazzell and Gavin Kash. Bazzell spent last season at 3B, but due to the transfer of Hudson White to Arkansas, he will slide back behind the plate, where he has spent most of his career. In 2023, Bazzell was second on the team with an average of .348, 1.024 OPS and 10 home runs, and looks to improve upon those numbers. Former Texas transfer Gavin Kash will look to lead the team again in 2024 after posting a .327 average, 1.89 OPS, and 26 home runs. Gonzaga transfer Cade McGee is most likely the guy to slide in to play 3B, departed by Bazzell. McGee hit .293 with a 1.017 OPS and 6 home runs last season for the Zags, including going 6 for 16 against Texas Tech. Three other players to watch for are freshman TJ Pompey and Davis Rivers. Pompey has a monster Fall offensively and looks to be the day one starter at shortstop. In the outfield, Tadlock and staff are still working to find the right combination, but it appears that Damian Bravo, Gage Harrelson, and Austin Green will be the go to guys. Senior Austin Green had a .287 average last season with 12 home runs, while Gage Harrelson had a .324 average. Bravo is the least accomplished hitter of the group, but is super athletic and looking to expand his role this season.
On the mound, Tadlock and the staff are looking for big improvements from a number of players this season, but believe that they have better depth in 2024 despite the loss of staff ace Mason Molina to Arkansas and 50% of the wins from last season. In terms of depth, Tech has ten players that pitched last season, the bad news being that only two of them sport ERA that were sub 4. The weekend rotation will be led by Kyle Robinson (5.36 ERA), a hard throwing righty who has had a great Fall and is one of the guys that the staff believes will have a breakout season. RHP Zane Petty (5.68 ERA) looks to be the number two starter after starting eleven games his freshman season and continuing to make progress this past offseason. Trendan Parish (6.00 ERA) is slated to be the third starter this coming season. Parish had command issues last year, but has a mid-90s fastball and the experience from last year to lean on. True freshman Mac Heuer is a talented righty that could also end up pushing the incumbent starters for time as he has looked very good this Fall, showing off a big time arm. Out of the bullpen, Tech has a few guys that they will look to, including Taber Fast, Josh Sanders, Derek Bridges, Ryan Free, Brendan Lysik, and Ole Miss transfer Owen Washburn. To close games, the Red Raiders will likely turn to RHP Jacob Rogers to fill that role.
Kansas State Wildcats
2023 Record: 35-24 (13-11 Big 12)
Last Appearance:
Regional: 2013
Super Regional: 2013
College World Series: n/a
2024 Schedule Breakdown:
Home: 29
Away: 23
Neutral: 3
Conference Home Series: Cincinnati, Texas, Oklahoma State, Kansas, BYU
Conference Away Series: Houston, UCF, Oklahoma, TCU, West Virginia
Notable non-conference opponents: Nebraska, Arizona State, Tennessee, Clemson, UConn, Northeastern, Cal
Overarching thoughts on schedule: Tough non-conference away schedule. Coach Hughes clearly is trying to ensure that RPI is not questioned again this year. Solid mix of home/away for conference play.
Pitcher to Watch: Tyson Neighbors
Hitter to Watch: Brady Day
Team Overview:
NCAA tournament or bust! After not getting selected for the postseason in 2023 at the expense of Oklahoma, a team they beat during the season, Coach Pete Hughes and the Wildcats are on a mission. Kansas State certainly can be viewed as a dark horse to win a Big 12 title, with solid hitting, one of, if not the best closer in the nation and a serviceable starting rotation. The Big 12 and college baseball is a grind though, and the Wildcats will have to do something they haven’t done in 10 years, put together an NCAA tournament worthy resume.
Offensively, Kansas State did lose four major contributors from last season (Goodwin, Pena, Rugely, and Johnson). That group accounted for more than 50% of the Wildcats home runs last season. The good news for EMAW fans is they have Brady Day and Kaelen Culpepper leading the offense, while adding some talented kids through the portal. Day has elite plate discipline and turned down MLB money to come back, while Culpepper hit .325 with 10 home runs last season and followed it up with a team best .471 for Team USA this summer. Day hit .356 last year and looks to try and improve his draft stock even further. Wichita State transfer Chuck Ingram hit .362 with 9 home runs last season and looks to be a major contributor for Kansas State this season, while Division II transfer Daniel Rivera hit .356 for Southern New Hampshire last season and brings a wealth of experience to the club, having been to three college world series. For Rivera, it isn’t just hitting though, last season he was 50 of 59 on the base paths and stole 10 more while playing in the Cape this summer. Another speedster is Brendan Jones, who doesn’t sport a high batting average, but does walk at a prolific rate. Lastly, behind the plate Kansas State has Raphael Pelletier, who is an excellent receiver and has a big arm to keep runners in check.
LHP Owen Boerema is back for another season and looks to lead the line after sporting a 7-2 record with 95 strike outs last season. RHP Ty Ruhl is also back after turning down the opportunity to go pro and appears to be making a move from bullpen to starting rotation. Lastly, RHP Jackson Wentworth appears to be the guy who will round out the starting rotation. Out of the bullpen, Andrew Evans and Mason Buss will be the middle innings guys, along with true freshman Blake Dean. The goal of course is to be able to hand things over to All-American and potential future first round draft pick Tyson Neighbors. Neighbors has a unique arm angle and really throws over the top with power and has some of the highest spin rates in college baseball, simply put, he is a nightmare for opposing hitters.
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