The TCU Horned Frog baseball team is ranked No. 11 in the Baseball America pre-season poll that was released Wednesday. The ranking is the highest-ever in a pre-season poll in program history. TCU is coming off its first-ever NCAA Super Regional appearance in 2009.After finishing the 2009 season ranked as high as No. 11, the Horned Frogs are poised for another successful season under the guidance of head coach Jim Schlossnagle and staff. The squad returns 18 letterwinners from last year's 40-18 team and brought in the nation's fourth-ranked recruiting class. All-conference members Bryan Holaday, Taylor Featherston and Trent Appleby anchor the Frogs' roster.
Pitching should be one of the strengths of the squad as they return 10 pitchers from a year ago and welcome five more talented arms. In the field, the Frogs will have to replace three of the four starting infielders, but return a strong nucleus of athletes who have been in the program for a number of years. Twelve members from the 2009 roster return and five more are entering their first year of college ball.
TCU has been prominent in the pre-season rankings thus far, having been ranked No. 15 by Collegiate Baseball and No. 19 by Ping!Baseball.com.
The Frogs will open the 2010 season at home on Feb. 19 against 2009 NCAA Regional qualifier, Sam Houston State. First pitch for the 2010 season-opener is set for 6:30 p.m. at Lupton Stadium.
