Killer Frogs

TCU Baseball secures the commitment of a new closing pitcher

The Horned Frogs add another arm by way of Cal Poly to the bullpen

Ryder Solberg

Feb 22, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; The Arkansas Razorbacks play the TCU Horned Frogs during the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series presented by Kubota Weekend 2 at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
Feb 22, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; The Arkansas Razorbacks play the TCU Horned Frogs during the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series presented by Kubota Weekend 2 at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images / Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

A new sheriff comes to town to help create some Lupton Magic for the Frogs. On Monday, TCU landed a new closing pitcher from the transfer portal in Cal Poly's Tanner Sagouspe.

Tanner Sagouspe joins the Frogs after spending the past four years in San Luis Obispo. Sagouspe committed to TCU after completing his redshirt Junior season for the Mustangs. The Horned Frogs bullpen will greatly value this veteran arm as he enters his senior season.

The closer comes from a very talented Cal Poly Mustang team who had quite the time in the Eugene Regional. The Mustangs knocked out the regional hosts in an elimination game by the score of 10-8. Furthermore, Cal Poly didn't let their fun stop there. They made it to the regional championship game where they eventually fell to the Omaha bound Arizona Wildcats. What kind of a role did the new Horned Frog closer play in the Mustangs' season?

The Cal Poly Mustangs celebrate after defeating Oregon in an elimination game of the Eugene NCAA Regional at PK Park.
The Cal Poly Mustangs celebrate after defeating Oregon in an elimination game of the Eugene NCAA Regional at PK Park. / Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Who is Tanner Sagouspe?

Sagouspe finished 2025 with a record of 3-2 in 25 appearances and 40 innings pitched. He finished the year with a strong 3.60 ERA and a very impressive 50 strikeouts.

This solid season from Sagouspe comes off the back of his breakout year in the 2024 season where he hosted a 4-2 record and a 3.23 ERA in 47.1 innings pitched. He threw 54 strikeouts and only gave up 1 home run over the entire year.

Sagouspe finished 2025 with some very impressive outings. Most notably, he helped lead the Mustangs to an upset over the #1 Texas A&M Aggies in late February of this past year. The closer shut down the Aggies in two innings of work without allowing a hit. Over that weekend in College Station, Sagouspe pitched 3 innings giving up no hits and striking out 3 Aggie hitters.

In his longest outing of the year, Sagouspe threw for 4.2 innings, giving up only 1 hit and striking out 3 against the talented UC Santa Barbara Gauchos. Sagouspe tied teammate Jake Torres for the most appearances out of the bullpen for the Mustangs with 28 appearances.

Sagouspe actually went to Cal Poly as a two-way player. As a senior at San Joaquin Memorial High School in Fresno, California, he hit .490 with 48 hits and 11 home runs. Following his redshirt year in 2022, he played as a two way player for Cal Poly in 2023 where he played in 27 games and hit for a .203 average as a redshirt-freshman. However, in 2024, Sagouspe transitioned into a full time closer.

Impact on the TCU Bullpen

So, what will Tanner Sagouspe bring to the 2026 TCU Horned Frogs bullpen?

Sagouspe brings a four pitch repertoire to Fort Worth with him. He throws a fastball that rides around 90-92 mph. His hammer curve has some impressive break and typically clocks in at around 79-82 mph. He also brings a 83-85 mph slider and a solid changeup to Lupton Stadium.

The Horned Frogs are getting an impressive arm with some wicked stuff in his arsenal. Horned Frog fans should expect for Sagouspe to be a reliable arm out of the bullpen. He won't be out on the mound for more than 5 or 6 innings, but in relief, Sagouspe can deal. The veteran presence that Sagouspe brings to TCU will prove very valuable in tight games and save opportunities.

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Ryder Solberg
RYDER SOLBERG

Ryder is currently a Junior at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. He is studying Accountancy, but also has a passion for any and everything college athletics. He grew up going to TCU football, basketball, and baseball games year in and year out, as his mother, grandmother, and grandfather are all alumni of TCU. Some of his fondest memories growing up date back to nights at the Carter or being under the lights of Lupton and feeling that sense of “Lupton Magic.” Even as a Wake Forest student, he keeps up with TCU athletics and is always pulling for the Frogs. You can still find his grandmother at almost every TCU sporting event, even after his grandfather passed away in the summer of 2024. He hopes to carry on his passion and love for TCU athletics on the TCU Horned Frogs On SI team. He serves as the Treasurer of the Old Gold and Black, which is Wake Forest’s Student-Run newspaper. He also served as a play-by-play analyst for his high school’s football and basketball games.

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