TCU Baseball: The Resurgence of Kurtis Byrne
The TCU Horned Frogs have two of the hottest-hitting backstops in the nation and are carrying that artillery with them to Omaha.
Heading into the 2023 season, the Frogs were under the lead of the already-established veteran catcher Kurtis Byrne.
Byrne came into the season with leverage over any other option behind the plate with his superb numbers from the previous year. He started 55 games in 2022 and batted .291 with five home runs, 44 runs batted in, 15 doubles, and a triple. In addition to his hitting ability, Byrne had a knack for working walks and finding ways to get on base.
Byrne had a near-perfect fielding percentage of .991 after making four errors from behind the plate. Throwing out 19 runners on the base paths, Byrne displayed his phenomenal arm. He was stellar in his sophomore year, but things changed when his junior season came around.
After starting as the team’s regular, everyday catcher, his offensive struggles were a key reason for his lack of playing time as the season progressed. His biggest struggles at the plate came in late February, leading into the start of March. Between February 19 and March 5, Byrne’s batting average dropped from .214 to .175. In that span, he went a mere 5-for-21 which became a problem for Byrne and his position in the batting order.
During that time, the freshman catcher Karson Bowen began to see his playing time increase. From Anaheim Hills, California, Bowen entered TCU with quite the résumé. A four-time member of the USA Baseball National Teams and was a three-time First-Team All-Region performer. Bowen hit the ground running in Fort Worth, quickly establishing himself as a top freshman on the team and in the Big 12. He soon established himself as the primary option behind the plate with his hitting and defensive abilities.
While Bowen continued to shine as the primary backstop, the journey for Byrne back into the lineup was underway.
The Frogs put out well-rounded lineups all season long that offered diverse players. But the one role in the lineup that was always under construction was that of the designated hitter. The DH position was a revolving door throughout the season, with numerous bats getting their chance. At times, David Bishop would move into the role, and at other times Kirk Saarloos selected the likes of Jake Duer, Logan Maxwell, and Fisher Ingersoll.
While the role was ever-changing, Byrne began to find his footing in April. Entering the month batting .197, the catcher finished at .218. Not to say that batting .218 is anything outstanding, because it is not, but for Byrne, it was a massive improvement from what he produced earlier in the season.
Then it was on to May when Byrne excelled and took hold of the DH role. He had back-to-back, 5-RBI games against Texas and UT Rio Grande Valley to start May. This was the spark that Byrne needed to finish the regular season on a high note. Since April 30 against Texas, Byrne has reached base in 18 of 20 games, seeing his batting average increase by 73 points from .218 to .291. Byrne was stellar in the Big 12 Tournament when he launched a 2-run homer in the first game against Kansas State.
He’s translated his good fortune into the NCAA Tournament as he is hitting .318 (7-for-22) with seven runs batted in and three home runs.
While Byrne struggled in the first portion of the season, the veteran catcher has made adjustments and grown into his role as a designated hitter. While Bowen continues to excel as the primary catcher, Byrne is a valuable asset to the team in providing a secondary catcher for when Bowen needs a rest day. Byrne’s abilities have come in handy toward the end of the season as he adds depth to the team.
With Byrne and Bowen providing hot bats at the plate, they have become one of the premier catching tandems in the nation. It’s safe to say the two backstops are sizzling hot heading up to Omaha.
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