From TCU to the Show: Tolle Set to Make His Debut

Frogs fans can grab their popcorn as former ace makes his MLB debut on Friday night.

Payton Tolle, former pitcher for TCU Baseball | Golden Spikes Award/X

Payton Tolle, the most enthralling pitching prospect out of TCU in years, will make his MLB debut on Friday night for the Boston Red Sox under the lights of Fenway Park.

Red Sox are calling up Payton Tolle, their top pitching prospect and MLB Pipeline's No. 28 overall, to start Friday night, per multiple sources including MLB's Ian Browne.

He'll make his MLB debut opposite Paul Skenes 👀 pic.twitter.com/hdx7cbodeI

— MLB (@MLB) August 28, 2025

After a dominant season as the weekend starter for the TCU Horned Frogs in 2024, the left-handed pitcher was taken in the 2nd round of the 2024 MLB Draft. In his lone year under the helm of manager Kirk Saarloos and pitching coach Dave Lawn, Tolle turned in a 7-4 record with a 3.21 ERA over 14 starts. The southpaw fanned 125 batters in 81 ⅓ innings and showed his punchout ability.

In no time Tolle has risen to become the Red Sox No. 1 pitching prospect and No. 2 overall prospect, and here is why.

Tolle’s ability to command the zone is unmatched. He is a strike-thrower plain and simple, that gets ahead of his hitters and does not nibble around the zone. At 6-foot-6, Tolle has an explosive arm from the left side that includes a vicious fastball topping out at 98 mph.

Payton Tolle attempts a pick-off move against USC at Globe Life Field in 2024. | Brian McLean/KillerFrogs

In 18 starts across High-A Greenville, Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester, Tolle struck out 133 batters in 91 ⅔ innings. Impressive, right?

Even more impressive, he issued just 23 walks while posting a 3-5 record with a 3.04 ERA. The left-hander held a walks per nine of 2.3 and a strikeouts per nine of 13.1 over his first season in the MiLB.

While the numbers speak for themselves, so do the intangibles.

Having talked with Tolle in previous interviews and broadcasted several of his starts at TCU, Tolle is a fierce competitor whose passion is irreplicable. The Red Sox aren’t just getting an ace, they are getting an intense and detailed-oriented pitcher that has the ability to be the franchise’s starter for years to come.

Grab your popcorn, Tolle is set to make his MLB debut on Friday night as the Boston Red Sox take on Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirate at 7:10 p.m. (EST).

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