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The Transfer Portal Keeps Producing the Same Result at TCU

As TCU baseball navigates transfer portal departures, the bigger story may be the long list of athletes who arrived in Fort Worth searching for more and left stars, champions, and professional draft picks.
Nate Cross|
Payton Tolle, TCU pitcher, is now a starting pitcher in the MLB for the Boston Red Sox | Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
Payton Tolle, TCU pitcher, is now a starting pitcher in the MLB for the Boston Red Sox | Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

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TCU Baseball is watching players enter the transfer portal following a coaching change, and fans naturally focus on who's leaving.

But history suggests a more important question.

Who will be next?

Over the past decade, TCU has quietly become one of the nation's premier destinations for athletes looking to reset, reinvent, and maximize their careers. From future MLB players to WNBA Draft picks and Big 12 starts, transfers have repeatedly arrived in Fort Worth and left as something more.

That's what makes TCU Athletics so special!

As the NCAA Baseball transfer portal opened today and players across the country evaluate their next move, TCU will still remain a program with a proven track record of helping athletes maximize their potential, and athletes will still recognize that. The question isn't who is leaving, because quite a few will be. The more interesting question is who will be next in a long line of transfers who found career-changing success in Fort Worth.

To understand why TCU has become such a destination for career resets, it makes sense to start with the sport dominating the conversation right now: TCU baseball.

How TCU Turned Transfers Into Baseball Stars

It may not seem like TCU is the ultimate destination for players right now, as TCU Baseball is going through a massive portal exodus. However, this happens whenever coaching changes are made. What I'm looking at is the bigger picture. Over the past 10 years, TCU has been a premier destination for athletes seeking a career reset.

Let's discuss some of those players who came in and instantly found a new outlook on their careers, and more importantly, why. We'll start with TCU Baseball, since it's the hottest topic in TCU athletics right now.

The Horned Frogs have had countless transfers make an impact, but let's focus on a few who truly developed under the program.

The first one that comes to mind is Payton Tolle. Tolle transferred from Wichita State to TCU, where he was already a star two-way player. However, during his time at TCU, he became an elite player.

Payton Tolle transferred to TCU from Wichita State University and now starts for the Red Sox in the MLB
Payton Tolle transferred to TCU from Wichita State University and now starts for the Red Sox in the MLB | On Assignment for KillerFrogs.com

Tolle was a superstar on the mound for the Horned Frogs. In his lone season at TCU, he finished third in the conference with a 3.21 ERA and ranked second in the league with 125 strikeouts and a .198 opponent batting average. His 81 1/3 innings pitched were the eighth-most in the conference. He was dominant all season long and only continued to improve during his time in Fort Worth.

His development paid off when he was selected in the second round of the MLB First-Year Player Draft with the No. 50 overall pick by the Boston Red Sox. He moved quickly through the minor leagues, spending just a year there before reaching the majors. Tolle has continued to impress in his appearances with the Red Sox and is proving that the success he found at TCU was no fluke.

Another name TCU fans will probably remember is Tre Richardson. Richardson was already a good player at Baylor, but he hadn't had the opportunity to experience postseason success or perform on a national stage.

When he came to TCU, he became an even better player, but more importantly, he became a hero.

Richardson will always be remembered by TCU fans because of "Tre Day" on June 4, 2023. That day marked the moment he cemented his legacy in purple. The second baseman hit three home runs, including two grand slams, in a 20-5 regional victory over Arkansas.

He will forever be remembered for that performance, and his one season at TCU serves as another example of how the transfer portal can allow a player to leave a lasting legacy in just a single year.

Mark Campbell's Transfer Portal Blueprint

TCU Women's Basketball has dominated the transfer portal since Mark Campbell arrived in Fort Worth. In just three seasons, Campbell has consistently taken talented players and helped them reach new levels while accomplishing career goals. What he has been able to build in such a short period of time has been nothing short of impressive.

The first name that comes to mind is Hailey Van Lith. No player better fits the idea of a career restart than Van Lith. At Louisville, she was one of the biggest stars in women's basketball, but her lone season at LSU never quite fit. Her production dropped significantly, her role changed, and many wondered if she would ever return to the level that made her a national name.

Mark Campbell and TCU believed in her, and she became an even better player than she was at Louisville. In her lone season with the Horned Frogs, Van Lith averaged 17.7 points and 5.5 assists per game while developing into a more complete team player. She helped lead the Frogs to the Elite Eight and found new life in her game. Not only did she regain her confidence, but she became an even better version of herself. Her resurgence culminated in being selected with the No. 11 overall pick in the first round of the 2025 WNBA Draft by the Chicago Sky.

Olivia Miles is another big name on that list. Unlike Van Lith, her career reset wasn't about recovering from struggles. Instead, it was about finding a new challenge and a place that could help take her game to the next level.

Miles was already one of the nation's top point guards before arriving at TCU, but under Campbell, she elevated her game even further. She began posting numbers that had not previously been seen in her career. Much like other transfers before her, Miles bet on TCU's system, coaching staff, and winning culture to help her make the jump from college star to professional standout.

That bet paid off. Miles was selected No. 2 overall in the 2026 WNBA Draft by the Minnesota Lynx. She has continued her strong play at the professional level and has quickly emerged as a contender for WNBA Rookie of the Year honors. Her success is yet another example of how Campbell and his staff have turned TCU into one of the premier destinations in college basketball for players looking to maximize their potential.

Jamie Dixon's Track Record of Developing Transfers

Jamie Dixon has developed and built one of the better transfer-development programs in college basketball. While he may not always land the biggest names in the portal, he has consistently helped players unlock their potential and elevate their careers.

One of the best examples is Damion Baugh.

Baugh arrived at TCU from Memphis after struggling to find a consistent role. In two seasons with the Tigers, he averaged fewer than four points per game and was primarily known for his defense. At TCU, everything changed, and he became an all-around threat.

Under Dixon, Baugh developed into one of the Big 12's most impressive guards. He averaged 12.6 points, 5.8 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game as a senior, earning Second Team All-Big 12 honors, and helped lead TCU to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances. More importantly, he changed from being just a role player into an NBA prospect. He eventually earned an NBA contract after beginning his career in the G League.

Another example is Xavier Edmonds, who is one of my favorites to talk about.

Edmonds arrived in Fort Worth from the junior college ranks looking to prove he could compete at the highest level. At the beginning of the season, it looked like he would never get his shot, but that quickly changed. Under Jamie Dixon, he transformed into one of the Big 12's most productive forwards. During the 2025-26 season, he averaged 12.7 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, earning All-Big 12 Third Team honors and helping lead TCU back to the NCAA Tournament.

Like Baugh, Edmonds arrived with potential but continues to develop into a much more complete player. Edmonds will continue to develop as he will return to TCU for another season. His role will only become bigger, and the sky is the limit for his success. Their stories are another reminder that TCU has become a destination for athletes looking to take the next step in their careers.

How TCU Football Turns Transfers into NFL Talent

There are so many names that we could talk about, as this TCU program has developed so many great players into NFL talent. However, two I wanted to cover represent the Frogs very well: Jack Bech and Kaleb Elarms-Orr.

Bech came to TCU after two seasons at LSU, where he showed flashes of talent, but injuries held him back. In his first season at TCU, he was once again slowed down by injuries, but in 2024, everything changed. He became TCU's go-to receiver, hauling in 62 catches for 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns. He earned All-Big 12 honors and became a national name.

Bech went from being a player fans had overlooked to one of the nation's best receivers and a second-round NFL Draft pick by the Las Vegas Raiders. TCU gave Bech an opportunity and never gave up on him, allowing him to develop into an NFL prospect.

Another great example is Kaleb Elarms-Orr. When he transferred from Cal to TCU, he was already a solid linebacker, but TCU helped him break out and become an NFL prospect. After patiently waiting for his opportunity to shine, Elarms-Orr broke out this past season with 130 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and four sacks while earning First Team All-Big 12 honors. He finished near the top of the nation's tackle leaders.

His development under Sonny Dykes turned him into a solid NFL Draft prospect. While their paths were different, both players arrived in Fort Worth looking for something more and a fresh restart. Bech needed a chance to become a featured receiver and prove himself, while Elarms-Orr needed a program that could maximize his potential.

TCU provided both, and each left with a much brighter professional future than when they arrived.

Why TCU Keeps Producing Transfer Success Stories

We know TCU has been a go-to transfer destination for athletes seeking something new or looking to improve themselves, but why?

The answer goes much deeper than NIL, facilities, or being in the Big 12. While those things are appealing, I don't think they are the main reason athletes choose TCU. Development and coaching are the main reasons athletes are drawn to becoming Horned Frogs.

Over the past decade, TCU has committed to developing young men and women seeking a fresh start or hoping to take their careers to the next level. Whether it's baseball players becoming MLB Draft picks, football players turning into professional talent, or basketball players developing into high-level prospects, TCU has delivered results time and time again.

TCU doesn't just bring in transfers to fill roster spots and win. They carefully decide which players fit their program's vision and who are willing to grow and be coached. There is a distinct culture at TCU, and coaches have created an environment where transfers are expected to contribute to the program immediately.

Players know they will be challenged, but they also know they will have access to the resources and support needed to make it to the next level. TCU has become a place where success stories are common, and the athletes mentioned throughout this story are proof of that.

While not everything in TCU athletics is perfect, the history of the program and its continuous improvement as a whole are extremely encouraging. This is why TCU has become the final destination for many athletes in the ever-changing transfer portal.

Athletes from all over arrive as boys and girls and leave as better athletes and as young men and women prepared for whatever comes next. That's why athletes continue betting on TCU.

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Published
Nathan Cross - writer for KillerFrogs | TCU On SI
NATE CROSS

Nathan (Nate) Cross is a current TCU student (Class of 2025), avid golfer, and a Horned Frog sports enthusiast. He enjoys anything sports-related such as writing, following all stats, and player movements. Additionally, he is always up for a good sports debate.

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