TCU Pitching Staff Takes Major Hit with Injury Update on Tommy LaPour

On Tuesday morning, the No. 17 TCU Horned Frogs received some unfortunate injury news concerning the program's pitching staff. D1Baseball's Kendall Rogers reported that starting pitcher Tommy LaPour will miss at least the next 8-10 weeks.

Rogers also mentioned that two-way player Noah Franco, who suffered an oblique injury earlier this season, will be out for at least 10 more days. While the Frogs' starting pitching has shown promise recently, the injury news is a significant blow to the unit's overall depth.

INJURY NEWS: As @TCU_Baseball begins #Big12 play at ASU this weekend, RHP Tommy LaPour (flexor strain) is expected to be out at least 8-10 more weeks, I'm told. Noah Franco (oblique) is expected to be out at least 10 more days. Tough news for the #Frogs with league play… pic.twitter.com/n0RS30JLZI
— Kendall Rogers (@KendallRogers) March 10, 2026

LaPour, who was expected to be the Friday-night starter for TCU, ended last season with a 3.09 ERA across 16 starts. He led the Frogs in both innings pitched (90.1) and strikeouts (88), while also earning 2025 First-team All-Big 12 Conference honors. To say that he's a premium arm in college baseball would be an understatement.

Franco, on the other hand, contributed to the Frogs both in the lineup and on the mound last season. He ended his freshman campaign hitting an impressive .333, including a team-leading 16 doubles, 11 home runs, and one triple. The lefty also contributed 12.1 innings on the mound for TCU, ending the season with an ERA of 7.30.

Where Do the Frogs Go From Here?

Mason Brassfield celebrates after a big strikeout against the Kansas Jayhawks. (4/13/25) | Brian McLean KillerFrogs/TCU on SI

After faceplanting against both UTA and No. 1 UCLA near the beginning of the season, the Frogs seem to have found their groove once again. With a sweep of New Haven, a chaotic midweek win over Abilene Christian, and a series win over Tulane, TCU carries some significant momentum into Big 12 play.

That being said, the Chargers and the Green Wave don't hold a candle to some of the teams in the Big 12. The conference may not currently have a team in the top 10, but TCU will face several NCAA Tournament-level teams this season.

This is where the Frogs' pitching depth comes into play. When you're facing league opponents, crooked innings, and especially poor pitching performances, carry more weight. For at least the next week and a half, the depth of TCU's pitching staff will be tested greatly. And most importantly, the spotlight will now fall on Mason Brassfield, Lance Davis, and Uli Fernsler.

Kirk Saarloos has mentioned more than once that TCU needs to get more innings out of its weekend starters. Against No. 1 UCLA, the weekend rotation for the Frogs totaled just 7.2 innings. Even if the Bruins have proven they have the best lineup in the country, TCU's starting rotation totaled only 10.1 innings against New Haven, a team they swept handily.

Those performances against the Bruins and the Chargers made TCU's series win over Tulane notable. Aside from a rough start from Fernsler in the rubber match against the Green Wave, the starting pitching for the Frogs looked much better, totaling 13 innings on the weekend.

Brassfield had maybe his best performance of the season against the Green Wave, totaling 10 strikeouts across five solid innings of work. Davis followed that up with an excellent six-inning performance, allowing just one earned run. While the Frogs couldn't capitalize on his strong start, Frogball fans everywhere got to breathe a deep sigh of relief heading into Big 12 play.

The Bullpen Arms TCU Can Turn To

TCU relief pitcher Walter Quinn — Feb 13, 2026; Arlington, TX, USA; TCU vs Vanderbilt during the Shriner's Children's College Showdown at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

With Louis Rodriguez out for the season, one of the biggest questions for TCU moving forward is who they can rely on out of the bullpen. Walter Quinn, the Grand Canyon transfer, has shown for the Frogs with eight total appearances and two saves. He's also currently second on the team in strikeouts with 17, and carries an ERA of 4.09.

Nate Stern and Ethan Thomas have also provided TCU with steady production out of the bullpen, as both pitchers own ERAs under 4.00. Sagouspe belongs in that conversation as well, with an ERA sitting just above 4.00.

While Quinn has settled into the closer role this season, Thomas turned heads this past weekend with a dominant performance against Tulane. After Fernsler departed following a scoreless second inning, Thomas gave TCU three shutout innings, surrendering only two hits and racking up five strikeouts.

Those are the kinds of performances that the Frogs are going to need against Big 12 opponents. Without the ability to rely on LaPour or Franco to bail TCU out, both the bullpen and the starting rotation have to step up. That's what they've done in recent weeks, and that's what they'll need to continue to do if they want to contend for a Big 12 title.

Lookin Ahead: Desert Heat and Big 12 Stakes

Despite injury setbacks, the Horned Frogs aren't making excuses as they head west. This weekend marks the start of the "second season" as TCU travels to Tempe for a massive Big 12 opening series agasint Arizona State. The Frogs will look to set a dominant tone for the 2026 conference slate against a high-powered Sun Devil offense.