TCU Names Kirk Saarloos New Head Baseball Coach

 

TCU on June 15 named Kirk Saarloos its new head baseball coach (watch the press conference here).

Saarloos previously was the Frogs' pitching coach and recruiting coordinator.

Saarloos replaces Jim Schlossnagle, who recently was named head coach of Texas A&M's baseball team (no joke!). 

Saarloos signed a five-year contract, which reportedly immediately makes him one of the highest-paid head coaches in the Big 12. 

Associate head coach Bill Mosiello was considered for the head coaching position. He has agreed to remain on the staff, and he signed a contract extension. 

Saarloos joined the TCU Baseball as the Frogs' pitching coach in the summer of 2012 after two seasons as the pitching coach at his alma mater, Cal State Fullerton. In the summer of 2013, he was was named TCU Baseball's recruiting coordinator.

Over the last eight season, Saarloos has mentored one of the nation's top pitching staffs, which was a key factor in TCU's four straight trips to the College World Series from 2014-17.

The Horned Frogs' 3.19 ERA since 2014 ranks sixth nationally. TCU led the nation with a 2.22 ERA in 2014 and ranked second in 2015 with a 2.45 ERA. The TCU pitching staff has the fourth-most shutouts (45) nationally over the last seven years.

Since Saarloos arrived at TCU, the Frogs' recruiting classes continuously have been ranked in the top 25. The class for the 2021 season was ranked 13th nationally. TCU had the No. 4-ranked recruiting class in 2019. 

Under the guidance of Saarloos, the 2019 season produced TCU's highest-ever baseball draft pick. Nick Lodolo was selected in the first round by the Cincinnati Reds with the seventh overall pick. Brandon Williamson became the second player taken on Day 1 of the draft, getting selected by Seattle in the second round.

In 2016, Saarloos was honored with the D1Baseball.com National Assistant Coach of the Year award.

The 2014 TCU pitching staff, under the leadership of Saarloos, led the nation in ERA at 2.22. In addition, the staff ranked in the top six in all major pitching categories: H/9 (6th, 7.07), K:BB ratio (2nd, 3.80), K/9 (6th, 8.4), WHIP (2nd, 1.03) and BB/9 (5th, 2.22). The Frogs set a school and Big 12 record with 14 shutouts on the season.

The 2014 staff is one of the best in TCU history. It set a then-school record with 574 strikeouts and posted the lowest ERA since the 1972 season. Riley Ferrell established a new mark for saves in a season at the time with 15. Preston Morrison's 129 2/3 innings pitched are a school record. In addition to his innings pitched, Morrison posted the lowest individual ERA since 1972.

Three members of the 2014 pitching staff (Morrison, Brandon Finnegan and Ferrell) earned All-America accolades from various publications. Morrison was tabbed the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year. Finnegan was the 17th overall draft pick in the 2014 MLB First-year Player Draft. Tyler Alexander earned Freshman All-American honors and was named second-team all-Big 12. Finnegan went on to make history in the summer of 2014. He became the first player in history to appear in both the College World Series and the Major League Baseball World Series in the same year.

Saarloos joined the coaching staff of Cal State Fullerton in 2011, after a seven-year major league. He spent his first season on staff as an undergraduate assistant for Dave Serrano. Saarloos became the Titans' pitching coach when Rick Vanderhook took over the head coaching duties in the summer of 2011.

In the major leagues, Saarloos pitched for Houston (2002-03), Oakland (2004-06, 08) and Cincinnati (2007). In 2001, he was drafted 86th overall (3rd round) by Houston after a decorated collegiate career at Cal State Fullerton.

As a player at Cal State Fullerton, he racked up a school-record 127 appearances over his four seasons. He owns one of the Titans' three no-hitters. He blanked Pacific on April 8, 2001.

He pitched in two College World Series (1999 and 2001) with Cal State. He recorded a save and allowed two runs in 15 1/3 innings pitched.

Saarloos and his wife, Kristen, have a son, Brady, and two daughters, Emery and Lane.