TCU News: “The plan is to sign”

Baseball:

Dowling Catholic star Carter Baumler selected by Orioles in MLB draft | Des Moines Register

Baumler was expected to go much earlier, but has told the Baltimore Sun that he intends to sign with the Orioles.

Baumler, a star pitcher at Dowling Catholic, was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the fifth round of the MLB First-Year Player Draft on Thursday.

A right-handed pitcher whose fastball has been clocked in the low- to mid-90s, Baumler was selected with the 133rd overall pick. According to MLB.com, the pick is worth $422,600.

The Orioles will have to lure Baumler away from Texas Christian, where he was slated to play. Baumler, who had visited with all 30 teams before the draft, was ranked the 102nd-best prospect for it by MLB.com.

“The plan is to sign,” Baumler said Thursday night.

Dowling Catholic star Carter Baumler getting big-league advice before MLB Draft | Des Moines Register

The Frogs’ top recruit appears headed to the Big Leagues.

Baumler has elite upside but is a little bit of an unknown because of COVID.“I think once he focuses solely on baseball, he’s really going to take off,” said one National League scout.

The scout said the novel coronavirus, which cost Baumler most of his spring season and pushed back the start of the summer season, could hurt his draft appeal since MLB teams haven’t gotten a fresh look at him. Instead, they’ve had to rely on bullpen and data gathered from them that Baumler has supplied them. To make matters more difficult, the draft has been cut down to just five rounds this year.

But before Baumler focuses on baseball, he has a big decision to make. Baumler, who has already committed to Texas Christian, could pass that up to begin his professional career if the right team and the right amount of money come in the draft. But if a team doesn’t offer him the money he’s looking for or even comes calling during the draft, then he’ll be off to college. Brad Baumler won’t say how much his son is looking for but the two see both scenarios as great options.

“It’s definitely a win/win situation,” Carter said. “TCU is such a great opportunity and it’s going to take a really big decision come June 10.”

Football:

Former Pittsburg standout Chase Curtis switching sports, committing to TCU football | KOAM News Now

This is... interesting.

“I was really skinny when I left high school,” Curtis says, “Getting hit by big guys probably wasn’t going to end well. That’s another reason baseball was my choice. Now I feel confident that I can go out there and play without getting hurt.”

While Curtis says the physical aspect is there for him to play football at the college level, he has spent a lot of time recently getting prepared mentally to make the jump from college baseball to college football.

“My dad used to be a football coach, and he’s been helping me get back into the mental side of football, reading defenses and recognizing things,” Curtis finishes, “My whole life he’s always helped me get a step ahead mentally. We’ve spent a lot of time at night talking about football. I know it will help me be mentally ahead of the game while I adjust physically. I’ll be ready.”

TCU makes top 7 for four-star athlete Kaden Saunders | Horned Frog Blitz

The Frogs are recruiting... Ohio (?) now? Cool. Cool, cool, cool.

The 5-foot-10, 172-pounder is rated as the No. 166 overall player in the nation according to the initial 247Sports class of 2022 rankings. He is also listed as the No. 16 athlete and No. 4 overall player in Ohio. He plays receiver and cornerback for his team. He hauled in 17 catches fro 314 yards on the year.

TCU was the most recent offer for Saunders; the Frogs offered the speedy playmaker on April 30. Saunders is one of five athlete prospects the Frogs have offered from the 2022 class. Of the five offers to athletes by TCU, four have gone to out of state players.

Around Campus:

TCU officials talk finances, semester plans in town hall | TCU 360

We are starting to get a picture of what COVD classes will look like.

The provost, Dr. Teresa Abi-Nader Dahlberg, said classroom spaces are being configured to allow 8 feet between the instructor and students and 6 feet distance among students.

In addition to distancing students, faculty and staff will also be asked to take other preventive measures. Faculty and staff will be issued a purple face covering, and faculty will also be given a plastic shield if they don’t want to lecture through a mask.

Face coverings will be required in classrooms and encouraged around campus, said Kathy Cavins-Tull, the vice chancellor for student affairs.

Students will also be given a bottle of hand sanitizer.

In addition, though nontraditional spaces such as ballrooms may be used as classrooms, Cavins-Tull said ADA access is a priority.