Senior pitcher Brian Howard returns to the mound after turning down a chance in the majors for one last go around with the Horned Frogs.
Howard, a 2017 preseason All-American, said he hopes to make the most of his decision to stay true to his school.
By putting Major League Baseball on hold, Howard said he hopes to be part of TCU’s first College World Series championship.
“I can’t wait to start this journey,” Howard said. “We’re focused on writing our 2017 story and getting the young guys acclimated, so we can make this year the best out of all of them.”
Howard’s had a strong career at TCU. As a true freshman, he appeared in nine games as a reliever, throwing a 2.77 ERA with 14 strikeouts and 10 walks. The Horned Frogs went well above average when Howard took the mound in 2014: TCU was 7-2 in games Howard pitched.
As a sophomore, Howard went 4-0, throwing a 3.52 ERA with 46 strikeouts and 14 walks in 46 innings.
Last year he had a regular spot in TCU’s starting rotation. Howard thrived, posting a 10-2 record while throwing 3.19 ERA with 93 strikeouts and 30 walks in 98.2 innings pitched. His 10 wins were the most on the team.
Major League Baseball took notice. Howard was drafted in the 17th round by the Houston Astros last summer, but elected to stay with the Frogs for another year.
“Obviously, a dream of mine is to play Major League Baseball, and an organization like the Astros would’ve been a great fit,” Howard said. “Once I thought about everything this university has done for me and everything that I owe this university as far as making me into a better person on and off the field, it was really easy to come back and give my senior year to this university.”
