Baseball: TCU athletes receive Preseason All-Big 12 honors

Ben Abeldt, Anthony Silva and Noah Franco were each tabbed as preseason honorees.

TCU baseball is less than one month away from teeing off the 2025 season with a four-game series against San Diego on Feb. 14. The Horned Frogs, who have been ranked third in the Big 12 Preseason Poll released earlier today, are looking to build on their 33-21 record from the 2024 campaign. The Big 12 also released its Preseason All-Big 12 honorees, with three TCU athletes earning recognition. Left-handed pitcher Ben Abeldt and shortstop Anthony Silva were each named Preseason All-Big 12 honorees, while freshman left-handed pitcher and first baseman Noah Franco was picked to be the Preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year.

Abeldt returns for his junior season after a stellar 2024 campaign where he received All-Big 12 First Team honors for the first time in his collegiate career. Abeldt, who also took home NCBWA and Perfect Game All-American honors last season, posted a 3-0 record and a 1.83 ERA with 54 strikeouts and eight saves over 26 appearances in 2024. Silva will be looking to regain his freshman form after slashing .268/.369/.384 with four home runs and 33 RBIs as a sophomore in 2024. Silva, who was the Preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year in 2023, slashed .330/.416/.471 with seven home runs and 50 RBIs during his first collegiate season.

Franco arrives on campus as the No. 7 prospect nationally by Perfect Game and the No. 14 prospect nationally by Baseball America. A two-time member of the 18U USA Baseball National Team, Franco is expected to pitch and play in the field for the Horned Frogs, much like former Wichita State transfer and All-Big 12 honoree Payton Tolle, who was drafted by the Boston Red Sox. Franco hit .337 with a 0.89 ERA on the mound as a high school senior.