The 2024 All-Big 12 First Team honoree missed the 2025 season due to an elbow injury.
TCU baseball saw its first name called during the 2025 MLB Draft on Monday, when the Texas Rangers selected left-handed pitcher Ben Abeldt in the fifth round with the 146th overall pick. Abeldt carried enormous expectations into 2025 after a stellar 2024 season where he earned All-Big 12 First Team honors as well as All-Region and All-American recognition. Unfortunately, Abeldt missed the 2025 season to an elbow injury, but the McKinney, Texas native received a medical redshirt and is currently on the 2026 roster.
Staying home!
Ben Abeldt is the @Rangers 5th round selection! pic.twitter.com/Y9jwei2Bro
— TCU Baseball (@TCU_Baseball) July 14, 2025
Abeldt burst onto the scene during his freshman season in 2023, when he posted a 3.60 ERA with 71 strikeouts over 55 innings and led TCU with 32 bullpen appearances. Abeldt, who was named to the All-Big 12 Freshman Team as well as the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, returned as a sophomore and was a shutdown reliever for the Horned Frogs in 2024, earning a 3-0 record and a 1.86 ERA with 54 strikeouts over 44.2 frames of work. Abeldt held opposing batters to a .186 average during his sophomore campaign in 2024.
The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder received several awards in 2024 including Second-Team ABCA All-Region and Second-Team NCBWA All-American accolades. Abeldt returned for his junior season in 2025 and was selected for both the Preseason All-Big 12 Team and the Preseason All-American roster before suffering an elbow injury that sidelined him for the entire season.